The Rolling Stones storm ahead for landmark 14th Number 1 album with Hackney Diamonds

The Rolling Stones are on the way to marking a huge career milestone as their brand-new album, Hackney Diamonds, storms ahead to Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart. 

Currently outselling the rest of the Top 10 combined, Hackney Diamonds – the first album of original material by the Stones in nearly 20 years – has already managed to accumulate over 55,000 chart units over the weekend. 

It would mark the 14th UK Number 1 album for Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, and their first since the death of long-time drummer Charlie Watts in 2021. Only The Beatles with 15 Number 1 albums would have more. 

American pop-punk idols blink-182 are set for a Number 2 debut with their ninth album ONE MORE TIME..., their first with vocalist Tom DeLonge since his split from the band in 2015. It would mark the band’s – also comprising Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker – sixth UK Top 10 album.  

Bombay Bicycle Club are on track to claim their fifth Top 10 album with My Big Day (3) which would potentially become their highest-charting album in the UK since 2014’s chart-topping release So Long, See You Tomorrow. Watch Bombay Bicycle Club discuss My Big Day live on The Record Club this Wednesday. 

An all-new Top 5 would also be completed by Sheffield singer-songwriter Richard Hawley’s Now Then: The Very Best Of (4), and Barry Can’t Swim’s debut album When Will We Land? (5), potentially the first Official Albums Chart entry for the electronic soloist.  

Acclaimed soul, R&B artist Sampha is heading for a Number 7 debut with his second album Lahai, which would equal the peak of his Mercury Prize-winning debut Process. 

Pet Shop Boys are looking to secure a 19th Top 10 album with Relentless, which was originally released as a companion EP to their chart-topping 1993 record Very (9), while Cher’s Christmas album could complete the Top 10 on Friday and earn the pop legend her 11th Top 10 album. 

Outside the Top 10, Rival Sons’ Lightbringer is expected to debut at Number 11 which would mark the highest-peaking album yet for the US rockers. 

Further down, symphonic metal band Within Temptation’s eighth studio album Bleed Out is predicted to enter at Number 26, and there could be brand-new career peaks for British afro-swing collective NSG with Area Boyz at 27, and Leeds alternative band Apollo Junction with Here We Are at Number 33. 

Finally, George Michael’s Twenty-Five could re-enter the Official Albums Chart, flying back into the Top 40 midweek (40).