The Script lead ahead of Barbra Streisand in albums race

The group’s fourth studio LP leads today’s Chart Update by over 10,000 copies. If it holds its position until Sunday, it will be their third chart-topping album in the UK, following their self-titled debut in 2008 and 2010’s Science & Faith.

New in at Number 2 is Barbra Streisand’s Partners. The duets album, which features the likes of Lionel Richie, John Legend, Michael Buble and Elvis Presley, marks her second collaborative album after 2002’s Duets.

Meanwhile, Chris Brown lands at Number 3 with his sixth album X. The collection already includes four UK Top 40 singles; Fine China, Love More and Top 10 singles Loyal and New Flame.

Last week’s Number 1 Sam Smith drops to 4 with In The Lonely Hour, and Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash is new at 5 with World On Fire. The record is on course to be his highest charting solo album to date, after 2010’s Slash (peak of 17) and 2012’s Apocalyptic Love (12).

New entries

There are no less than eight new entries on today’s Update. US pop-rockers Train debut at Number 7 with Bulletproof Picasso, and Catfish & The Bottlemen start at 8 with their debut album The Balcony. Speaking to OfficialCharts.com, frontman Van McCann described the record as a “positive, uplifting thing… for anybody who has gone through a s** time.” Read the full interview here.

American rock band Counting Crows are new at Number 12 with their seventh album Somewhere Under Wonderland, and Vance Joy enters at 19 with his debut LP Dream Your Life Away. The record includes his global smash and UK Top 10 single Riptide.

Further down the chart, Kerry Ellis is new at 27 with her self-titled album, Motionless In White land a 30 with Reincarnate, UK indie rockers Pineapple Thief land at 33 with Magnolia, and Gnarwolves round out the Top 40 with their eponymous LP.

The Official Albums Chart Update Top 40 is as follows. The Official Albums Chart Top 100 will be posted in full, here, on Sunday at 7pm.

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