Louis Tomlinson beats the Boss to score his first solo U.K. No. 1 album with Faith In The Future (via BMG).
As a member of One Direction, Tomlinson triumphed over the national albums survey on four occasions, while his debut solo set, 2020’s Walls, peaked at No. 4.
Perhaps just as sweet is the manner in which Tomlinson claimed the crown. The pop singer’s sophomore set outpaces Bruce Springsteen’s Only The Strong Survive (Columbia), a collection of soul covers, which debuts at No. 2 on the Official Chart.
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And he did so with one arm, following an injury sustained in a fall after performing at New York’s Irving Plaza. “Broken arm but number one in the U.K. Can’t quite believe it,” he wrote on his socials.
Springsteen is a chart goliath in the U.K. with 23 appearances in the top 10, including 12 No. 1s — equal third-best among solo acts, after Robbie Williams (14) and Elvis Presley (13), respectively.
Fewer than 1,200 chart sales split the two albums at the halfway point, the Official Charts Company reported.
Faith In The Future is the week’s best-seller on wax, to lead the Official Vinyl Albums Chart.
Tomlinson is the latest 1D star to enjoy a No. 1 on his own. The first to leave the boyband, Zayn Malik, was also the first to score a solo leader with 2016’s debut Mind Of Mine.
Harry Styles was next with his 2017 self-titled release, and 2022’s third album Harry’s House, while Irishman Niall Horan led the tally with 2020’s Heartbreak Weather.
Liam Payne is still waiting for his solo crown. His 2019 debut, LP1, peaked at No. 17 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart.
Christmas is coming. Expect the Bocelli family to provide the soundtrack for many Brits’ festive season. A Family Christmas (Decca), featuring operatic great Andrea Bocelli, his son Matteo and daughter Virginia, makes a notable climb on the latest chart, published Nov. 18. It’s flying 47-5.
The Christmas spirit is also bottled on Aled Jones and Russell Watson’s Christmas With Aled & Russell (BMG), new at No. 14.
Finally, Nigerian artist Wizkid debuts at No. 16 with his fifth LP More Love, Less Ego (Columbia), his fifth studio album. That’s just one place removed from the Afrobeat act’s career U.K. peak, a No. 15 best for 2020’s Made in Lagos.