Kingston, Blunt Rule on U.K. Charts
September 24, 2007, 10:15 AM ET
Paul Sexton, London
As Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls" (Beluga Heights/Epic) bagged a fourth week atop the U.K. singles chart, there was an instant No. 1 on the album survey for James Blunt's "All the Lost Souls" (Custard/Atlantic).
Blunt's speedy new success, with opening sales of close to 118,000, was in marked contrast to the slow burn of its predecessor "Back to Bedlam," which took about nine months to reach the top of the British chart. "Souls" thus ended Kanye West's one-week reign with "Graduation" (Roc-A-Fella/Mercury), which fell to No. 2.
Sheffield indie rock outfit Reverend and the Makers arrived at No. 5 with their debut album, "The State of Things" (Wall of Sound) and two veterans scored top 10 entries: Mark Knopfler at No. 9 with his fifth solo studio album, "Kill To Get Crimson" (Mercury), and Phil Collins at No. 10 with "Hits" (Virgin). The sales spurt is via a compilation that first appeared in 1998 and has new momentum thanks to budget pricing and interest in his first solo hit "In the Air Tonight" via its use in a humorous commercial for Cadbury's chocolate. The track climbs 23-17 on the singles chart.
That list saw Kingston stay ahead of "Ayo Technology" (Interscope) by 50 Cent featuring Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, which rose 5-2. Pete Doherty's band Babyshambles had the highest new entry of the week at No. 6 with "Delivery" (Parlophone), the first single from the Stephen Street-produced "Shotter's Nation," which follows on Oct. 1.
As Scouting for Girls moved back 10-7 with "She's So Lovely" (Epic) and entered at No. 12 with their self-titled debut album, Foo Fighters jumped 21-8 with the single "The Pretender" (RCA). Their new album "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" is out today. There was a 33-13 climb for the reissued "Young Folks" (Wichita) by Peter Bjorn & John featuring Swedish singer Victoria Bergsman, and yet another No. 14 for Elvis Presley, his fourth in as many weeks, with the reissued "Don't" (RCA).
West may have trounced 50 Cent last week in the battle of the heavyweight rappers on The Billboard 200, and in the U.K., but across Europe as a whole the tables were turned, as 50's "Curtis" (Aftermath/G-Unit/Interscope) debuted at No. 1 on European Top 100 Albums. West's "Graduation" (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam) only entered at No.3.
The Eurochart Hot 100 Singles tally also had a new leader, as Blunt's "1973" (Atlantic) climbed to No. 1 after two weeks in the runner-up spot.
Source:
http://www.billboard.com/