Bruno Mars makes it a rare double this week as debut album Doo Wops & Hooligans enters the Official Albums Chart at number one, while his single Grenade stays top of the Official Singles Chart for a second week, the Official Charts Company confirms today.
This feat gives Mars the accolade of being the first solo male act to achieve the chart double since 2007 when Mika’s debut album Life in Cartoon Motion and single Grace Kelly were simultaneous number ones. The last American solo male act to achieve the double was Akon back in 2005 with album Trouble and single Lonely.
Doo Wops& Hooligans sold more than twice that it of its nearest rival, Rihanna’s Loud, to make the number one spot while Grenade still broke the 100,000 sales barrier in its second week, giving it phenomenally strong sales of over 250,000 in just two weeks.
The Official Singles Chart Top 10 sees no less than five new entries this week, all straight in; Adele claims her third Official Singles Chart Top 5 hit with Rolling In The Deep at number two, US rap/producer superstar P Diddy’s latest act Diddy Dirty Money’s Coming Home featuring Skylar Grey is at number four, North London rapper Wretch 32’s debut single Traktor featuring L is at number five, Britney Spears scores her 21st Official Singles Chart Top 10 hit in just 12 years with Hold It Against Me at number six and Aggro Santos and Girls Aloud’s Kimberly Walsh’s Like U Like at number eight.
There is just one other new entry in this week’s Official Albums Chart Top 10; White Lies’ Spiritual, which follows their 2009 number one debut album To Lose My Life, is straight in at number three.