Busted are on course to land their first number one album with new offering Half Way There.
However, the three-piece pop punk band have stiff competition from new albums by The Specials and Ian Brown in the race for the top spot.
There are fewer than 700 combined sales currently separating the top three albums at the halfway stage of the charts week, the Official Charts Company said.
Half Way There is out in front, closely followed by Encore by The Specials – the two-tone band’s first new material in 38 years – with Ripples by Stone Roses frontman Brown in third place.
If any of the current top three top the chart this Friday, it will be their first number one album.
Busted previously peaked at number two with their first two albums Busted (2002) and A Present For Everyone (2003), while their comeback album Night Driver in 2016 peaked at number 13.
Last week’s number two, The Greatest Showman soundtrack, is currently in fourth place, ahead of Steps star Claire Richards’ debut album My Wildest Dreams, which is in the running to debut at number five.
There are another seven albums set to debut in the top 40 this week, including Third Avenue by London rapper Fredo in sixth place and symphonic metal band Within Temptation at number eight with Resist.
in the singles chart, Ariana Grande looks likely to achieve a third week at number one with 7 Rings.
The US pop star’s track is nearly 6,000 combined sales ahead of its closest competitor, Sam Smith and Normani’s Dancing With A Stranger at number two.
Giant by Calvin Harris and Rag’n’Bone Man is in the running to end the chart week at number three, while Sweet But Psycho by Ava Max is at number four and Wow by Post Malone rounds off the top five.
