Entertainment

Stereophonics score eighth number one album in 25th year

This places them among the likes of Taylor Swift and Oasis who also have eight number one UK albums.
This places them among the likes of Taylor Swift and Oasis who also have eight number one UK albums. This places them among the likes of Taylor Swift and Oasis who also have eight number one UK albums.

Stereophonics have scored their eighth number one album Oochya! in their 25th year as a band.

The Welsh rock band secured the top spot with their 12th album by outselling their closest competition by 2:1, according to Official Charts Company.

This success places them among global superstars such as Taylor Swift, Oasis and R.E.M., who have also achieved eight number one albums in their career.

The band, consisting of Kelly Jones, Richard Jones, Adam Zindani and Jamie Morrison, signed their record deal in 1996.

To celebrate their 25th anniversary, the group released the new album Oochya! on March 4.

Accepting their number one album award lead singer Jones told OfficialCharts.com: “Thank you very much, the eighth Official Charts Number 1 on the 25th year.

“There’s lots of people involved in the Stereophonics team, but we’re just four of them. Thank you very much to everybody, all the fans that’ve been with the band for a long time, and all the new ones.”

Rock band Marillion follow behind to take second place with their twentieth album An Hour Before It’s Dark.

This is the Buckinghamshire-formed group’s highest chart entry since 1987 when their record Clutching At Straws matched their peak at number two.

Ed Sheeran’s chart-topping album Equals lands in at number three, while rapper Central Cee drops back to fourth place with his second mixtape 23.

Dave’s second album We’re All Alone in This Together has climbed back to number five following his first-ever arena tour.

While in the UK singles chart, the rapper has taken the top spot with his new track Starlight.

It is the first song to debut straight in at number one this year and it has also had the biggest opening week for any track in 2022 so far with combined chart sales of 63,000, including 7.7 million streams, according to the Official Charts Company.

This ends the long-running streak by the track We Don’t Talk About Bruno from the soundtrack to Disney’s Encanto which had spent the previous seven weeks at number one.

Sheeran holds on to number two with his collaboration with Afrobeats singer Fireboy DML on their track Peru.

While Lost Frequencies and Calum Scott’s Where Are You Now stays at number three and the Irish dance outfit Belters Only and Jazzy’s collaboration on Make Me Feel Good holds at number four.