Entertainment

Rex Orange Country scores first UK number one album

He held off competition from Swedish rockers Ghost and Canadian star Bryan Adams.
He held off competition from Swedish rockers Ghost and Canadian star Bryan Adams. He held off competition from Swedish rockers Ghost and Canadian star Bryan Adams.

Rex Orange County has landed his first UK number one album with Who Cares? after beating off tough competition from Swedish rockers Ghost.

The musician, real name Alexander James O’Connor, landed the top spot with his fourth studio album following on from 2015’s BCos U Will Never B Free and 2017’s Apricot Princess, which he released independently, before dropping 2019’s Pony with RCA.

The Hampshire-born singer told OfficialCharts.com: “Thank you to everyone who listened to Who Cares?

“I’m so happy to have an official number one album in the UK, where I’m from. I appreciate all the love.”

Swedish metal group Ghost enter the album chart in second place with their fifth studio album Impera, according to the Official Charts Company.

Canadian superstar Bryan Adams is a new entry in third spot with So Happy It Hurts, while Ed Sheeran takes fourth place with =.

Country duo The Shires’ fifth album, 10 Year Plan, enters the chart at five.

On the singles chart, rapper Dave holds on to the top spot, spending a second week at number one with Starlight after the track secured the biggest week of audio streams of the year so far, with 6.5 million.

Aitch is at number two with Baby, which samples R&B star Ashanti’s 2003 hit Rock Wit U (Awww Baby), giving her her first UK top 10 track since 2005.

Fireboy DML and Ed Sheeran’s Peru slips to number three, while Where Are You Now by Lost Frequencies featuring Calum Scott takes fourth spot, pushing Make Me Feel Good by Belters Only featuring Jazzy down to five.