Robbie William’s newly released album Swings Both Ways topped the UK album charts yesterday, making it the UK’s 1000th number one album.
Robbie Williams first achieved a solo number one album in 1997 with Life Thru a Lens. Since then, all his studio albums with the exception of 2009’s Reality Killed the Video Star have topped the album chart. Williams has sold a total of 18.6 million albums in the UK.
Speaking about his number one album, Williams told OfficialCharts.com; “I am over the moon. [And it’s] such an honour to be the 1000th album in that spot, following Frank Sinatra – who was the first person to top the Official Album Chart, and my hero.”
Williams has now had 11 chart topping albums, a total which equals that of Elvis Presley. The singer has also had three chart topping albums as part of his former band Take That.
Frank Sinatra scored the UK’s first number one album in 1957 with Songs for Swingin’ Lovers. There have since been 3000 UK album charts. The Beatles currently hold the record for the most UK number one albums with 15, while Madonna comes second with 13.
In addition to holding the record for the highest number of chart topping albums, The Beatles also hold the record for the most weeks spent at the top of the charts with 174 weeks (over three years). Elvis Presley came second, with a total of 63 weeks spent at number one.
Singer Lily Allen has recently returned from a four year break.
Swings Both Ways sold 67,000 more copies than the number two album this week, Eminem’s Marshall Mathers LP 2. Teen songwriter Jake Bugg’s new album Shangri La entered at number three, while boyband JLS’ greatest hits collection Goodbye entered the chart at number six. Lady Gaga’s third studio album Artpop, which topped the UK charts last week, dropped to number nine.
In the UK singles chart Lily Allen achieved two singles in the top 10. Her cover of Keane’s ‘Somewhere Only We Know‘ for the 2013 John Lewis Christmas advert was number one and her latest single ‘Hard Out Here’ entered at nine. Bastille’s ‘Of The Night’ – a mix of ‘Rhythm Is A Dancer’ by Snap! and ‘Rhythm Of The Night’ by Corona – reached number two, beating Gary Barlow, whose new single ‘Let Me Go’ entered at number three. Last week’s chart topping single, ‘Animals’ by Martin Garrix dropped to number six this week.
