• Singles: James Arthur finally surrenders top spot as Clean Bandit takes over #1
• Albums: The Weeknd’s Starboy debuts at #1, Crowded House’s Best Of top 5
Singles
James Arthur stopped his run at #1 after seven weeks, this week slipping to #4 after 11 weeks on the chart. He was one of five artists who managed to spend 34 weeks at #1 between them this year.
Clean Bandit move into #1 from #2 last week after five weeks on the chart – can “Rockabye” featuring Sean Paul and Anne-Marie start its own chart dynasty?
No newcomers in the top 10 this week while there was just one release debuting in the top 50 – ARIA Award champ Flume at #29 with his “Skin Companion” EP.
Shifting into the top 50 from lower down the chart are:
#33 The Weeknd with “Party Monster” in its second week
#37 Charli XCX with “After The Afterparty” featuring Lil Yachty in its third week
#46 Milky Chance with “Cocoon” in its third week
Albums
The Weeknd‘s Starboy takes over from Metallica at #1 after the rock album slips just one spot to #2. The Weeknd’s third album gives the Canadian artist his second #1.
After we tipped it last week, Crowded House fans have pushed The Very Very Best Of to #5, which is a new high for the album after a remarkable 154 weeks on the chart.
The third newcomer to the top 10 this week is Aussie hip hop artists Briggs and Trials performing as A.B. Original on Reclaim Australia. Neither artist has previously managed to land an album in the top 10 and this album features guest appearances by Thelma Plum, Dan Sultan and Gurrumul.
Four other artists debuted in the top 50:
#14 Susan Boyle with A Wonderful World
#16 Garth Brooks with Gunslinger
#35 Kate Bush with Before The Dawn
#36 Prince with 4Ever
Plenty of Christmas action on the chart this week too:
Michael Bublé‘s Christmas has crept higher to #3 from #5
A Pentatonix Christmas is up from #34 to #24
Kylie Christmas from Ms Minogue has reappeared again at #30 up from #86
And what would Christmas be without chart surges from Mariah Carey and Human Nature?
Merry Christmas from Mariah jumps from #51 to #31
The Christmas Album from Human Nature lifts from #49 to #38