“It is an especially impressive achievement given the strength of the competition. It has already been a huge year for him, following his Grammy and BRIT Awards triumphs – and he can now add claiming Number 1 in this week’s historic Official Albums Chart. Official Charts Company chief executive Martin Talbot says, “Many congratulations to Sam Smith.
The two albums were the biggest of the week on both physical / download sales and album streams – In The Lonely Hour claimed 38,000 album sales and 2,900 album streams, while X claimed just under 35,000 album sales and 3,400 album streams. Based on sales and streams gathered up to midnight yesterday (Saturday), In The Lonely Hour finished with a combined chart sales figure of 41,000, ahead of Ed Sheeran’s X on 38,000. The Official Charts Company announced a fortnight ago that the chart published today (March 1) would be the first to reflect audio streaming of albums from the likes of services such as Spotify, Deezer, Google Play, Napster, O2 Tracks, Xbox Music, Rdio and Rara.Īnd, after a dramatic seven days during which several different albums have challenged at the summit, it is Sam Smith’s debut album In The Lonely Hour which has won the day.Īt the midway point on Wednesday, Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti held the lead, through phenomenal early sales of the remastered album’s physical package.īy Friday, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith and Royal Blood were in a three-way battle for Number 1, boosted by their appearances on Wednesday night’s BRIT Awards.īut today Smith has taken the top spot.