Blur have proven their universal appeal by storming straight to the top of the charts with their first album in more than a decade.
The Magic Whip was announced out of the blue in February and is inspired by the band’s travels in Asia.
It’s the sixth number one album for the four-piece, including frontman Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James, and drummer Dave Rowntree, and their first since Think Tank in 2003.
Midweek sales figures from the Official Charts Company revealed the new 12-track album was outselling the rest of the top five put together.
Blur, who scored a string of hits throughout the 1990s including Parklife, The Universal, and Coffee And TV, are headlining the Isle of Wight festival this summer, and will return to play Hyde Park in June – six years after their reunion performances.
Meanwhile, Jamaican reggae singer OMI climbed to the top of the singles charts with his track Cheerleader – shifting just over 1,000 copies more than his nearest rival Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth with See You Again.
The reggae-pop track, remixed by Felix Jaehn for its single release, ousted midweek leader Carly Rae Jepsen to claim the top spot after spending a fortnight at number two.
Canadian singer Jepsen, whose 2012 hit Call Me Maybe has sold more than a million copies in the UK, finished at number three with her track I Really Like You.
Australian rapper Iggy Azalea scored her fifth UK top 10 single with Trouble, featuring Jennifer Hudson, which climbed six places to number seven, while Justin Bieber’s collaboration with Skrillex and Diplo, Where Are U Now, leapt 14 places to number 18.
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