Gary Barlow bags a third solo No. 1 on the U.K. albums chart with Music Played By Humans (Polydor), while Mariah Carey inches closer to an elusive chart crown with her evergreen holiday hit, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Columbia).
Carey’s 1994 Christmas single has logged 103 weeks on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, with an all-time peak at No. 2.
The festive tune challenged Ariana Grande’s “Positions” (Republic Records) all week, and on Friday (Dec. 4) zoomed 14-2 on the survey, with Grande’s hit holding top spot for a sixth week.
With three more weeks until Christmas, there’s plenty of time for Carey to snag the title.
There’s Christmas cheer up and down the chart, as Wham’s “Last Christmas” (RCA) flies 20-3, The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl’s “Fairytale of New York” (Warner Bros) zooms 26-8, and 18 more holiday hits impact the Top 40, the Official Charts Company reports.
The highest new entry on the chart this week belongs to Liam Gallagher, with his charity fundraising singer “All You’re Dreaming Of” (Warner Records) opening at No. 35. It’s the former Oasis frontman’s fourth solo Top 40 single.
Proceeds of the single will benefit Action For Children, a charity that protects and supports vulnerable children and young people across the U.K.
Over on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, Barlow’s fifth record completes a hot first week, with 46,500 combined sales for the chart title.
It’s Barlow’s third solo leader, and his first since Sing topped the survey in 2012. Barlow now has 11 No. 1s, including albums he recorded with Take That.
Coming in at No. 2 is reunited British pop group Steps with What The Future Holds (BMG), while Miley Cyrus scores her highest-charting album in seven years with Plastic Hearts (RCA), new at No. 4. It’s Cyrus’ best chart position since Bangerz ruled the tally in 2013.
Veteran Welsh artist Shakin’ Stevens earns his first Top 10 album in 15 years, as his career retrospective Singled Out (BMG) starts at No. 10, just behind Michael Buble’s Christmas (Reprise) set, which improves 22-9 to enter the Top 10 for a ninth year.
