Wet Leg fly in at Number 1 with their self-titled debut album, fronting a spectacular hat-trick of chart success for independent record labels who dominate all top three places on this week’s Official Albums Chart for the first time in more than a decade.
Isle of Wight indie-rock duo Wet Leg comfortably land a Number 1 debut today, outselling the rest of the Top 5 combined to earn the second-biggest opening week for any chart-topping album in 2022 so far after Central Cee’s 23.
The week’s best seller on vinyl and in UK independent record shops too, Wet Leg top the Official Vinyl Albums Chart and the Official Record Store Chart.
Celebrating their success, Wet Leg told OfficialCharts.com:
“We just want to say thanks to all of our fans that have bought the record, and that means we can be Number 1. Thank you for this!”
Wet Leg’s release on Domino Records (home of Arctic Monkeys) continues a recent run of form for independent record labels, Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers are the fourth independent label act to earn a UK Number 1 album this year; following Stereophonics’ Oochya!, Central Cee’s 23 and Don Broco’s Amazing Things.
A landmark day for the Official Albums Chart as the Top 3 is made up solely of independent label releases, the first time this has occurred in 11 years; Father John Misty (released by Bella Union) debuts at Number 2 with Chloe and The Next 21st Century – earning a new UK chart career-peak – and Jack White’s Fear Of The Dawn (Third Man) enters at Number 3.
The last time three indie releases occupied the Top 3 was back in May 2011 - Adele’s 21 (1) and 19 (3) and Fleet Foxes’ Helplessness Blues (2).
The news arrives just days after recorded music trade body the BPI announced a fourth consecutive year of growth for indie label market share. New BPI analysis of Official Charts Company data showed independent music surging as it accounted for 26.9% of UK music consumption in 2021 and 4 in every 10 vinyl album purchases.
Martin Talbot, CEO of the Official Charts Company, says of the feat:
“The fantastic first week by Wet Leg really is the tip of an independent iceberg, with the Domino release pipping Bella Union’s Father John Misty and Third Man’s Jack White to make for an indie treble. Coming after chart topping successes for Stereophonics, Central Cee and Don Broco, this year is also underlining the independent sector’s power in uncovering and developing talent.”
Commenting on the rarity of this chart occurrence, Music Week’s chart analyst Alan Jones says:
“It is only the third time in the 1,162 weeks that have elapsed in the 21st century that indie records have occupied all of the top three places in the chart. The first time, in 2011, saw two albums from Adele (21 and 19) and one from The Strokes (Angles) shutting out the majors, and the second instance happened just six weeks later.”
Elsewhere in the Top 10, Little Mix rise five with greatest hits collection Between Us (7) following the kick-off of Jade, Perrie and Leigh-Anne’s final tour as a trio this week, before the band enters a hiatus for its members to pursue solo careers.
Spoken-word poet and rapper Kae Tempest earns their first Top 10 entry with This Line Is A Curve (8), while Camila Cabello’s third album Familia (9) becomes her second Top 10 hit.
Finally, English singer-songwriter Passenger debuts at Number 35 with Birds That Flew and Ships That Sailed. It’s the artist’s (real name Michael Rosenberg) eighth album to enter the UK Top 40.
