24 November 2023
Newsdesk
Madness earn their third UK Number 1 album today with Theatre of the Absurd Presents C’est La Vie.
Knocking Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) down to Number 2 following three consecutive weeks at the top of the Official Albums Chart, this is Madness’s first studio album to manage a Number 1 – their previous two being greatest hits collections Complete Madness (1982) and Divine Madness (1992). This also marks the group’s 20th Top 40 album to date, and 11th Top 10.
Theatre of the Absurd… also debuts at Number 1 on the Official Vinyl Albums Chart and the Official Record Store Chart.
Celebrating as they re-opened the doors of hmv’s iconic flagship 363 Oxford Street store in London today, Madness said:
“Thank you so much to everyone who worked with us, our record company, our management, and especially you, the fans, for making us Number 1!”
Meanwhile, Drake’s chart-topping For All the Dogs sprints back up 21 places to Number 3, following the release of its deluxe Scary Hours Edition last week.
Dolly Parton lands her fifth Top 10 album with Rockstar, a collection of rock cover versions featuring collaborations with the likes of Miley Cyrus, Sting and the two surviving Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.
Just outside the Top 10, Dutch violinist and conductor André Rieu & Johann Strauss Orchestra finish the week at Number 12 with Jewels of Romance, Rieu’s 20th Top 40 record, while Michael Bublé’s inevitable rise with Christmas continues as it sleighs up 16 places to Number 16.
US Rock band The National earn their second Top 40 album of the year with Laugh Track (24), following First Two Pages of Frankenstein (Number 4 peak) back in May. In total The National now have six UK Top 40 albums.
Finally, following a week of headline-grabbing interviews, Cliff Richard’s Cliff with Strings - My Kinda Life rebounds 13 places to land back in the Top 40 (36).
