The race for the top spot on the Official Albums Chart has intensified as Westlife pursue their ninth Number 1 record with their latest release, 25 – The Ultimate Collection. The legendary Irish boyband, consisting of Shane Filan, Kian Egan, Nicky Byrne, and Mark Feehily, is celebrating a quarter-century in the music industry by blending their iconic greatest hits with brand-new material. Should the group maintain their midweek momentum, they will secure a prestigious place in chart history, tying with titans such as Ed Sheeran, Bob Dylan, Take That, and Stereophonics for nine chart-topping albums.
This potential victory would add to a formidable legacy that began with Coast To Coast in 2000 and continued through nearly a decade of dominance, including hits like World of Our Own and The Love Album. After a lengthy hiatus, their 2019 return with Spectrum proved the band’s enduring popularity, a trend that appears set to continue with this 25-year anniversary celebration.
While Westlife leads the pack, the rest of the Top 40 is seeing a surge of diverse new entries and notable comebacks. Sheffield’s Reverend And The Makers are currently on track for a career-best performance with Is This How Happiness Feels?, which is sitting at Number 3. This project looks poised to outperform their 2007 debut, The State of Things. Meanwhile, British post-hardcore group Basement is making a significant impact with WIRED, eyeing their first-ever Top 10 appearance after an eight-year recording gap.
Other contenders making waves include Manchester indie band The Covasettes, who are seeking their maiden chart entry with Honeymoon Forever, and the enigmatic Sleep Token, whose instrumental version of Even In Arcadia has propelled them back into the Top 20. Additionally, pop-trio MUNA is hoping to clinch Top 40 glory with Dancing On The Wall, while veteran American songwriter Neil Diamond remains a chart staple as he aims for his 37th Top 40 achievement with Wild At Heart. As the week progresses, all eyes remain on Westlife to see if they can turn their chart-topping dream into reality once more.
