Neil Diamond once again proves that he has one of the most enduring careers in music as his new album, Melody Road, debuts at number 4 in the U.K.
The top ten placing for the record continues what is now a nine year long comeback that he has experienced in his career since the release of 12 Songs in 2005. He hadn’t had a top ten album in the U.K. for 21 years when he released the first of his two Rick Rubin produced albums, but Songs started him back on the road to major chart success. He followed with Home Before Dark (2008 / #1), Dreams (2010 / #8) and, now, Melody Road.
Diamond’s last career compilation also jumps back up the charts. The Very Best of Neil Diamond peaked at 5 in the U.K. upon its release in 2011 and, this week, it jumps from 97 to 28.
Diamond is the first of eleven veteran artists to debut on this week’s top 100. At number 5 is the debut of Status Quo’s 18th top ten studio album in Britain and their 23rd top ten album overall with Aquostic: Stripped Bare. It is also the highest charting studio album for the group since 1996’s Don’t Stop: The 30th Anniversary Album went to 2.
The Mark Lanegan Band premiers at 22 with Phantom Radio, their second best showing in the U.K. after 2012’s Blues Funeral which made it one spot higher. Between Screaming Trees and his solo work, Lanegan has made the British top 100 five times. None of his solo work has charted in his native-U.S. and Screaming Trees only went as high as number 134 in 1996 with Dust.
Scott Walker scores his highest charting album in 19 years in the U.K. with Soused. The collaboration with Sunn O))) starts at 30, almost matching the number 27 peak of his 1995 album Tilt. Walker’s biggest success came in the late 60’s after he left the Walker Brothers when his first three solo albums all peaked in the top three.
At 32 is the new album from Aretha Franklin, Sings the Great Diva Classics. The album has garnered great reviews around the world which has translated to sales that give her the highest charting album she has had in Britain in 45 years. In 1969, her album Soul ’69 peaked at number 9. Since that time, only two other Franklin studio albums have charted in the U.K., Who’s Zoomin’ Who? (1985 / #13) and Aretha (1986 / #51).
Billy Idol also makes a big return to the charts with King and Queens of the Underground. The album premiers at 35, his first studio album to chart in Britain since Cyberpunk went to 20 in 1993.
At 71 is the debut of The Hands of Man by Chris De Burgh, a bit of a disappointment as it falls short of his last four albums including Footsteps which went to number 4 in 2009.
Del Amitri also have a new album on the chart that is a bit of a disappointment. Into the Mirror opens at 75, well below any studio album in their career except for their 1985 debut which didn’t chart. Since then, four albums have gone to the top ten and their last set, 2002’s Can You Do Me Good?, went to 30.
Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore premiers at 78 with The Best Day, his first trip into the British top 100 as a solo artist.
Dexy’s, who were once Dexy’s Midnight Runners, opens at 79 with Nowhere is Home, by far their worst charting album.
Searching For the Young Soul Rebels (1980 / #6)
Too-Rye-Ay (1982 / #2)
Don’t Stand Me Down (1985 / #22)
One Day I’m Going to Soar (2013 / #13)
Nowhere is Home (2014 / #79)
Finally, Rory Gallagher debuts at 98 with Irish Tour ’74: 40th Anniversary.
On the singles chart, R. Kelly jumps 164 to 3 with Bump & Grind 2014, credited to Waze & Odyssey vs. R. Kelly.
The top five albums this week in the U.K.:
I Forget Where We Were – Ben Howard
5 – The Gray Chapter – Slipknot
X – Ed Sheeran
Melody Road – Neil Diamond
Aquostic: Stripped Bare – Status Quo
The top five singles:
All About That Bass – Meghan Trainor
Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran
Bump & Grind 2014 – Waze & Odyssey vs. R. Kelly
Bang Bang – Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj
Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
