Hozier Lands First U.K. No. 1 With ‘Unreal Unearth’

Hozier enjoys an unreal start on the U.K. albums chart as his third studio album blasts to No. 1.

Unreal Unearth (via Island) debuts atop the Official U.K. Albums Chart, published Aug. 25, for the Irish singer and songwriter’s first leader.

The leader at the midweek stage and best-seller on vinyl across the latest full-week chart cycle, Unreal Unearth eclipses the No. 3 of Hozier’s self-titled debut from 2014, and the No. 6 best for his sophomore album from 2019, Wasteland, Baby.

Hozier (real name: Andrew Hozier-Byrne) holds off the Weeknd’s hits package The Highlights (up 6-2 via Republic Records/XO) and Taylor Swift’s Midnights (up 7-3 via EMI), respectively. Midnights is one of three Swift LPs in the top ten (1989 holds at No. 5 and Lover lifts 11-7).

Also new to the latest albums survey is the View’s Exorcism of Youth (Cooking Vinyl), the Scottish indie-rock outfit’s sixth studio album.

Exorcism becomes the band’s fourth U.K. top 10 album, and highest chart position since their 2009 sophomore album Which Bitch, which peaked at No. 3. The View’s career got off to a hot star with debut Hats Off to the Buskers hitting No. 1 back in 2007. That LP featured the View’s first and only U.K. top 10 single, “Same Jeans,” which reached No. 3 in the year of release.

Meanwhile, U.S. singer and actor Renee Rapp earns her first U.K. top 10 with Snow Angel (Interscope), which flies in at No. 7.

And finally, U.K. singer and songwriter Birdy flaps her wings for a fifth U.K. top 40 appearance with Portraits (via Warner Music U.K.), new at No. 13. Birdy (real name: Jasmine Lucilla Elizabeth Jennifer van den Bogaerde) previously charted with her self-titled 2011 debut (No. 13 peak), 2013’s Fire Within (No. 8), 2016’s Beautiful Lies (No. 4) and 2021’s Young Heart (No. 4).