Declan McKenna and Noah Kahan Vie For U.K. No. 1 Album

Declan McKenna is the frontrunner for the U.K. albums chart title with What Happened To The Beach? (via Columbia), this third album.

What Happened To The Beach? leads the midweek chart, and, should it hold its position, would give the English singer-songwriter his first leader.

Whatever happens when the weekly chart is published later in the week, McKenna will have a third top 40 to his name. His 2017 debut LP What Do You Think About The Car? peaked at No. 11, and his sophomore effort from 2020, Zeros, came in at No. 2. On that occasion, the Official Charts Company notes, the Rolling Stones’ reissue of Goats Head Soup scraped through by just 800 chart units for an historic No. 1.

The nearest competitor on the current chart blast is Noah Kahan and his breakthrough third album Stick Season (Republic Records), which is roughly 3,000 combined units behind in second place – its peak position.

Stick Season’s ongoing success is fueled by the release of an expanded deluxe edition, featuring new tracks and collaborations with the likes of Sam Fender, Post Malone, Kacey Musgraves and Hozier, and, of course, its hit title track, which has led the Official U.K. Singles Chart for the past six weeks.

If there were any questions about Kanye West’s international popularity after his recent controversies, the U.K. albums chart could provide an answer. West’s collaborative album Vultures 1 (YZY) with Ty Dolla $ign finally dropped Saturday (Feb. 10), following months of delays. Based on midweek sales and streaming data, Vultures 1 is likely to swoop in at No. 3 for what would Ye’s eighth U.K. top 10 album and Ty Dolla $ign’s first.

Former Mercury Prize-winning British rapper Dizzee Rascal is eyeing a top 10 debut (and sixth overall) with Don’t Take It Personal (Big Dirte3), new at No. 6 on the Official Chart Update, while Swedish pop singer and songwriter Zara Larsson’s third album Venus (Black Butter/Sommer House) is on track for a No. 7 start, for what would be her second top 10 effort.

Meanwhile, Usher could score a top 10 touchdown following his halftime performance at the Super Bowl. The newly-married R&B star’s Coming Home (Mega Gamma) is new at No. 9 on the midweek chart and is set to become the U.S. artist’s seventh top 10 album.

Finally, Somerset, England originated prog-rock act Pineapple Thief is set to steal a career high and second top 40 appearance with It Leads To This (Kscope), new at No. 21 on the midweek tally, while Il Divo’s XX (Il Divo Music) could become the classical crossover act’s 12th Official Albums Chart top 40 appearance. It’s new at No. 35 on the chart blast.

All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Albums Chart is published late Friday, Jan. 16.