Niall Horan’s ‘The Show’ Set For U.K. No. 1

Niall Horan welcomed fans to The Show (via Capitol). Now he’s set to be rewarded with the U.K. chart title.

The Irish pop singer’s third solo album leads the midweek U.K. chart race, piloting an all-new top 5 featuring new releases from McFly, James, Christine & The Queens and Extreme.

If it holds its course, The Show will give the former One Direction star his sixth leader overall and second solo No. 1, following 2020’s Heartbreak Weather. Horan’s debut solo effort Flicker peaked at No. 3 in 2017.

As a member of 1D, Horan landed four U.K. No. 1 albums and as many leaders on the national singles survey.

Arriving at No. 2 on the Official Chart Update is McFly’s Power to Play (BMG), which is set to become the pop-punk band’s seventh top 10 release.

The podium at the midweek stage is completed by Britpop-era Manchester band James, with Be Open to the Wonderful (Nothing But Love Music). James has ten U.K. top 10 albums, including a No. 1 for 1998’s The Best Of.

French alternative pop outfit Christine & The Queens could net a third U.K. top 10 with Paranoia, Angels, True Love (Because Music). The three-part LP is new at No. 4 on the midweek chart.

Close behind at No. 5 is veteran U.S. rock band Extreme with Six (Ear Music), which set to become the “More Than Words” act’s first U.K.-charting album since 1995’s Waiting for the Punchline (No. 10 peak). Six could be Extreme’s third top 10 release.

Further down the midweek tally is Tears For Fears’ 40th anniversary reissue of their debut album The Hurting (Mercury), which originally led the chart in 1983. The Hurting is poised to return at No. 7.

And finally, English singer, producer and rapper King Krule could bag his first top 10 LP with Space Heavy (XL Recordings), new at No. 8 on the chart blast.

All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Albums Chart is published Friday (June 16).