Rod Stewart and Jools Holland Storm to U.K. No. 1 With ‘Swing Fever’
Swing Fever whips through the U.K. as Rod Stewart and Jools Holland claim their first collaborative album title.
The leader at the midweek point, Swing Fever (via EastWest/Rhino) outpaces its closest rival by almost two-to-one, the Official Charts Company reports, to debut at No. 1 on the national tally, published Friday, March 1.
Swing Fever is the first solo leader for Holland, the TV host, bandleader and Squeeze keyboardist, and Stewart’s 11th – a feat that sees the British icon draw draw level with David Bowie, Taylor Swift and U2 on the all-time list of acts with the most No. 1 albums in the U.K.
Slotting in at No. 2 on the Official Chart is the Snuts’ Millennials (Happy Artist), the Scottish band’s third studio LP. It’s the band’s third successive appearance in the top 3, following 2021 leader W.L. and 2022’s No. 3-peaking Burn The Empire (the Snuts’ debut EP Mixtape maxed-out at No. 14 in 2020).
Noah Kahan’s former leader Stick Season (Republic Records) holds at No. 3, to complete the podium.
Also landing a top 10 berth this week is British rapper and songwriter Potter Payper, with Thanks For Hating (36TL), new at No. 5. That’s a fourth top 10 appearance on the albums tally for Potter (real name: Jamel Bousbaa) following 2020’s Training Day 3 (No. 3), 2021’s Thanks For Waiting (No. 8) and 2023’s Real Back In Style (No. 2).
Liverpool six-piece Red Rum Club bag a first-ever top 10 with their third studio album Western Approaches (Modern Sky), new at No. 8. That’s strides ahead of the group’s previous best, a No. 34 peak for 2021’s How To Steal The World.
Also enjoying top 40 debuts on the latest Official U.K. Albums Chart are titles from Nadine Shah (Filthy Underneath at No. 25 via EMI North) and Ghetts (On Purpose, With Purpose at No. 29 via Warner Records).
Lars Brandle
Billboard