Sam Ryder Leads U.K. Chart Race With ‘Space’

Sam Ryder is up, up and away in the U.K. albums chart race.

The hirsute Eurovision contestant leads the midweek chart with There’s Nothing But Space, Man! (via Parlophone), his debut album.

Space, Man holds an advantage of almost 2-to-1 over its nearest competitor, SZA’s SOS, the Official Charts Company reports.

Ryder represented England at Eurovision 2022 in May, his entry “Space Man” raking in 466 points for second place behind the winners from Ukraine, Kalush.

“Space Man” went on to peak at No. 2 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart in the same month, losing out to Harry Styles’ mega-hit “As It Was.”

If it maintains its trajectory, There’s Nothing But Space, Man! would become the first debut album by a solo artist to hit No. 1 in the U.K. since Oliva Rodrigo’s Sour in March 2021, according to the OCC.

Coming in at No. 2 on the Chart Update is SZA’s long-awaited second LP SOS (via RCA/Top Dawg), which is on track to land the U.S. singer a career chart peak and her first U.K. top 10. Regardless of where it enters, SOS should top the No. 45 best for her critically-regarded debut Ctrl from 2017. 

English singer and songwriter Sam Fender could nab two top 10 titles this week, with Live From Finsbury Park (Polydor) set to debut at No. 7, and his former leader Seventeen Going Under on course to lift 45-9. Earlier in the week, Fender was announced as a headliner for the 2023 edition of Britain’s Reading and Leeds Festivals.

Also eying a top 40 U.K. debut is A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s fourth album Me Vs Myself (Atlantic), which currently sits at No. 21. The U.S. rapper hit No. 11 with his previous collection, 2020’s Artist 2.0.

As the U.K. enters a cold snap, Christmas tunes are dominating playlists at home. No less than four holiday-themed albums appear in the top 10 of the chart blast, led by Michael Buble’s Christmas (via Reprise), up 5-4.

All will be revealed when the weekly chart is published Friday.