Take That’s ‘This Life’ Powers to No. 1 In U.K. With Massive First Week

Take That are crowned on the U.K. albums chart with This Life (EMI), which flexes its way to year-best sales for a British act.

The runaway leader at the midweek stage, This Life bows at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, published Friday, Dec. 1, with 116,000 chart sales from its first seven days. That eclipses the 95,000 first-week combined sales for Lewis Capaldi’s sophomore effort Broken By Desire to Be Heavenly Sent, until now the biggest-volume for a British artist album in 2023.

With their latest studio effort, the veteran pop group – now the trio of Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald – snags a ninth leader.

Previously, the record-busting group led the weekly tally with Everything Changes (1993), Nobody Else (1995), Greatest Hits (1996), Beautiful World (2006), The Circus (2008), Progress (2010), III (2014) and Odyssey (2018).

The lads will support the album in 2024 with an extensive tour of the U.K. and Europe.

Meanwhile, Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (via EMI) holds at No. 2, while the Rolling Stones’ former leader Hackney Diamonds (Polydor) lifts 4-3.

Not far behind is Michael Bublé’s Christmas (Reprise), which, like clockwork, makes its journey up the chart. Christmas improves 16-4, for its first stint in the top 5 this year, the OCC reportS.

The late, great Tina Turner, lands a posthumous top 40 appearance with Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll (Rhino), new at No. 16. It’s the legendary U.S. singer’s 16th top tier appearance in the U.K. The “Simply The Best” singer died in May of this year, aged 84.

Finally, Australia’s princess of pop Kylie Minogue returns to the top 40 with Kylie (BMG), the album that ignited her pop career. Kylie blasts to No. 30, thanks to a reissue to celebrate its 35th anniversary, including a neon pink version on wax. The set, which led the chart back in 1988, is the best-seller on vinyl during the latest cycle.