The top-selling debut albums in UK chart history have been revealed – and they might surprise you

Meat Loaf‘s ‘Bat Out Of Hell’ has been named as the best-selling debut album in UK chart history.

Compiled by The Official Charts Company in partnership with National Album Day, which will take place tomorrow (October 15), the ‘Official All-Time Debut Albums Top 20’ has placed the late artist’s 1977 solo album at the top.

• READ MORE: When I met Meat Loaf, he was everything I’d always wanted him to be: a showman to the bone

The chart is based on combined UK sales and streams since records began in 1956, with Meat Loaf having sold over 3.5million copies of ‘Bat Out Of Hell’ in the UK alone to date.

Second in the chart is James Blunt‘s 2004 LP ‘Back To Bedlam’, with Leona Lewis (‘Spirit’, 2007), Lady Gaga (‘The Fame’, 2008) and Dido (‘No Angel’, 1999) rounding out the top five.

Other entrants in the top 20 include debut albums by the Spice Girls, Coldplay, Mike Oldfield, Adele, The Killers, Guns N’ Roses and Oasis. You can see the full ‘Official All-Time Debut Albums Top 20’ chart below.

1. ‘Bat Out Of Hell’ – Meat Loaf (1977)
2. ‘Back To Bedlam’ – James Blunt (2004)
3. ‘Spirit’ – Leona Lewis (2007)
4. ‘The Fame’ – Lady Gaga (2008)
5. ‘No Angel’ – Dido (1999)
6. ‘Spice’ – Spice Girls (1996)
7. ‘Hopes And Fears’ – Keane (2004)
8. ‘Jagged Little Pill’ – Alanis Morissette (1994)
9. ‘In The Lonely Hour’ – Sam Smith (2014)
10. ‘Parachutes’ – Coldplay (2000)
11. ‘Tubular Bells’ – Mike Oldfield (1973)
12. ‘Scissor Sisters’ – Scissor Sisters (2004)
13. ‘Tracy Chapman’ – Tracy Chapman (1988)
14. ‘+’ – Ed Sheeran (2011)
15. ‘Come Away With Me’ – Norah Jones (2002)
16. ’19’ – Adele (2008)
17. ‘Appetite for Destruction’ – Guns N’ Roses (1987)
18. ‘Our Version of Events’ – Emeli Sandé (2012)
19. ‘Definitely Maybe’ – Oasis (1994)
20. ‘Hot Fuss’ – The Killers (2004)

A special Steve Wright-hosted radio programme about the new debut albums chart will air on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 2 from 1pm-3pm tomorrow.

Meat Loaf, born Marvin Lee Aday, passed away earlier this year at the age of 74. Jack Black was among those to pay tribute, writing: “Thank you Meat for rocking so hard!!! Much love to his friends and family. Meat Loaf Rest In Peace.”

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