U2 have earned their 11th No.1 album in a career lasting more than four decades.
Songs Of Surrender, which features stripped back recordings of 40 U2 tracks, opened at the summit with sales of 20,569 (11,042 CDs, 6,000 vinyl albums, 1,008 cassettes, 1,407 digital downloads and 1,112 sales-equivalent streams). The LP also topped the vinyl albums chart this week.
U2’s first UK No.1 album was War in 1983, while they last reached the summit in 2009 with No Line On The Horizon.
Songs Of Surrender’s success means that U2 ascend the list of acts with the most No.1 albums. The group now tie with David Bowie on 11 chart-toppers each.
International No.1 placings so far confirmed for Songs Of Surrender include Ireland, Germany, Holland and Belgium.
Following the new album release, the group’s 2006 greatest hits collection U218 Singles moved back into the Top 40 (No.38).
‘’To see U2 top the UK albums chart for an astonishing 11th time in their career is a fantastic achievement for all involved,” said Sam Lunn, director of strategic marketing, Island Records. “Re-imagining 40 songs across their illustrious canon was approached with the band’s customary creative vigour and has resulted in timeless new takes on all time classic songs. For everyone at Island, U2 continue to inspire and remain standard bearers for the label’s past, present and indeed its future.”
The chart-topping result for U2 and Island follows the label’s second consecutive No.1 album for The Lathums. From Nothing To A Little Bit More debuted at the summit this month.
In the latest singles chart, Island-signed Hozier returns at No.22 with Eat Your Young. The label secured the biggest UK breakthrough of 2022 with ArrDee, while FLO triumphed in the BRITs Rising Star category.
To mark the release of U2’s Songs Of Surrender, a Disney+ special, Bono & The Edge: A Sort Of Homecoming with Dave Letterman premiered on St. Patrick’s Day.
Other highlights include a one-hour Zane Lowe interview special on Apple Music, a first-ever NPR Tiny Desk appearance by Bono and The Edge, plus a visit to the BBC’s Maida Vale studios where Bono and The Edge performed three tracks for Radio 2’s Piano Room accompanied by members of the BBC Concert Orchestra.
U2 have also announced U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At The Sphere in the autumn. The band will launch the MSG Sphere venue in Las Vegas.
PHOTO: Emily Quinn
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