Lana Del Rey has scored her fifth UK No.1 album with Chemtrails Over The Country Club. Her seventh studio album debuts in pole position today (26) on the Official Charts Company’s newly-published survey.
In so doing, Chemtrails has become the UK’s fastest-selling album on vinyl this century by a female artist. The OCC reports that its total of 40,000 combined units in its first week includes 16,700 vinyl copies, also taking it to the top of both the Official Vinyl Albums Chart and the Record Store Chart. Arctic Monkeys’ 2018 release Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino is the top-seller on that 21st century vinyl roll of honor.
Chemtrails Over The Country Club also outdoes Justin Bieber’s new release Justice, which enters the new chart at No.2. Titles by Central Cee, Dua Lipa and Harry Styles make up the Top 5, with indie band Black Honey next to arrive at No.7 with Written and Directed. Bob Dylan’s 1970 box set comes in at No.13 and Sting’s new Duets set at No.17.
Del Rey’s new achievement on the main album chart draws her level in fifth place with Celine Dion among female artists with the most UK No.1 albums. She’s outdone on that list only by Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Barbra Streisand, and Taylor Swift.
Del Rey didn’t make the UK bestsellers, or any other main chart, with her self-titled 2010 debut album, but hit No.1 in Britain for the first time in 2012 with the multi-platinum Born To Die. She did so again with 2014’s Ultraviolence, Lust For Life in 2017 and Norman F**king Rockwell in 2019. Only the 2015 release Honeymoon broke the sequence, peaking at No.2.
The Los Angeles Times review of Del Rey’s new album noted: “She’s become one of the finest songwriters of her generation, with a lyrical and melodic flair that encourages an emotional investment in her music well beyond whatever it reflects of her real life.”
Chemtrails Over The Country Club can be bought here.
