Bob Dylan enters the U.K. chart at No. 1 with his ninth chart-topping album in the territory, Rough and Rowdy Ways (Columbia/Sony).
Dylan’s 39th studio release delivers opening combined units of 34,000, of which 29,000 were as CD purchases. He thus becomes the oldest artist to score a No. 1 of new, original material and, at 79 years and one month, the oldest male solo artist to land a bestseller. He overtakes Rod Stewart, who was 74 years and 11 months old when his album of orchestral reworkings, You’re In My Heart, hit the summit last December.
The recently-deceased Dame Vera Lynn still holds the record as the oldest artist overall to reach No. 1, at 92 when she did so in 2009 with We’ll Meet Again — The Very Best Of Vera Lynn. Her death on June 18 prompts her more recent compilation 100 to re-enter at No. 19 on the new chart.
In a banner week for classic rock acts, Neil Young enters at No. 2 with his 11th top ten (including two as a member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young), Homegrown (Reprise/Warner). It’s the bestselling title of the week on vinyl. Young hasn’t been this prominent on the U.K. album chart since Sleeps With Angels also reached No. 2 in 1994.
Lady Gaga’s Chromatica (Interscope/Universal) is down 2-3 and Lewis Capaldi’s Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent (EMI/Universal) 3-4. Harry Styles’ Fine Line (Columbia/Sony) holds at No. 5. There’s a landmark for Phoebe Bridgers, as the California singer-songwriter appears in the U.K. top 40 for the first time, debuting at No. 6 with Punisher.
Meanwhile, Dababy’s “Rockstar” (Interscope/Universal), featuring Roddy Ricch, starts a sixth aggregate week atop the Official Charts Company singles survey.
The continuing reign of “Dababy” is fueled by 7.7 million streams, helping it to finish 13,000 combined units ahead of Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s “Rain On Me” (Republic/Interscope/Universal), which is at No. 2 again. “Breaking Me” (Positiva/Universal) by Topic featuring A7S moves up 4-3.
There’s a fast 22-4 climb for “Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)” by Jawsh 685 & Jason Derulo (RCA/Sony). “Rover” (Parlophone/Warner) by S1mba featuring DTG falls 3-5 and Styles’ “Watermelon Sugar” makes the top ten for the first time in its 20th chart week, improving 11-7.
