Caro Emerald clinches first UK Number 1 album

Dutch singer / songwriter Caro Emerald scores her first Number 1 on the UK's Official Albums Chart, while Hugh Laurie and Alison Moyet also go Top 5.

Caro Emerald will be celebrating today as the Dutch jazz singer secures her first UK Number 1 album.

Following on from her 2010 Top 5 debut album Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor, Caro’s second studio release, The Shocking Miss Emerald, has been locked in a close chart battle this week with East London drum & bass collective Rudimental. Leading the way on Wednesday’s Official Chart Update, BBC Radio 2 favourite Caro Emerald managed to hold on through to the weekend, clinching victory by almost 3,000 copies.

Caro tells OfficialCharts.com, "I'm humbled by this exciting news. It's such a huge recognition for the hard work we've put in to this record. I want to give a big thank you to all the fans and everybody who has supported us over the last few years. Thank you!”

New entries

Hugh Laurie follows up on the success of his 2011 debut album, Let Them Talk, scoring a second Top 5 hit with his latest blues collection, Didn’t It Rain (3).

Meanwhile, Billericay singer songwriter Alison Moyet seizes her first Top 5 studio album in more than 26 years. Making a welcome return to the Official Albums Chart after a six year absence, the British singer is new in at Number 5 today with eighth album, The Minutes; her highest charting album since 1987’s Raindancing, which peaked at Number 2.

US country pop outfit Lady Antebellum arrive at Number 7 with their fourth album, Golden, while Twickenham-based indie folksters Noah And The Whale land at Number 13 today with their latest offering Heart Of Nowhere.

Post-punk quartet Savages, who were tipped for big things this year in the BBC’s Sound Of 2013 Poll, score a Top 20 debut with Silence Yourself (19), while fellow London duo Public Service Broadcasting, who take samples from public information films, archive news footage and war time propaganda and set them to music, make their Official Albums Chart debut with Inform, Educate, Entertain (21).

Finally this week’s new entries are completed by Armin Van Buuren’s Intense (37) and Thea Gilmore’s Regardless (39).

The Official Albums Chart Top 10 is as follows. Click here to see the full Official Albums Chart Top 100 after 7pm.

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