Ed Sheeran’s X set for tenth week at Number 1

Ed Sheeran’s X, which leads this week’s Official Albums Chart race by over 12,000 copies at this midway stage, looks set to secure an impressive 25th week in the Top 10 on Sunday.

Last week, the Official Charts Company and BPI announced that the LP has sold over a million copies in the UK so far, with Ed becoming the first artist to achieve the feat within a calendar year since Emeli Sande with Our Version Of Events in 2012.

Ed also currently holds the Official Singles Chart Number 1 title, after Thinking Out Loud reached the summit for a second time at the weekend. .

Up two places to Number 2 today is Sam Smith’s In The Lonely Hour, which is on course for its 29th week in the Top 10 this week.

One Direction’s Four and Olly Murs’ Never Been Better each climb two places to Number 3 and Number 4, respectively.

Rounding out today’s Top 5 are Take That with current Official Albums Chart Number 1, III (5).

New entries

There are three new entries in today’s Official Albums Chart Update Top 40.

After narrowly missing out on their first Number 1 single on Sunday, Union J enter at 19 with new release, You Got It All – The Album. The LP is the group’s second, following 2013’s self-titled debut.

US hip hop artist J. Cole is set to score his third UK Top 40 album with 2014 Forest Hills Drive (29), while Bastille are on track for their second, landing at 31 today with third mixtape VS. Other People’s Heartache PT. III.

There are two re-entries in today’s Top 40. 2014 Britain’s Got Talent winners Collabro are up an impressive 107 places with their debut album Stars, thanks to a Special Edition release this week.

And, after announcing their seventh studio album last week, Coldplay’s Ghost Stories climbs nine places to 37.

The Official Albums Chart Update Top 40 is as follows. The Official Albums Chart Top 100 will be posted in full, here, on Sunday at 7pm.

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