Pet Shop Boys take on Robin Thicke for Number 1 album

The UK pop legends challenge the summer 2013 sensation in the battle for top spot on the Official Albums Chart.

He’s the lovable wideboy with the surprise smash of the summer, they’re the veterans of intelligent disco with a slew of hits under their belt – but now Robin Thicke and Pet Shop Boys are going head to head in the race to the summit of the Official Albums Chart.

Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines has dominated the Official Singles Chart since its release last month, spending five weeks at Number 1, and its parent album could well match that peak position if it manages to hold on to its current placing by the time the Official Albums Chart is announced on Sunday. That feat isn’t assured yet, however, as at this midway stage fewer than 1,500 copies separate Blurred Lines and its nearest rival, Pet Shop Boys’ Electric.

Electric is the twelfth studio album from Pet Shop Boys, and if it can leapfrog Robin Thicke before Sunday, will be their first chart-topping album in 20 years – Very is their only Number 1 album so far, reaching the top spot back in October 1993. Overall, the electronic duo have had 21 albums previously reach the Top 40 of the Official Albums Chart, their most recent was just ten months ago – Elysium reached Number 9 in September.

If Blurred Lines hangs on to the driving seat, it’ll be Robin Thicke’s first Number 1 album. The last time he charted was almost exactly six years ago with The Evolution of Robin Thicke, which peaked at Number 30 and is his only entry on the UK’s Official Albums Chart so far.

Last week’s Number 1 album from Jay-Z , Magna Carta Holy Grail, falls two places to Number 3 at this midweek point, despite the rap superstar’s headlining spot last weekend at the Yahoo! Wireless festival in London’s Queen Elizabeth Park, the site of the London 2012 Olympics. This week, ‘Hov’ also announced UK live dates, which will see his Magna Carta Holy Grail tour take in Manchester, Birmingham and London in October this year.

Rod Stewart’s Time is at Number 4, while Mumford & Sons’ Babel is a non-mover and completes our Top 5.

New Entries and High Climbers

Apart from Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines (1) and Pet Shop Boys’ Electric (2) in the top two slots, there are two other new entries in the Official Chart Update Top 40.

Australian YouTube sensation-turned-singing star Cody Simpson look set for his first Top 20 hit on the Official Albums Chart – Surfers Paradise is new at Number 16. While at Number 37, The Style Council could be heading for their first Top 40 album since their Greatest Hits in 2000 with new box set Classic Album Selection.

And finally, Calvin Harris climbs 12 places to re-enter the Top 10 with 18 Months, buoyed by the release of the video for latest single Thinking About You FT Ayah Marar.

The Official Albums Chart Update Top 40 is as follows:

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