Royal Blood charging ahead of Ariana Grande in race to Number 1 album

Royal Blood are powering their way toward Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart with their debut LP.

The Brighton rock duo – made up of Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher – are currently leading the race with their self-titled album following a string of well-received performances at the likes of Glastonbury and Reading and Leeds Festival. With a strong start to the week under their belt, Royal Blood are currently outselling their nearest competition by more than two copies to one.

US singer Ariana Grande is new in at Number 2 with her second studio album My Everything. If the star manages to hold on to her position, she will notch up her second Top 10 album here in Britain, and will out-peak her 2013 debut Yours Truly, which entered at Number 7 on the chart upon its release.

Click here to read our track-by-track review of Ariana's My Everything

Meanwhile, Ed Sheeran’s X is at 3, last week’s leaders Collabro slip to Number 4 with Stars, and Sam Smith’s In The Lonely Hour is heading for his 14th consecutive week inside the Top 5 at Number 5.

New Entries

Following a triumphant start last night to her first live shows in some 35 years at London’s Hammersmith Apollo, there are 11 Kate Bush albums currently in today’s midweek Top 100.

Hits collection, The Whole Story, is hovering inside the Top 10 at Number 6, while five more - Hounds Of Love (13), The Sensual World (25), 50 Words For Snow (31), The Kick Inside (35) and The Dreaming (37) are also potentially heading for a Top 40 finish this Sunday. Further down is Kate’s 2011 collection, Director’s Cut (58), The Red Shoes (60) and Never For Ever (61), Lionheart (64) and Aerial (77).  Kate's chart domination continues over on the Official Singles Chart where three of Kate’s singles have re-entered midweek – Running Up That Hill (62), Wuthering Heights (77) and This Woman’s Work (82).

Meanwhile, Swedish metallers Opeth are on track for their best chart performance to date with their 11th studio album, Pale Communion (Number 7). US country star Brad Paisley is new in at 20 with Moonshine In The Trunk, while London-based folk outfit Dry The River are one place behind him with Alarms In The Heart (21).

Avenged Sevenfold’s breakthrough album, Waking The Fallen (Number 23), will make its Top 40 debut this weekend, thanks to a deluxe, 10th anniversary edition, while Basement Jaxx enter at 29 with their new album Junto.

While his ex- bandmate Gerard Way opened the Reading and Leeds festivals over the weekend, former My Chemical Romance guitarist Frank Iero has also returned to action this week. Working under the moniker of Frnkiero & The Cellabration, Frank’s new solo album, Stomachaches is at 34 midweek.

And finally, Evanescence front woman Amy Lee could be on course for her first solo Top 40 album this weekend. Aftermath, which serves as the soundtrack to Sir Ben Kingsley’s latest film, War Story, is new in at 39 on today’s Official Chart Update.

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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