Cliff Richard edges ahead of Taylor Swift in Christmas Number 1 album race

Could Christmas With Cliff provide the music legend an eighth Number 1 record?

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Early Official Charts Company data suggests Cliff Richard could claim 2022's Official Christmas Number 1 album, as his latest release edges ahead of closest competitor Taylor Swift midweek.

As it stands in the latest update, festive collection Christmas With Cliff leads the charge; but there's still all to play for. Sitting just 60 chart units behind Cliff at Number 2 today, Taylor Swift's former Number 1 LP Midnights is still very much in the running.

MORE: Everything you need to know about the 2022 Christmas Number 1 race

Cliff's second yuletide album, following Top 10 2003 collection Cliff At Christmas, narrowly missed out on the Number 1 spot last month, when Stormzy's third studio LP This Is What I Mean pipped him to the post.

Should it hold on, Christmas With Cliff would become the music legend's eighth chart-topping album. Cliff's previously enjoyed Number 1 success with 21 Today (1961), The Young Ones (1961), Summer Holiday (1963), 40 Golden Greats (1977), Love Songs (1981), Private Collection (1988) and The Album (1993).

If Taylor manages it, Midnights would tie with her 2020 release folklore as her only album to have spent three weeks atop the Official Albums Chart.

MORE: Find out who's in the lead for Christmas Number 1 2022 so far

With just 1400 chart units separating the Top 3 according to today's data, it's too soon to discount Michael Bublé's festive staple Christmas, too. The record, which peaked at Number 1 upon its release in 2011, currently sits at Number 3 and boasts the biggest streaming figures of the week so far.

Elsewhere in today's Top 5, Andrea, Matteo and Virginia Bocelli's A Family Christmas lifts three (4), and Sam Ryder's There's Nothing But Space, Man! hold strong (5).

Who do you want to see claim the Christmas Number 1 album? Let us know over on our socials, and stay tuned to OfficialCharts.com for all the latest news.