Kendrick Lamar blasts to Number 1 with surprise album GNX

K.dot's surprise sixth album is an immediate success.

Kendrick Lamar earns this week’s Official Number 1 Album with sixth studio release GNX.

GNX, which was a surprise digital-only drop last Friday (physical copies are set for release in early 2025), has soared to Number 1 to become the American rapper’s second chart-topper in the UK, following 2015’s To Pimp A Butterfly.

He’s also seen Top 20 performances from four other collections; 2012’s good kid m.A.A.d city (16), 2016’s Untitled Unmastered (7), 2017’s Damn. (2) and 2022’s Mr Morale & The Big Steppers (2)

After a strong battle, acclaimed Mercury Prize-winning singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka lands at Number 2 with Small Changes, his fourth Top 5 album. With a very impressive 87% of its sales made up of physical copies, Small Changes tops the Official Record Store Chart and the Official Vinyl Albums Chart.

Michael Kiwanuka has previously Landed in the Top 5 with 2012 debut Home Again (4), 2016’s chart-topping Love and Hate, and 2020’s Mercury Prize winner Kiwanuka (2).

Just outside the top 10, American musician Father John Misty earns his fifth Top 20 album with Mahashmashana (12), finishing ahead of Afrobeats superstar Wizkid’s sixth album Morayo (14), his highest charting album to date.

Michael Buble jingles his bells all the way into the Top 20 this week with festive favourite Christmas, up 14 places to Number 17, while Benson Boone also flies 14 places with Fireworks & Rollerblades, at Number 23 following his UK tour.

Fontaines D.C.’s own UK tour has sent their fourth album Romance rebounding up the chart 8 places, to Number 28.

Finally, Marilyn Manson’s One Assassination Under God - Chapter 1 debuts at Number 36.