Congratulations to Paul McCartney, who claims this year’s Official Christmas Number 1 album and his first solo chart-topping record in 31 years with McCartney III.
After a close battle with Taylor Swift’s Evermore (2), The Beatles legend’s 18th solo studio album secures the festive top spot. The UK’s most successful albums artist of all time, McCartney’s new release McCartney III is the third and final chapter in a trilogy of albums, starting with his chart-topping debut album McCartney in 1970 and followed by McCartney II in 1980.
Celebrating the news, McCartney told OfficialCharts.com: “I just want to say Happy Christmas, Happy New Year, and a big thank you to everyone who helped get my record to Number 1 in the album charts.”
McCartney III is the music icon’s first solo Number 1 album since 1989’s Flowers In The Dirt. It’s also not the first time he has claimed a Christmas Number 1 album – scoring one 20 years ago when The Beatles’ greatest hits 1 topped the Christmas charts in 2000, with the Fab Four earning a further six festive chart toppers during the 1960s. See where all Paul McCartney’s songs and albums charted.
Another contender for this year’s Christmas Number 1 album, Michael Ball & Alfie Boe’s Together At Christmas, finishes at 3.
Eminem’s surprise-released B Side deluxe edition of his former Number 1 Music To Be Murdered By is at Number 7, and further down, Robbie Williams’ holiday album The Christmas Present is back in the Top 40 at Number 27 following his performance on the Strictly Come Dancing final last Saturday (Dec. 19).
Finally, alternative rock band Shed Seven claim their sixth Top 40 album with live record Another Night, Another Town at Number 31.
The Official Albums Chart Top 40 - View the full Top 100 here (from 5.45pm)
| LW | POS | TITLE | ARTIST |
| NEW | 1 | MCCARTNEY III | PAUL MCCARTNEY |
| 1 | 2 | EVERMORE | TAYLOR SWIFT |
| 3 | 3 | TOGETHER AT CHRISTMAS | MICHAEL BALL & ALFIE BOE |
| 2 | 4 | CLASSIC DIAMONDS | NEIL DIAMOND & LSO |
| 4 | 5 | CHRISTMAS | MICHAEL BUBLE |
| 7 | 6 | MUSIC PLAYED BY HUMANS | GARY BARLOW |
| 176 | 7 | MUSIC TO BE MURDERED BY | EMINEM |
| 9 | 8 | CONFETTI | LITTLE MIX |
| 8 | 9 | JOHNNY CASH AND THE RPO | JOHNNY CASH & RPO |
| 5 | 10 | BELIEVE | ANDREA BOCELLI |
| 10 | 11 | POWER UP | AC/DC |
| 6 | 12 | JOLLY HOLIDAY | ANDRE RIEU & JOHANN STRAUSS OR |
| 14 | 13 | LOVE GOES | SAM SMITH |
| 11 | 14 | THE PIANOMAN AT CHRISTMAS | JAMIE CULLUM |
| 15 | 15 | FINE LINE | HARRY STYLES |
| 13 | 16 | LETTER TO YOU | BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN |
| 17 | 17 | PLASTIC HEARTS | MILEY CYRUS |
| 23 | 18 | FUTURE NOSTALGIA | DUA LIPA |
| 12 | 19 | SINGLED OUT | SHAKIN' STEVENS |
| 16 | 20 | MUSIC THE AIR THAT I BREATHE | CLIFF RICHARD |
| 20 | 21 | A HOLLY DOLLY CHRISTMAS | DOLLY PARTON |
| 24 | 22 | SHOOT FOR THE STARS AIM FOR THE MOON | POP SMOKE |
| 19 | 23 | DISCO | KYLIE MINOGUE |
| 28 | 24 | GREATEST HITS | QUEEN |
| 18 | 25 | WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS | STEPS |
| 29 | 26 | INFINITE THINGS | PALOMA FAITH |
| 41 | 27 | THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT | ROBBIE WILLIAMS |
| 22 | 28 | DIVINELY UNINSPIRED TO A HELLISH EXTENT | LEWIS CAPALDI |
| 27 | 29 | POSITIONS | ARIANA GRANDE |
| 21 | 30 | FOLKLORE | TAYLOR SWIFT |
| NEW | 31 | ANOTHER NIGHT ANOTHER TOWN | SHED SEVEN |
| 40 | 32 | DIAMONDS | ELTON JOHN |
| 38 | 33 | LEGENDS NEVER DIE | JUICE WRLD |
| 30 | 34 | 40 YEARS - THE GREATEST HITS | SPANDAU BALLET |
| 37 | 35 | F**K LOVE | KID LAROI |
| 54 | 36 | ALL-TIME GREATEST HITS | NEIL DIAMOND |
| 45 | 37 | TIMELESS - THE ALL-TIME GREATEST HITS | BEE GEES |
| 48 | 38 | DIVIDE | ED SHEERAN |
| 44 | 39 | WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP WHERE DO WE GO | BILLIE EILISH |
| 43 | 40 | WHAT'S THE STORY MORNING GLORY | OASIS |
©2020 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.
Article image: Mary McCartney
