Every week here at Official Charts we compile our fancy list of single, album and home entertainment releases; bringing you the latest music you need to know about. Let's dive into this week's, shall we?
Singles-wise this week, Eurovision hero Sam Ryder returns for his first single after securing the UK its highest-ever score in the international singing competition. SPACE MAN's chart success turned Sam into a veritable national icon, and his follow-up single Somebody is a confident follow-up, full of boisterous production and Sam's now trade-mark massive vocals. A debut album should follow later this year.
In our eyes one of Britain's fastest-rising pop talents and destined to hit great heights over the next year, Maisie Peters may be between album cycles for the moment, but she's definitely keeping busy with a steady collection of droplet singles that may vary in shape, but not quality. Taking a step back from the feral pop-punk of Cate's Brother and the acidic barbs of Blonde, Good Enough is a heart-melting piano-led weeper, produced by none other than Dan Nigro (Olivia Rodrigo, Conan Gray, Sky Ferreira) that we advise to not listen to if you haven't got some tissues handy.
And don't you worry about one thing this New Music Friday - you will have plenty of new albums to sink your teeth into.
In the biggest release for a British act this week, Mancunian rapper Aitch finally unveils his debut LP Close To Home - the perfect cap to a frantic three years for the young talent, whose netted seven UK Top 10 singles so far.
Queen of Pop (it's true! Don't argue!) Madonna celebrated her 64th birthday this week (here's some 64 chart facts we prepared earlier...) and now she's releasing the next instalment of her ambitious back catalogue re-issue with the 50 track long (!) compilation Finally Enough Love, containing all the tracks that have topped the US dance charts, in case you were wondering.
Demi Lovato has been undergoing something of a sonic shift over the past year; the pop star (who uses both she/her and they/them pronouns) has been returning to the sound of earlier work with her eighth (!) album HOLY FVCK, a dark and dangerous collection of high-throttle pop-punk stompers which contain some really genuine, heartbreaking lyrical revelations.
British pop titans Steps are also, amazingly, celebrating 25 years of brilliance this year and they've come to mark the occasion with The Platinum Collection, a compilation that proves why their music remains so beloved. Catch our exclusive interview with real-life Hun Queen and MTV reality TV show survivor, Lisa Scott-Lee, here.
