Stereophonics see off Kanye West to score seventh number one album
'Kind' storms straight in at the chart summit
Last updated 23rd Jan 2020
Stereophonics have seen off competition from Kanye West to score their seventh UK number one album with ‘Kind’.
The Welsh quartet scored over 30,000 chart sales this week, including an impressive 3,000 units on vinyl, to take the Official Album Chart top spot.
Stereophonics commented: “Thank you very much for getting Kind to Number 1. We’re always trying to make new music and we appreciate your support. I hope you love the album as much as we do. We’ll see you all soon.”
They join Coldplay, The Prodigy, Westlife and Take That, who have tallied seven number one albums in the UK. Despite the impressive feat, Stereophonics have some way to go to top The Beatles, who amassed a whopping 15 number ones.
The only Stereophonics albums that haven’t hit number one are their 1997 debut ‘Word Gets Around’ (which peaked at no.6), 2009’s ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ (no. 11), 2013’s ‘Graffiti on the Train’ (no.3) and 2017’s ‘Scream Above the Clouds’ (no.2).
Stereophonics’ biggest selling album in the UK remains 2001’s ‘Just Enough Education to Perform’, which has sold almost 1.8million copies.
Kanye West’s latest effort ‘Jesus Is King’ is number two on the album chart, and Rick Astley debuted at number four with ‘The Best of Me’.
Recorded over just eleven days using minimal studio techniques, overdubs or technology at The Distillery in Wiltshire, ‘Kind’ is the sound of Stereophonics at their most stripped back and raw.
Billed as an “honest and hopeful” record for our turbulent times, ‘Kind’ was co-produced by Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones alongside George Drakoulias (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Screaming Trees, Primal Scream).
The album was preceded by the single ‘Bust This Town’, which has been on regular rotation on Absolute Radio’s airwaves.
In support of ‘Kind’, Stereophonics kick off their headline UK arena tour at Sheffield FlyDSA Arena on Friday 28th February 2020 and call in at Birmingham, Brighton, Bournemouth, London, Newcastle, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Manchester before culminating with two shows at Cardiff Motorpoint Arena on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th March.
Tickets are on sale from Absolute Radio Tickets now.
See Stereophonics at the following shows:
MARCH 2020
Brighton Centre – Mon 2nd
Bournemouth Intl Centre – Tue 3rd
London The O2 – Fri 6th
Nottingham Motorpoint Arena – Sat 7th
Newcastle Utilita Arena – Mon 9th
Aberdeen P & J Live Arena – Tue 10th
Glasgow The SSE Hydro – Wed 11th
Manchester Arena – Fri 13th
Cardiff Motorpoint Arena – Sat 14th
Cardiff Motorpoint Arena – Sun 15th