POLYDOR RULES U.K. CHART

UMG U.K. imprint Polydor is the first label since modern British chart records began in 1994 to debut four different albums at #1 over consecutive weeks. The feat is one of a number of successes for the team this year.

Ellie Goulding hit the top of the chart on Friday with Brightest Blue, the fourth consecutive #1 for Polydor, led by Ben Mortimer and Tom March. Before that came chart-toppers Juice WRLD’s Legends Never Die, Paul Weller with On Sunset and Haim’s Women in Music Pt. III.

Those four albums are among eight #1s or Polydor so far in 2020, which means they’ve spent more weeks (nine) at the top of the chart than any other label. Albums from Lady Gaga, The 1975, 5 Seconds of Summer and Eminem join those mentioned above.

Another UMG imprint, EMI, is runner-up with five #1 albums and eight weeks at the top of the chart this year, thanks to Lewis Capaldi’s long-running success.

In addition, four of the five fastest-selling albums of 2020 so far came from the Polydor camp, starting with Lady Gaga with first-week sales of 53,000, Eminem with 36,000, and The 1975 and 5SOS with 35,000 each. Sony and Big Hit act BTS take second place on the list with 38,000.