Leading the charge are Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí, known collectively as KNEECAP. Their second LP, Fenian, is currently sitting at number one. The album, which takes its name from the medieval Irish word for warriors, has been praised for capturing the raw, erratic energy of their live shows and features collaborations with artists like Kae Tempest and Fawzi. If they hold their position, it will mark the band’s first-ever UK chart-topper.
However, the competition is breathing down their necks. Melanie C is currently at number two with her ninth studio album, Sweat. This represents a potentially historic moment for the singer; while her 1999 debut Northern Star peaked at number four, she has never reached the summit as a solo artist. Should Sweat take the top spot, it would be the first solo album from any member of the Spice Girls to reach number one.
Adding further tension to the race is Michael Jackson’s The Essential, currently holding at number three. The compilation previously dominated the charts for seven weeks following the singer’s death in 2009. With his classic album Bad also eyeing a return to the Top 10, Jackson’s enduring popularity remains a significant threat to the other contenders.
The wider chart is equally active, with Kacey Musgraves on track for a top-five debut with Middle of Nowhere, and Tori Amos eyeing her highest chart position since the late nineties with In Times Of Dragons. From Billie Eilish’s live soundtrack to The Black Keys’ latest effort, Peaches!, the standings are shifting rapidly. With such a narrow margin between the top three, the final result remains entirely up in the air as the week progresses.
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