Known for their signature “Ragga-metal” fusion, the Newport outfit famously narrowly missed the top spot in 2023 with their previous effort, Smile. In that instance, they fell short by a razor-thin margin of just 150 units to Cian Ducrot. This week, they are determined to go one better, but the competition is fierce.
The race is currently a three-way fight with less than 2,000 chart units separating the top three positions:
Jessie Ware is close behind at Number 2 with her seventh studio LP, Superbloom. Like Skindred, Ware is also searching for her first career chart-topper.
ZAYN rounds out the top three with his fifth collection, KONNAKOL. He is looking to secure his second solo Number 1, a feat he first achieved a decade ago with his 2016 debut, Mind of Mine.
Elsewhere in the Top 5, TOMORA—the collaboration between Tom Rowlands of The Chemical Brothers and singer-songwriter AURORA—is eyeing a Number 4 debut with COME CLOSER.
The chart is heavily populated by Record Store Day 2026 exclusives, with several legacy acts seeing massive resurgences. The Cure is enjoying a double-entry success, with their Greatest Hits on course for a new personal best at Number 12 and Acoustic Hits at Number 37.
Other RSD standouts include Paramore, whose 2009 album All We Know Is Falling is eyeing a new peak at Number 13, and David Bowie, whose remix collection Hallo Spaceboy sits at Number 14. Exclusive vinyl releases from Blur (20), Ethel Cain (22), and Jeff Buckley (28) are also holding strong positions.
With several days of sales and streaming still to be tallied, the gap between the heavy metal leaders and their pop rivals remains incredibly tight. The final results will be revealed this Friday.
