‘90s chart rivals Manic Street Preachers and Steps are facing-off once again for the UK’s No. 1 album this week.
Both groups return with their latest offerings – ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’ and ‘What The Future Holds Pt. 2’ – mirroring their 1998 chart race with ‘This Is My Truth Now Tell Me’ and ‘Step One’.
While that September battle saw the Manics clench the top spot with a margin of 95,000 sales, it’s all to play for this time around, with just over 1,000 chart sales between them as of Tuesday, according to the Official Charts Company.
‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’ racked up the most physical sales over its opening weekend, but ‘What The Future Holds Pt. 2’ was the most downloaded album.
A No. 1 would be the Welsh rockers’ first since they triumphed in the chart race 23 years ago, while Steps hit the top spot the following year with their second album ‘Steptacular’.
Elsewhere in the midweeks, punk-rock legends The Stranglers are at No. 3 with ‘Dark Matters’ – marking their highest-charting album in 43 years since – with The Vaccines eyeing their fifth consecutive Top 5 album with ‘Back In Love City’ at four.
Down from No. 1 last week, Drake’s ‘Certified Lover Boy’ is in fifth place.
