Arctic Monkeys look likely to land their sixth number one album as their new record is currently outselling the rest of the top 20 combined.
The Sheffield rock band’s new album Tranquility Base Hotel And Casino has accumulated 66,000 combined chart sales since it was released on Friday, 67% of which is comprised of physical copies on CD and vinyl, the Official Charts Company said.
The Alex Turner-fronted group’s previous five albums – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (2006), Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007), Humbug (2009), Suck It And See (2011), and AM (2013) – have all hit the top spot.
The release of Tranquility Base Hotel And Casino marked the hotly anticipated return of Arctic Monkeys, who had been on hiatus since 2014.
As well as the new record’s sales triumph, three of their other albums are set to re-enter the top 40 – AM, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not and Favourite Worst Nightmare.
A number of tracks from the album have made their way into the top 40 on the singles chart too, including Four Out Of Five at number 12 and Star Treatment at number 13.
Previous chart-topper The Greatest Showman soundtrack is down into second place at the halfway stage of the charts week, one ahead of a new entry from US singer Charlie Puth, whose album Voicenotes is on course to debut at number three.
Rapper Post Malone is down to number four with Beerbongs And Bentleys, while George Ezra remains in the top five with his second record Staying At Tamara’s.
Following the death of Frightened Rabbit lead singer Scott Hutchison, the indie band’s second album The Midnight Organ Fight could enter the Official Albums Chart top 40 for the first time, as it is currently in at number 33.
Elsewhere, Dua Lipa and Calvin Harris are in line to enjoy a fifth consecutive week at number one with their hit One Kiss.
But they face competition from US pop star Ariana Grande, whose No Tears Left To Cry is hot on their heels in second place, climbing up one place from last week.
Drake is at number three with Nice For What, Lil Dicky’s Freaky Friday featuring Chris Brown is at number four and Anne-Marie’s 2002 is in fifth place.
The UK’s Eurovision Song Contest entry by SuRie is set to make its way into the top 40 after her performance was invaded at the event on Saturday.
Her track Storm is currently in 32nd place on the chart update.