Burna Boy bags his first U.K. chart crown – and a piece of history – with his latest album I Told Them…(via Atlantic).
The Nigeria-born artist (real name: Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu) blasts to the top of the latest Official U.K. Albums Chart, published Sept. 1, becoming the first international Afrobeats artist to secure the title.
The leader at the midweek stage, Burna Boy’s seventh and latest LP goes one better than 2022’s Love, Damini, which peaked at No. 2.
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“Burna Boy has transformed into a global superstar and this No. 1 album reflects his growth over the last few years,” comments Austin Daboh, vice president of Atlantic Records U.K. in a statement. “The success of this album is the combination of world class music, a coherent strategy based in culture, and unmatched passion, energy and commitment from his wider team and Atlantic Records.”
It’s not his first taste of the high life. Burna Boy scaled the U.K. singles chart summit with 2019’s “Own It,” a collaboration with Stormzy and Ed Sheeran. The records keep tumbling. Earlier this summer, he became the first African artist to headline a stadium concert in the U.K., when he played his Love, Damini tour date at a packed-out 60,000 capacity London Stadium, and he has a Grammy Award to his name, for 2020’s Twice as Tall (best global music album).
Meanwhile, Claire Richards steps on up to a solo career best with her second studio album Euphoria (Edsel), new at No. 2. The Steps star now has two solo top 10s, with 2019’s My Wildest Dreams peaking at No. 9. As a member of Steps, Richards has an addition 11 top 10 albums, including four leaders: 1999’s Steptacular, 2001’s Gold: The Greatest Hits, 2011’s The Ultimate Collection and 2022’s Platinum Collection.
London rapper Digga D (real name: Rhys Herbert) scores a third U.K. top 10 with Back to Square One (Black Money Records). Digga D snagged his first and only No. 1 in 2022 with the Noughty By Nature mixtape.
U.S. alternative-pop artist Ashnikko makes her debut U.K. top 10 appearance with Weedkiller (Parlophone), new at No. 7, ahead of Alice Cooper’s 22nd solo studio album Road (Ear Music), which starts at No. 8. That’s the sixth top 10 LP as a solo artist for the veteran shock-rock artist.
Finally, U.S. country artist Zach Bryan’s enjoys his first U.K. top 40 spot with his self-titled fourth studio album. Zach Bryan (via Warner Records) is new at No. 22.
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