Foo Fighters’ first album since death of Taylor Hawkins makes it to number one
By Hannah Roberts PA Entertainment Reporter
The Foo Fighters’ first record since the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins has secured the top spot in the UK albums chart.
It is the sixth official number one album scored by the US rock band, who released But Here We Are on June 2.
Comprising Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Rami Jaffee and Josh Freese, this is the band’s 11th studio album, and its first since Hawkins died in March 2022 aged 50.
At the time Foo Fighters were on the South American leg of their world tour, and they then cancelled all their tour dates.
In the last seven days, But Here We Are has racked up 44,500 chart units, according to the Official Charts Company.
The band previously topped the charts with 2002’s One By One, 2007’s Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, 2011’s Wasting Light, 2017’s Concrete And Gold and Medicine At Midnight in 2021.
In the number two spot on the albums chart is Council Skies by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.
Gallagher previously saw chart-topping success with their eponymous debut album in 2011, 2015’s Chasing Yesterday, 2017’s Who Built The Moon and compilation album Back The Way We Came: Vol 1 in 2021.
When frontman Gallagher was in the 90s band Oasis with his brother Liam, the group scored eight UK number one albums including hit records Definitely Maybe (1994), What’s The Story Morning Glory (1995) and Be Here Now (1997).
But Here We Are in the UK
Streaming now on @Spotify.https://t.co/nsMCdn5KeX pic.twitter.com/weS8HgSIt3— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) June 8, 2023
Third in the albums chart this week is Lewis Capaldi’s previously chart-topping record, Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent, which is followed by Taylor Swift’s Midnights in fourth.
The American singer’s album re-entered the top five when Swift announced the release of ‘The Til Dawn’ edition featuring a remix of Karma with American rapper Ice Spice.
When it was released last October, Midnights debuted at number one in the charts and became Spotify’s most streamed album in a single day.
In the number five spot on the albums chart is Harry’s House by Harry Styles, which first charted in June 2022, shortly after it was released.
Elsewhere in the singles chart, Dave and Central Cee have pushed Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding’s collaboration on Miracle off the top spot with their new track Sprinter.
The single has had the biggest opening week of the year so far, securing 108,200 chart units and a record-breaking 13.4 million streams, the biggest week of streams for a rap single ever, according to the Official Charts Company.
