The indie-pop group from Leigh, The Lottery Winners, are set to achieve their second UK Number 1 album, as KOKO (Keep On Keeping On) leads the Official Chart Update.

Consisting of Thom Rylance, Robert Lally, Katie Lloyd, and Joe Singleton, the band took the number one position for the first time in 2023 with their third studio album, Anxiety Replacement Therapy. Their previous releases, The Lottery Winners (2020) and Something To Leave The House For (2021), had also been a hit, getting to Number 23 and Number 11, respectively, on the charts.

Currently lagging slightly behind in midweek chart action at Number 2 are Scottish pop titans Deacon Blue with their 11th studio album, The Great Western Road. Should they make up the distance, this one would be their seventh UK Top 10 record. The rivalry is close run, with little more than 2,000 chart units now separating the duo, so one for the viewers.

The Lottery Winners () — Paul Hudson from United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Elsewhere on the charts, Selena Gomez and benny blanco’s first collaborative effort, I Said I Loved You First, is expected to debut at Number 4. If the trend continues, it will be Selena’s second Top 10 album in the UK and benny blanco’s first.

Meanwhile, English rock band The Horrors make a triumphant comeback with Night Life, currently placed at Number 5 midweek. This is their fourth Top 10 album and their first release in eight years, hence a highly awaited comeback for their fans.

Lower down the charts, McFly’s live record, 21 Live, is causing a stir and could start at Number 14. The record documents the band’s historic 21st-anniversary show at London’s O2 Arena, which was held last year.

Indie-pop darling Japanese Breakfast, fronted by Michelle Zauner, is also making history with their new album, For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women). The album is on track to be the band’s first-ever UK Top 40 album, currently standing at Number 21 in the midweek update.

Last but not least, Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes’ Live At The Greek is poised to return, possibly re-entering the Top 40 at Number 37. This is as part of the album’s unique 25th-anniversary re-release. As a Led Zeppelin founder member, Jimmy Page has also secured eight UK Number 1 albums in the past, and this current chart action is an indication of the lasting legacy of his music.

With such a competitive week on the charts, all eyes are on The Lottery Winners as they edge closer to claiming the Number 1 spot once again. Will KOKO hold its ground, or will Deacon Blue pull ahead in the final count? The answer will soon be revealed when the official rankings are confirmed.