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The Greatest Showman soundtrack breaks Adele's UK album chart record

The film soundtrack has not left the top five for the entirety of 2018

Roisin O'Connor
Music Correspondent
Saturday 29 December 2018 06:36 EST
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Trailer for 'The Greatest Showman', historical musical drama film featuring Zac Efron

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The Greatest Showman soundtrack has spent more weeks at number one in the UK than any other album this century – beating a record that was previously set by Adele.

​Adele's album 21 managed 23 weeks at number one between February 2011 and April 2012. The Greatest Showman remained at number one for the last chart week of 2018, marking its 24th non-consecutive week at the top.

The film soundtrack has not left the top five for the entirety of 2018, and has beaten off competition from the likes of Justin Timberlake and Camila Cabello, keeping their albums from number one. It features vocal performances by the film's cast, including Hugh Jackman, Zendaya and Michelle Williams. A reimagined version, with performances from major artists including Panic! At the Disco, Kelly Clarkson and Pink, was released later in the year.

The Greatest Showman album achieved 61,000 combined sales over the past seven days, with George Ezra's Staying At Tamara's climbing back to number two.

In the singles chart, American singer-songwriter Ava Max has landed her first UK number one with "Sweet But Psycho", while the Christmas number one by LadBaby dropped to 21.

Ava Max's song has been a huge success across Europe, reaching the top in 10 countries, including Ireland, Germany and Sweden.

More than half of this week's top 40 is made up of Christmas songs, thanks to people streaming and downloading them over the festive period.

Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You: is at number two, while Wham's "Last Christmas" finished up the top three. The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl's song "Fairytale of New York", along with classics by Band Aid and Shakin' Stevens also returned to the top 10

Roy Orbison earned a posthumous number three for Unchained Melodies, his collaboration with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

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