English singer-songwriter Frank Turner has claimed his first UK number one album with FTHC, an initialism for Frank Turner Hardcore. Released on 11th February 2022 the album has debuted at the top of the UK charts, the singer’s ninth studio album claimed the award with 90% on physical sales. Turner took to Instagram to announce his big win and thank his fans for their support.
Due to the album’s success within the physical market, FTHC has been named this week’s top seller within UK’s Independent record shops, the album also dominated within the Official Record Store chart, Official Vinyl Albums chart. Turner’s most recent release also topped the Official Americana Album Charts, a list consisting of the top-selling Americana albums which are partnered with the Americana Music Association UK.
Turner has spoken with OfficialCharts.com concerning his win, “Getting a Number 1 album is crazy, it’s not a thing I ever thought would happen to me and it’s happened on my ninth album. That feels particularly crazy and awesome, and I’m proud of it. It feels quite fitting that, of all the records I’ve put out, this is the one that got the Number 1 trophy. I’m very proud of the record; it’s a more intense, more personal record.
The singer continued to discuss his new album, “At this point in my career I have to dig deep to prove to myself and everybody else that I’ve still got a reason to be making records and making art, and this Number 1 award is a pretty good justification of that. I’m very painfully aware that I did not do this on my own, so it’s not just my band, label and manager; it’s everybody who picked up a copy. I’m incredibly grateful, thank you very much.”
Before this week, Turner saw chart success with his previous eight studio albums charting within the UK top 75. The singer’s fifth studio album, Tape Deck Heart, was released in 2013 and reached number two within the UK album charts. Turner’s next studio album, Positive Songs For Negative People was released in 2015 and also charted at number two. The 40-year-old artist’s recent release followed from his 2019 album No Man’s Land which also saw chart success and placed at number 3 within the UK album charts.
Elsewhere with this week’s chart, two platinum certified albums have placed within the top five. Sheeran’s recent release, Equals, has held strong at number two and Adele’s 30 remains a top seller at number four. Indie rockers Alt-J have charted at number three with their fourth studio album The Dream, released on 11th February 2022 via Infectious Music and Canvasback Music/Atlantic Records. Closing the top five is Slash and Myles Kennedy’s new collaboration album 4, the release marks the fourth album released by the iconic guitarist and Kennedy.
This week’s chart includes many newly released albums, charting at number six is James Morrison’s Greatest Hits which was released on 11th February 2022. The album debuted within the top 5, with a tracklist full of reworked recordings of the singer’s most beloved songs. The excitement surrounding this year’s Super Bowl Halftime show is apparent within this week’s chart; Eminem’s Curtain Call: The Hits has re-entered the top ten and placed at number eight. The rapper’s first greatest hits album was released in 2005 and was last seen within the UK top ten in 2006, released via Interscope the album spent five weeks at number one.
