Sheku Kanneh-Mason breaks UK chart record
- Published
Sheku Kanneh-Mason: "I can't quite believe I've made the Top 20!"
Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason has scored the biggest-selling British debut of the year to date with his classical album, Inspiration.
The 18-year-old enters the album chart at 18, making him the youngest ever cellist to feature in the countdown.
His first recording, which includes works by Shostakovich and Leonard Cohen, takes its place alongside the likes of Ed Sheeran and Eminem.
The soundtrack to Hugh Jackman's The Greatest Showman stays at number one.
The Oscar-nominated recording holds the top spot for the fourth week in a row, denying Craig David the chance to claim his third UK number one album.
Instead the smooth-voiced R&B star enters the chart at number two with his seventh album, The Time Is Now.
There are also new entries for US rap group Migos, at number four; blues duo Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa at seven; and Californian heavy metal outfit Machine Head at 12.
Kanneh-Mason, who won the BBC Young Musician competition in 2016, also tops the UK classical albums chart and was the most-streamed classical artist of the week, notching up 2.5 million streams on Spotify alone.
"As a classical cellist, I can't quite believe I've made the Top 20 in the pop charts with my first ever album!" he said.
"I hope the pieces on this album inspire others the way they've inspired me."
The teenager also becomes the highest-charting Young Musician winner, beating violinist Nicola Benedetti, whose fifth album Homecoming peaked at number 19 in 2014.
No Woman, No Cry... Sheku style (live on BBC Radio 3's In Tune)
Elsewhere, Bruno Mars's 24K Magic makes a return to the Top 40, climbing 15 places to 27 after his surprise album of the year win at Sunday's Grammys.
In the singles chart, Drake's latest single God's Plan remains at number one, while Ramz's Barking and Eminem's River swap places at two and three respectively.
BBC Sound of 2018 winner Sigrid claims her first top 10 single with Strangers - which is the week's most-purchased song, partly thanks to a price cut on iTunes.
Dance act Rudimental score the highest climber with These Days, which jumps 22 places to number 11, while US band Portugal. The Man and British newcomer Mabel also zoom up the charts.
Next week will see Justin Timberlake challenging The Greatest Showman for the number one slot.
The star's fourth solo album, Man Of The Woods, is released on Friday, ahead of his hotly anticipated performance at Sunday's Super Bowl.
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- Published1 February 2018
- Published16 May 2016
