Coldplay beat Robbie Williams to UK number one album

Chris Martin of Coldplay (left) and Robbie Williams point out their chart positions

Coldplay have fended off competition from Robbie Williams to score their eighth consecutive UK number one album.

Their new LP, Everyday Life, beat the former Take That singer's new festive collection The Christmas Present.

Coldplay scored 81,000 chart sales this week, while Williams sold 67,000.

That gives the band the third fastest-selling album of the year, behind Ed Sheeran's No. 6 Collaborations Project and Lewis Capaldi's Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent.

All eight of Coldplay's albums - from their 2000 debut Parachutes to now - have topped the album charts.

Last week, the UK four-piece told the BBC's Colin Paterson they have put their plans to tour the record on hold, due to concerns over the environmental impact of big concerts.

Instead of spending months on the road, they played two gigs in Jordan, which were broadcast for free to a global audience on YouTube.

• Coldplay pause touring over environmental concerns

Rod Stewart's orchestral new album, You're In My Heart, rounds off an all-new top three.

On the singles chart, Dance Monkey by Australian singer Tones and I spends a ninth week at the top, meaning she now boasts the longest-running number one track of 2019, overtaking Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber's I Don't Care.

Tones and I also has the third longest-running number one track ever by a female artist in the UK - just behind Rihanna's Umbrella and Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You, which are both on 10 weeks.

It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas

Robbie Williams does claim a curious new chart feat by achieving the fastest-selling cassette release in almost two decades, shifting nearly 10,000 copies on tape in the last seven days.

The last album to sell more cassettes in a single week was Now 52 - featuring such tracks as Just a Little by Liberty X and George Michael's Freeek! back in 2002.

The 45-year-old's seasonally-themed record features guest appearances from the aforementioned Stewart, Jamie Cullum, Helene Fischer, Bryan Adams and boxer Tyson Fury.

Williams remains one of the bookies' favourites to snag this year's UK Christmas number one single, up against the likes of Lewis Capaldi, Stormzy, Little Mix, James Blunt and whoever wins The X Factor.

Michael Ball and Alfie Boe - who are back together for a third album - are an outside bet for this year's Christmas number one.

And momentum is gathering online to get Mariah Carey or Wham! to the top of the Christmas musical tree for the first time. This year marks 25 years of Carey's classic All I Want For Christmas Is You.