U.K. MIDWEEKS: ROYAL BLOOD REIGNS

Royal Blood, the rock duo of Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher, is aiming to lock in its fourth consecutive U.K. #1 album this week as Doja Cat eyes her first #1 at singles.

At midweek, Royal Blood’s Back to the Water Below (Warner) is outselling its closest competition, a 10th anniversary edition of The 1975’s self-titled debut on Dirty Hit/Polydor, by more than two to one.

At #3 is Slowdive’s Everything Is Alive (Dead Oceans), which would be its first U.K. Top 10 placement. The act's 2017 comeback, Slowdive, registered a then-career-best #17.

Rounding out the all-new Top 4 is Sigur Ros’ Atta (BMG), released on vinyl on Friday (9/1).

A 40th anniversary edition of Jethro Tull’s 14th studio album, The Broadsword and the Beast (Rhino), is currently #6, followed by Rivers of Heresy (Roadrunner) by Empire State Bastard, the duo of Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neal and former Oceansize frontman Mike Vennart, at #7.

Deacon Blue’s greatest hits collection, All the 45s: The Very Best of Deacon Blue (Cooking Vinyl), released to coincide with a new U.K. tour, is #8.

At singles, Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red” (Ministry of Sound) is looking to leapfrog Olivia Rodrigo’s “vampire” (Geffen) to claim the top slot.

Calvin Harris & Sam Smith’s “Desire” (Columbia) could climb into the Top 5 for the first time—it’s #4 at midweek—while Fred again..’s “adore u” (Atlantic) is fixing to become his first Top 10 single as a solo artist.

Kylie Minogue's “Tension” (BMG) is on course to be the week’s highest new entry, opening at #14.