Gorillaz Pipped to Number One Album Despite Leading Midweeks

Despite leading in the newly available midweek charts, Gorillaz were pipped to the top of the album charts by Boyzone on Sunday night (March 14).

On Wednesday (March 10) Spinner reported that 'Plastic Beach,' the band's third studio album, was topping the first ever midweek charts announced on Greg James' BBC Radio 1 show.

However, by Sunday they had fallen behind Irish boyband Boyzone. This success can probably be put down to the combination of last-minute Mothers' Day presents, and it being their first album since the tragic death of Stephen Gately last October. Boyzone had sold 100,000 copies of 'Brother,' their fifth studio album, to take the top slot.

It is a repeat success for lead singer Ronan Keating, who had a solo number one on Mothers' Day in 2009 with 'Songs For My Mother.'

With combined sales of 15 million for 'Gorillaz' and 'Demon Days,' Damon Albarn's cartoon band probably aren't too worried. 'Plastic Beach,' featuring as it does Lou Reed, Bobby Womack, Snoop Dogg, Mos Def and Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals, will no doubt go on to greater success.

Martin Talbot, the managing director of the Official Chart Company, said that the midweek charts has been made available to the public to give an insight into how the race for the top of the charts is shaping up. They were previously only available to those in the industry.

As of March 14, the UK album chart looks like this:

1. Boyzone 'Brother'
2. Gorillaz 'Plastic Beach'
3. Alicia Keys 'The Element Of Freedom'
4. Amy MacDonald 'A Curious Thing'
5. Lady Gaga 'The Fame'
6. Michael Buble 'Crazy Love'
7. Paolo Nutini 'Sunny Side Up'
8. Florence and the Machine 'Lungs'
9. Glee 'Glee The Musical'
10. Andrew Lloyd Webber 'Love Never Dies'