This Week In Pop – 10 July, 2018

Welcome to This Week In Pop.

This week we see new work from Drake (also dominating the Singles Chart), Florence + The Machine, The Rubens and Gorillaz. 5 Seconds Of Summer continue their reign at #1.

This week's album chartifacts:

#1: Drake ‘Scorpion’(Debut)  – With his fifth studio album, Canadian rapper Drake nabs his second #1 on the Albums Chart. A double album, 'Scorpion' comes two years on from 'Views' (#1 May ’16). In between studio albums Drake released the playlist/mixtape 'More Life' (#2 March ’17). 'Scorpion' contains the singles ‘God’s Plan’ (#1 February ’18), ‘Nice For What’ (#1 April ’18) and ‘I’m Upset’ (#17). Eight more of the album’s tracks have debuted in the Top 50 on this week’s ARIA Singles Chart.
#2: Florence + The Machine ‘High As Hope’ (Debut) – Florence + The Machine take out a fourth Top Three debut with 'High As Hope'. The British act’s fourth studio album is the follow-up to 'How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful' (#1 June ’15) and includes contributions from Jamie xx, Father John Misty, Kamasi Washington and more.
#3: The Rubens ‘Lo La Ru’ (Debut) – Returning with their third studio album, 'Lo La Ru', The Rubens score a third Top Three debut. The indie five-piece from Menangle, NSW have previously charted with their self-titled debut (#3 September ’12) and 'Hoops' (#2 August ’15). Working with Run the Jewels producers and brothers Wilder Zoby and Little Shalimar, 'Lo La Ru' was recorded in a converted WWII bunker just outside the band’s hometown.
#4: Gorillaz ‘The Now Now’ (Debut) – Just over a year on from 'Humanz' (#4 May ’17), Gorillaz return with 'The Now Now'. The British virtual band’s sixth album is their fourth Top Ten on the ARIA Albums Chart. It features guest appearances from Snoop Dogg and George Benson, among others.
#7: Guns N’ Roses ‘Appetite For Destruction’ – Following a reissue to mark the album’s 30th anniversary, Guns N’ Roses’ debut album 'Appetite For Destruction' returns to the chart at #7, the same place it originally peaked back in October 1988.

This week's single chartifacts:

#1: 5 Seconds Of Summer ‘Youngblood’ – 5 Seconds Of Summer remains at #1 on the ARIA Singles Chart for a seventh consecutive week with ‘Youngblood’ as it reaches Double Platinum status. The track joins John Farnham’s ‘You’re The Voice’, Pseudo Echo’s ‘Funky Town’ and Kylie Minogue’s ‘Locomotion’ as the Australian singles with the third-longest run at #1. The current record is held by Justice Crew’s ‘Que Sera’, which spent nine weeks in the top spot in 2014.
#3: Drake Feat. Michael Jackson ‘Don’t Matter To Me’ (Debut) – With his fifth album Scorpion topping this week’s ARIA Albums Chart, Canadian rapper Drake has scored eleven entries in the Top 50 of the Singles Chart, including eight debuts. The highest debut is ‘Don’t Matter To Me’, which features vocals recorded in 1983 by the late Michael Jackson.
#7: Drake ‘Nice For What’ – In addition to his eight debuts, the three tracks Drake already had in the Top 50 have jumped up this week. Former #1s ‘Nice For What’ and ‘God’s Plan’ have moved up nine and 21 places, respectively, to sit at #7 and #8. Current single ‘I’m Upset’ has climbed 25 spots to score a new peak at #17.

Top 10 Albums

 1.    'Scorpion' – Drake
 2.    'High As Hope' – Florence + The Machine
 3.    'Lo La Ru' – The Rubens
 4.    'The Now Now' – Gorillaz
 5.    'The Greatest Showman' Soundtrack
 6.    '÷' – Ed Sheeran
 7.    'Appetite For Destruction' – Guns N' Roses
 8.    'Beerbongs & Bentleys' – Post Malone
 9.    '?' – XXXTentaction
 10. 'Gravity' – Bullet For My Valentine

Top 10 Singles

 1.    'Youngblood' – 5 Seconds Of Summer
 2.    'Girls Like You' – Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B
 3.    'Don't Matter To Me' – Drake featuring Michael Jackson
 4.    'Better Now' – Post Malone
 5.    'Nonstop' – Drake
 6.    'Sad!' – XXXTentacion
 7.    'Nice For What' – Drake
 8.    'God's Plan' – Drake
 9.    '2002' – Anne-Marie
 10. 'Solo' – Clean Bandit featuring Demi Lovato