This Week In Pop – 3 November, 2020

Welcome to This Week In Pop.

This week, Bruce Springsteen returns and hits #1 on the Albums Chart, and Ariana Grande's new single 'Positions' debuts at #1 on the Singles Chart. Ball Park Music, Gorillaz and Nothing But Thieves lead the week's new release debuts.

This week's album chartifacts

#1: Bruce Springsteen ‘Letter To You’ – Releasing his twentieth studio album, 'Letter To You', Bruce Springsteen scores his fifth #1 album on the ARIA Charts. It becomes the American rock icon’s second chart-topper in as many years after hitting #1 in 2019 with 'Western Stars' (#1 June ’19). 'Letter To You' is the first new Springsteen studio album with his regular backing group the E Street Band since 'High Hopes' (#1 January ’14).
#2: Ball Park Music ‘Ball Park Music’ – Returning with their self-titled sixth album, Brisbane’s Ball Park Music take out their fifth ARIA Charts Top Ten debut. It’s the follow-up to 'Good Mood' (#5 February ’18), which was nominated for three ARIAs in 2018. The five-piece have also previously hit the Top Ten with 'Every Night The Same Dream' (#3 August ’16), 'Puddinghead' (#2 April ’14) and 'Museum' (#9 October ’12).
#4: Luke Combs ‘What You See Ain't Always What You Get’ – Releasing a deluxe edition of his second album 'What You See Is What You Get' (#1 November ’19), retitling it 'What You See Ain't Always What You Get', American country star Luke Combs climbs 13 spots to #4. The new version includes an extra six tracks including ‘Forever After All’ which has debuted at #14 on this week’s Singles Chart.
#5: Gorillaz ‘Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez’ – British virtual band Gorillaz release their seventh studio album, 'Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez'. Coming two years on from 'The Now Now' (#4 July ’18), the album features an all-star line-up including Elton John, Beck, St Vincent and The Cure’s Robert Smith, among others. Gorillaz hit #1 ten years ago with 'Plastic Beach' (#1 March ’10).
#8: Nothing But Thieves ‘Moral Panic’ – British band Nothing But Thieves return with 'Moral Panic'. The third album from the quintet comes three years on from their last LP, 'Broken Machine' (#12 September ’17) and becomes their first Top Ten entry.

This week's single chartifacts

#1: Ariana Grande ‘Positions’ – Released a week ahead of her sixth album, Positions, Ariana Grande hits #1 on the ARIA Singles Chart with the title track. It becomes the American artist’s fourth #1 single in Australia after ‘No Tears Left To Cry’ (#1 April ’18), ‘Thank U, Next’ (#1 November ’18) and ‘7 Rings’ (#1 January ’19).

Top 10 Albums

1. 'Letter To You' – Bruce Springsteen
2. 'Ball Park Music' – Ball Park Music
3. 'T.R.U.T.H.' – Guy Sebastian
4. 'What You See Ain't What You Get' – Luke Combs
5. 'Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez' – Gorillaz
6. 'Fine Line' – Harry Styles
7. 'Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon' – Pop Smoke
8. 'Moral Panic' – Nothing But Thieves
9. 'The Speed Of Now Part 1' – Keith Urban
10. 'Folklore' – Taylor Swift

Top 10 Singles

1. 'Positions' – Ariana Grande
2. 'Mood' – 24kGoldn featuring Iann Dior
3. 'Head & Heart' – Joel Corry, MNEK
4. 'Holy' – Justin Bieber featuring Chance The Rapper
5. 'WAP' – Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion
6. 'Lemonade' – Internet Money, Gunna featuring Don Toliver, NAV
7. 'Dreams' – Fleetwood Mac
8. 'What You Know Bout Love' – Pop Smoke
9. 'You Broke Me First' – Tate McRae
10. 'Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)' – Jawsh 685 x Jason Derulo