New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Christine and the Queens is challenging for No 1 on this week's UK Albums Chart. The French performer's sophomore album Chris holds pole position, but it is going to be a very close race to the top spot; less than 2,000 combined sales are currently separating the Top 4.
Christine's debut album Chaleur Humaine peaked at No 2 on the UK's Albums Chart, following headline-grabbing performances at Glastonbury and on Late Night with Jools Holland.
Less than 1,000 behind Christine are Suede, with The Blue Hour at No 2. The alt-rock group's eighth studio album may take out their highest UK chart placing in 19 years, since 1999's Head
Music reached No 1.
No 1 for the past three weeks,
Eminem is currently at 3 with Kamikaze, while
Guns N' Roses legend
Slash is set for his highest UK chart entry as a named artist; Living The Dream, his third collaborative album with Alter Bridge's Myles Kennedy is at No 4.
New entries and high climbers
A fourth UK Top 10 album is on the horizon for Joe Bonamassa, as Redemption sits at No 6,
Josh Groban is on the cusp of a third Top 10 entry with Bridges at No 7, and
Prince is one slot behind at 8 with posthumous rarities collection Piano & A Microphone 1983.
Wolf Alice return to the Top 40 with Visions Of A Life following their Mercury Prize win, currently back up to No 11. A further four new entries are looking to impact the Top 20: The Big Bad Blues from ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons (16); The Art of Pretending To Swim from Irish group Villagers (17); Chip is at 18 with Ten10; and Northern Irish collective Therapy? may claim their first Top 40 album since 1998 with Cleave (20).
The self-titled debut album from Brighton rockers
Black Honey opens at 22, one rung higher than Iridescence, the major label debut from hip-hop group Brockhampton (23). Doncaster group The Blinders are also vying for a Top 40 finish with their debut album Columbia (28).
Finally, Kylie Minogue's self-titled 1994 album could re-enter the Top 40 following an exclusive white vinyl release (27), while her latest album Golden rebounds 21 places to 35 as she kicks off her UK arena tour.
