Manchester rock band Courteeners have just made UK chart history - in securing their first-ever Official Number 1 album. That's because it is the group's 2008 debut St Jude that has topped the charts for the first time today, breaking Official Chart records in the process.
It becomes the album with the longest time between release and charting at Number 1 in UK chart history - at a staggering 14 years, 9 months and 14 days since its release. The surge in sales has come thanks to the 15th Anniversary Edition of the LP released by the Middleton-formed band.
It features remastered tracks, rarities and previously-unreleased material. The Courteeners record reached the summit with over 97% physical sales, and tops this week's Official Vinyl Album Chart.
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The rock trio - comprising Liam Fray, Michael Campbell and Daniel ‘Conan’ Moores – also become only the third band in Official Chart history to chart a re-issued album at Number 1. They join The Rolling Stones ( with Goats Head Soup and Exile On Main St) and The Beatles (with Abbey Road and Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band) as the only groups to have achieved the feat.
St. Jude includes three Official Top 40 singles (Not Nineteen Forever, No You Didn’t, No You Don’t and What Took You So Long?). It previously peaked at Number 4 upon its initial 2008 release.
Speaking exclusively to OfficialCharts.com, Courteeners’ frontman Liam Fray hailed the band's first number one achievement. He said: "Good things come to thems that wait. God bless the fans."
The band will take over Manchester's Heaton Park for a huge homecoming gig in June this year to mark 15 years since the release of their debut. It will be the third time that the lads have held court at Greater Manchester's biggest park for a landmark moment in their career.
The Heaton Park gig, on Friday 9th June 2023, will mark the original release of their seminal album which has become a modern indie classic. Since then they have gone on to release five studio albums and have played sold out gigs across the UK.
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