Michael Jackson tops UK album chart

The late pop legend Michael Jackson has topped the album charts, nearly five years since his death, with Xscape.

The second posthumous album of his previously unreleased tracks features eight songs recorded between 1983 and 1999.

It was reworked by producers including Timbaland, Rodney Jerkins and Stargate.

Lily Allen’s Sheezus fell to number six, while in the singles chart Rita Ora’s I Will Never Let You Down debuted at number one.

The rest of the album chart saw another new entry at number two with US rockers The Black Keys’ latest release Turn Blue. Paloma Faith’s A Perfect Contradiction was at three while Paolo Nutini’s A Caustic Love was at four. Foxes was at five with Glorious.

Eurovision Song Contest winner Conchita Wurst hit the singles chart at number 17 with Rise Like A Phoenix, following the song’s worldwide coverage after its success last Saturday.

The other new entries in the top 20 singles chart were Ed Sheeran’s One, which is at number 20, and Australian boy band 5 Seconds Of Summer with Good Girls at number 19.

The top end of the singles chart had Waves by hip-hop star Mr Probz at two and All Of Me by soul singer John Legend at three.

Summer by DJ Calvin Harris was at number four and Canadian artist Kiesza made it to five with Hideaway.

Jackson died on 25 June 2009, at the age of 50, from an overdose of the powerful anaesthetic propofol.

One previous album of unreleased material, titled Michael, was issued in 2010.

Among its tracks were Hold My Hand, a duet with R&B singer Akon, which was almost complete at the time of his death, and a cover of Yellow Magic Orchestra’s Behind the Mask, which dated from the 1980s.

Critics were not keen – with The Guardian calling the album “lumpy” and “schlocky”. Rolling Stone magazine noted: “He would not have released anything like this compilation”.

However, the album sold relatively well (although well below the 51m he achieved with Thriller), paving the way for future compilations.

(Source: BBC News)