Springsteen tops charts for 7th time

By Paul Sexton

LONDON (Billboard) - Bruce Springsteen has racked up his seventh U.K. No. 1 album with "Magic," extending his span of chart-toppers to more than 22 years.

Also new were Katie Melua at No. 2, Babyshambles at No. 5, Annie Lennox at No. 7 and Bob Dylan at No. 10, the Official Charts Co. said Sunday.

Springsteen first hit No. 1 in February 1985 with "Born in the U.S.A." (eight months after first charting). He also reached the summit with "Tunnel of Love" (1987), "Human Touch" (1992), "Greatest Hits" (1995), "The Rising" (2002) and "Devils & Dust" (2005).

Springsteen is also expected to top the U.S. charts when Nielsen SoundScan releases its sales data on Wednesday. It would mark his third No. 1 on The Billboard 200 among his last four studio albums. "The Rising" and "Devils & Dust" each bowed at No. 1, while last year's "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions" peaked at No. 3.

Back in the U.K., Melua's third album, "Pictures" came in ahead of last week's No. 1, Foo Fighters' "Echoes Silence Patience & Grace." Another former chart-topper, James Blunt's sophomore release "All the Lost Souls," fell two to No. 4, followed by the Pete Doherty-fronted Babyshambles' "Shotters Nation."

Lennox's "Songs of Mass Destruction" opened at No. 7. Her previous release, 2003's "Bare," bowed at No. 3. At No. 10, Dylan's three-CD compilation "Dylan" ranks as the tireless troubadour's 31st U.K. top 10 album.

On the singles chart, the Sugababes started a second week at No. 1 with "About You Now." The top new entry was a reissue of Elvis Presley's "King Creole" at No. 15.

On Billboard's pan-European sales rankings, Blunt began a second week atop European Top 100 Albums. But his track "1973" lost the lead on Eurochart Hot 100 Singles to "Ayo Technology" by 50 Cent featuring Justin Timberlake and Timbaland.

Reuters/Billboard