The Mountain is also the biggest independent release of 2026 so far, with 30,000 chart units achieved so far having been the first to come from their new label, KONG. The project also takes home this week’s Official Vinyl Chart Number 1.
To celebrate the band’s third Number 1 in the 70th anniversary year of the UK Official Albums Chart, illustrator Jamie Hewlett created a special bespoke illustration of Gorillaz character Murdoc Niccals clutching the iconic gold Official Charts Number 1 album award.
Murdoc Niccals responding to the news, says: “Mortal friends, Murdoc F. Niccals here, speaking to you from on high, the top of the world, the summit of achievement! I’ve only gone and done it again, haven’t I? Number 1! Could have gone further… was hoping for a 0, but 1 will do. To all my devoted er… devotees, you have shown impeccable taste as ever. It takes a lot to make a Mountain, so all I can say is… I couldn’t have done it without me. Cheers!”
Pic: Gorillaz band members (from L-R): Noodle (guitar), 2D (vocals), Russel Hobbs (drums) and Murdoc Niccals (bass) with the Official Chart Number 1 album award (Credit: Gorillaz)
Incorporating the sounds of Indian classical instrumentation, the blockbuster release contains feature performances in five different languages.
With 4x Brit Award winner Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving taking second spot, the funktastic Bruno Mars just misses out on a third Number 1 himself, as his comeback solo release The Romantic lands at Number 3.
American singer-songwriter Mitski equals her personal best charting performance with Nothing’s About To Happen To Me (4). Positioning alongside 2023’s The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, Nothing’s About To Happen To Me also tops this week’s Official Record Store Chart, shifting the most copies in independent record stores over the past seven days.
South Korean K-pop sensations BLACKPINK, consisting of Jisoo, Jennie, BRIT Award winner Rosé and Lisa bag a third Top 20 with DEADLINE (11).
It’s a 31st Top 40 accolade for the legendary Paul McCartney & Wings for the soundtrack from his latest Amazon Prime film Man On The Run, documenting the rise of his group Wings after The Beatles had disbanded (35).
The 1975’s former Number 1 i like it when you sleep for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it re-emerges inside the Top 40 following a tenth anniversary re-release of the hit album (40).
See the Official Albums Chart Top 100 in full here from 5.45pm.