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Alicia Keys Scores First U.K. No. 1 Album

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by Paul Sexton, London  |   February 08, 2010 8:33 EST

Owl City

Owl City (above) and Alicia Keys (top)

Artists in this Article

David Bowie
Queen
Timbaland
Alicia Keys
Corinne Bailey Rae
Paolo Nutini
Owl City
Lady Gaga

Albums in this Article

Shock Value II
Timbaland
The Element of Freedom
Alicia Keys
The Sea
Corinne Bailey Rae
Sunny Side Up
Paolo Nutini
Ocean Eyes
Owl City
The Fame Monster
Lady Gaga

Alicia Keys is celebrating her first U.K. No. 1 album, after "The Element of Freedom" (J/Sony Music Entertainment) moved up one place on the new Official Charts Company survey. Owl City's "Fireflies" (Universal Island) started a third week atop the singles chart.

Keys' previous highest-charting album in the U.K. was her 2001 debut "Songs In A Minor," which reached No. 6. The 2003 set "The Diary of Alicia Keys" peaked at No. 13, 2005's "Unplugged" at only No. 52 and "As I Am" in 2007 at No. 11. "Empire State of Mind Part II," the current single from "Freedom," climbs 7-5 on the new Feb. 7 survey.

"Fireflies" secures a third week atop the singles chart despite a strong challenge from former "X Factor" contestants, teenage twins Jedward, who debuted at No. 2 with "Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)" (Sony Music Entertainment) featuring Vanilla Ice. Jedward's debut single "mashes up" Ice's 1990 chart-topper "Ice Ice Baby" with the 1980 No. 1 on which that was already based, "Under Pressure" by Queen featuring David Bowie.

"If We Ever Meet Again" (Interscope/Universal) by Timbaland featuring Katy Perry climbed 17-3 on the new chart, while RCA/Sony Music Entertainment breakthrough act Ke$ha scored a second U.K. hit as "Blah Blah Blah" entered at No. 11 and her debut album "Animal" opened at No. 8. There was also a No. 12 debut hit for Marina & the Diamonds, aka Welsh-born singer Marina Diamandis, with "Hollywood" (679/Warner Music).

As Keys moved to the top of the album chart, Dutch musician Andre Rieu's waltz collection "Forever Vienna" (Decca/Universal) climbed to a new peak, 4-2. Last week's No. 1, Paolo Nutini's "Sunny Side Up" (Atlantic/Warner Music), fell to No. 3, as Corinne Bailey Rae marked her return with "The Sea" (Virgin/EMI) at No. 5 and English-born pop artist Peter Andre entered at No. 9 with "Unconditional Love Songs" (Rhino/Warner Music).

Ke$ha now also sits atop Billboard's pan-European Hot 10 Singles chart, after "Tik Tok" climbed 2-1. Lady Gaga maintains pole position on European Albums with "The Fame" (Interscope/Universal).

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