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On a new U.K. album chart otherwise dominated by Beatles remasters, 92-year-old Dame Vera Lynn yesterday (Sept. 13) became the oldest living artist to have a bestselling title as "We'll Meet Again - The Very Best of Vera Lynn" (Decca/Universal) climbed 2-1. English pop artist Pixie Lott made it two No. 1 singles from two releases, following "Mama Do" with "Boys & Girls" (Mercury/Universal), which raced 73-1.
Former "forces' sweetheart" Lynn, who made her name entertaining the troops during World War II, had eight chart singles during the early years of that U.K. chart between 1952 and 1957, but had only appeared on the album survey twice before, when "20 Family Favorites" reached No. 25 in 1981 and then when another collection also titled "We'll Meet Again" (after her best-known song) peaked at No. 44 in 1989. The previous record-holder as oldest album chart-topper was Bob Dylan, who assumed the role in May with "Together Through Life" at 67.
South London rapper Jamie T saw his "Kings & Queens" (Virgin/EMI) arrive in runner-up spot as the No. 1 artist album of the last two weeks, Arctic Monkeys' "Humbug" (Domino), fell to No. 4. The Cribs' "Ignore the Ignorant" (Wichita) debuted at No. 8 and English soul singer Beverley Knight's "100%," the first release on her own Hurricane label, started at No. 17.
That apart, the chart story belonged to the Fab Four, four of whose remastered albums reappeared in the top ten, with seven more inside the top 40. They had 16 titles in the top 60, breaking Elvis Presley's 1977 record of 14, according to U.K. Chart Company data, and also break the Monkees' record for a group of three simultaneous top ten titles, created in 1967. The top Beatles' re-entry was "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" at No. 5, compared to a No. 3 entry when the group's catalog was released on CD for the first time in 1987. "Abbey Road" was next to re-chart on the new survey at No. 6, with "Revolver" at No. 9 and "Rubber Soul" No. 10.
The two boxed sets of the entire catalog themselves made the chart, the stereo version at No. 24 and the mono edition at No. 57. Also making the top 40 were "The Beatles" (better known as "The White Album") at No. 21, "Help" at No. 29, the "Past Masters" compilation at No. 31, "Magical Mystery Tour" (33), "A Hard Day's Night" (37) and "Please Please Me" (38). Then came "Let It Be" at No. 49, "With The Beatles" (51), the "1" retrospective (not part of this reissue series) at No. 54 and "Beatles For Sale" (56). The only title in the new campaign not to make the top 75 was "Yellow Submarine" at No. 89; the individual 1999 "Songtrack" remaster of that soundtrack had reached No. 8.
Pixie Lott debuted at No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart in June with "Mama Do" and secured a second chart-topper as "Boys & Girls" soared 72 places. Her debut album "Turn It Up" is released in the U.K. today (14). David Guetta's former No. 1 featuring Akon, "Sexy Chick" (Positiva/Virgin/EMI), moved back 3-2 while Mika's "We Are Golden" (Universal Island), the first single from his second album "The Boy Who Knew Too Much" which follows next Monday, came in at No. 4.
English pop band Mini Viva's "Left My Heart In Tokyo" (Xenomania/Geffen/Universal) was a new entry at No. 7 and Muse's "Uprising" (Helium 3/Warner Music), from the new album "The Resistance" out today, came in at No. 9.
Whitney Houston mirrored her Billboard 200 success with a No. 1 debut on European Top 100 Albums with her comeback set "I Look To You" (Arista/RCA/Sony Music Entertainment). "Sexy Chick" became David Guetta's second No. 1 on Eurochart Hot 100 Singles in less than two months.
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