Justin Timberlake’s '20/20' Extends U.K. Chart Reign

Justin Timberlake’s “The 20/20 Experience” (RCA/Sony Music Entertainment) began a third week atop the U.K. album chart as the Official Charts Company published its new sales data Sunday (April 7). British DJ-producer Duke Dumont debuted at No. 1 on the singles chart with “Need U (100%)” (Ministry of Sound), featuring female teenage London singer-songwriter A*M*E.

“The 20/20 Experience” is now Timberlake’s longest-running No. 1 album in the territory. Its 2006 predecessor “FutureSex/LoveSounds” had only one week at the U.K. chart summit before being toppled by the Scissor Sisters’ “Ta-Dah.” His solo debut, 2002’s “Justified,” spent two weeks there in January 2003, before Kelly Rowland’s “Simply Deep” took over. 

But it was a close-run thing this time, with the current set selling a modest 26,000 copies, 3,000 ahead of Imagine Dragons’ first album “Night Visions” (Interscope/Universal), which arrived at No. 2. The Las Vegas modern rock band’s banner U.K. week also extended to the singles chart, on which the album’s existing hit “Radioactive” moved back 32-18 and two further tracks from it debuted in the top 40, “On Top of the World” at No. 34 and “It’s Time” at No. 40, with “Demons” appearing at No. 75. “Hear Me” previously reached No. 37.

In a strong week for rock on the album chart, Yorkshire metalcore band Bring Me The Horizon’s “Sempiternal” arrived at No. 3 with nearly 9,000 sales. It's the band's fourth set and first for RCA/Sony. That bow gave the RCA label two of the top three artist albums of the week and the band easily their highest-charting album to date. 2010’s ambitiously-titled “There Is a Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is a Heaven, Let's Keep It a Secret” (Visible Noise) previously held that distinction when it debuted at No. 13.

There was a No. 9 start for Meat Loaf’s 35th anniversary edition of his 1978 classic “Bat Out Of Hell” (Epic/Sony). The album is already the U.K.’s 21st-biggest-selling artist album of all time, according to the OCC. Rihanna’s “Unapologetic” (Def Jam/Universal), meanwhile, rebounded 24-10, and on the compilation chart, “Now That’s What I Call Music! 84” (EMI TV/UMTV/ Universal) started a second week at No. 1, with second-week sales of 96,000.

Singles champion Duke Dumont has been recording and mixing for some six years, but “Need U (100%)” represents his U.K. singles chart debut. It sold 92,000 units last week, a full 40,000 ahead of Pink’s “Just Give Me A Reason” (RCA/Sony), featuring Nate Ruess, which held at No. 2. Timberlake’s “Mirrors” single moved back up 4-3 and last week’s bestseller, PJ & Duncan’s 1994 original “Let’s Get Ready To Rhumble” (Edsel), slumped to No. 6.

Nelly’s “Hey Porsche” (Republic/Universal) climbed again, 9-7, as did Pitbull’s “Feel This Moment” (J/Mr 305/Polo Ground/Sony), featuring Christina Aguilera, 11-8. Michael Bublé started at No. 10 with “It’s A Beautiful Day” (Reprise/Warner Music), only his second U.K. top ten single after “Haven’t Met You Yet” reached No. 5 in 2009.