Rolling Stones’ ‘Hackney Diamonds’ Leads – Billboard

Hackney Diamonds are forever, it would seem, as the Rolling Stones return to No. 1 in the U.K.

The Stones’ latest album bumps 6-1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, published Friday, Dec. 22, for its second non-consecutive week at the top.

Featuring collaborations with Lady Gaga, Elton John Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney, and contributions from former bass player Bill Wyman and the group’s late drummer Charlie Watts, Hackney Diamonds (via Polydor) is the Stones’ first album of original material in 18 years– since A Bigger Bang, which peaked to No. 2 in 2005.

Following its release in October, the LP went straight to No. 1 for the rock legends’ 14th U.K. No. 1, by outselling the rest of the top 5 combined.

“It’s a wonderful way to round off 2023,” the Stones say in a statement published by the Official Charts Company. “Thank you to everyone for listening to Hackney Diamonds. Have a very happy Christmas and New Year.”

The Christmas gift for the Stones also doubles-up as a late birthday present for guitarist Keith Richards, who turned 80 on Dec. 18.

Meanwhile, Michael Bublé’s Christmas (Reprise) holds No. 2 on the new chart, while Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (via EMI) improves 4-3.

Cher brings some Christmas cheer to the latest tally with her Christmas (Warner Records) collection, which lifts 15-5 for a new peak position. Christmas features “DJ Play A Christmas Song,” which lifts 41-20 on the latest U.K. singles chart, an effort that sees the iconic entertainer become the first solo artist to achieve a top 40 hit with new material on the Official U.K. Singles Chart across seven consecutive decades, the Official Charts Company reports.

At 77 year and 7 months, Cher is also the oldest solo female performer to snag a top 40 U.K. single, besting previous record holder Shirley Bassey, who was 70 years, 4 months old when “The Living Tree” reached No. 37 in 2007.