SWIFT RACES TO TOP
OF U.K. CHARTS

The country-pop star landed her first-ever #1 U.K. album when Red debuted at the top of the chart this weekend.

Syco/Sony Music writer-producer Labrinth’s “Beneath Your Beautiful,” featuring Emeli Sandé, opened atop the singles survey, the fourth consecutive Brit chart-topper for Marty Bandier’s combined Sony/ATV and EMI Music Publishing monolith.

Swift previously reached #5 in Britain in 2009 with her chart debut Fearless, then peaked one place below that with 2010’s follow-up Speak Now. The new album follows the Top 10 success of "We Are Never Getting Back Together Ever," which peaked at #4 four weeks ago and is still in the Top 10, dipping #7-9 this week.

Scottish singer-songwriter Sandé enjoyed another impressive week, with the deluxe version of her chart-topping Virgin/EMI album Our Version of Events climbing #9-2, as she notched two new Top 10 guest appearances on the singles list, at #1 with Labrinth and #10 with her cameo on Virgin labelmate Naughty Boy's "Wonder."

Last week's chart-topper Jake Bugg, saw his first, self-titled Mercury/Universal drop to #3. British pop band Lawson followed last week's #6 singles hit "Standing in the Dark" with a # 4 start for hise Global Talent/Universal debut album Chapman Square.

N-Dubz member Dappy's Universal/Island album Good Intentions is #6, followed by Irish crooner Daniel O'Donnell's Songs from the Movies and More at # 7. RCA artist Paloma Faith's Fall to Grace climbed #35-9.

Labrinth's single sold 108k after he performed the track on The X Factor U.K. results show Oct. 21. His previous best was the #2 "Earthquake," featuring Tinie Tempah, last year, although he guested on Tempah's 2010 chart-topping "Pass Out."

Swedish House Mafia's former #1 "Don't You Worry Child" stayed at #2, as last week's leader, Calvin Harris and Florence Welch’s "Sweet Nothing" fell #1-3, both Sony/ATV-EMI copyrights. The other new Top 10 singles entry was pop band JLS' "The Hottest Girl in the World" at # 6.