U.K. MIDWEEKS: WHO WILL BE #1?

The Who is on course to claim its first U.K. #1 album in almost 50 years with WHO (Polydor) leading the midweeks by 6k combined chart sales. Over on singles, Ellie Goulding has joined the race for the Christmas #1.

WHO is the band’s first collection of new material since 2006 and could be their first #1 since Who’s Next topped the chart in 1971. Today, it sits ahead of Robbie Williams’ The Christmas Present (Columbia) at #2.

Liam Payne’s LP1 (Capitol) is the second highest new albums entry at #8, while Kylie Minogue’s live album, Golden: Live in Concert (BMG), is just outside the Top 10 at #12.

This year’s Britain’s Got Talent winner, 89-year-old Colin Thackery, starts at #13 with Love Changes Everything (Decca); Camila Cabello is also aiming for the Top 20 with her second studio album, Romance (Syco), at #16.

On the U.K.’s Official Singles update, Goulding has shot 12 places to #2 with her cover of Joni Mitchell’s “River” (Polydor). The track sits less than 2k combined chart sales behind Tones and I’s “Dance Monkey” (Parlophone) and is now in the running to claim the Christmas #1 at the end of next week.

Mariah Carey is poised for a Top 5 return with “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Sony) at #5, with Wham!’s “Last Christmas” (Sony) and “Fairytale of New York” (Warner) by The Pogues f/Kirsty MacColl on track for the Top 10 at #7 and #9 respectively.

John Legend’s take on John Lennon’s “Happy Christmas (War is Over)” (Columbia) starts at #10, and Harry Styles’ “Adore You” (Columbia) enters at #15.