U.K. MIDWEEKS: RYDER TRUCKS TO #1

Sam Ryder looks set to hit #1 on the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart with his debut, There’s Nothing But Space, Man! (Parlophone). Over on singles, a three-way battle of holiday tunes is being waged for that coveted spot atop the tree.

Having scored a long-awaited victory for the U.K. at Eurovision earlier this year by coming in second, Ryder is outselling his closest competition by almost 2:1 at today’s halfway point. That competition is SZA’s SOS (RCA/Top Dawg), starting at #2.

Sam Fender, meanwhile, could land two Top 10 LPs this week: Live From Finsbury Park (Polydor) debuts at #7, and it seems his former chart-topper, Seventeen Going Under, will rise 34 places to #9.

On the U.K.’s Official Singles midweeks, less than 1k in sales separates the Top 3. Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (Columbia) leads the race at #1, followed by Wham!’s “Last Christmas” (Epic) at #2 and “Merry Christmas” (Atlantic/EMI) by Ed Sheeran and Elton John at #3.

Stormzy’s “Firebabe” (0207 Def Jam) is expected to climb four to #5.

In other yule news, Lizzo could score her third U.K. Top 10 with her take on Stevie Wonder’s “Someday at Christmas”—an Amazon Original—which rises 22 places to #9, and Kelly Clarkson’s “Underneath the Tree” (RCA) may earn its highest peak in the U.K. this week at #14.