Debutante dominates British music charts

LONDON—Leona Lewis continued her run at the top of the British single and album music charts, out Sunday, while Christmas golden oldies began to creep back into the fray. Lewis, a 22-year-old television talent contest winner, notched up a sixth week atop the singles chart with the competition winner’s song “Bleeding Love,” while her album “Spirit” spent a third straight week at number one.
Some 375,872 copies of “Spirit” were bought in its first week on sale, making it the fastest-selling debut album of all time in Britain. Shayne Ward, Lewis’s 2005 predecessor as “X Factor” winner, entered the album chart at number two with “Breathless”, edging Westlife’s “Back Home” into third place and Kylie Minogue’s new entry “X” into fourth. Meanwhile Lewis’s rivals in the race for the coveted Christmas number one single were mustering, with even old favourites creeping up the charts.
The Pipes and Drums of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards topped the British, Australian and Canadian charts in 1972 with their instrumental version of “Amazing Grace.” Their new album “Spirit of the Glen” hit the chart at number 17 and, on the back of its success, the military band now plan to release a double-A side single of “Amazing Grace” and “Mull of Kintyre” in a bid to grab the Christmas top spot. Meanwhile Mariah Carey’s 1994 hit “All I Want For Christmas Is You” moved up 23 places to 23, while The Pogues’ 1987 classic bittersweet Christmas story “Fairytale of New York” rose nearly 50 places to 33. —Agencies