It looks like Kasabian could end Ed Sheeran’s nine-week reign at Number 1 on this week’s Official Albums Chart. 

The psychedelic rockers are storming ahead in the race for the top; their sixth studio record For Crying Out Loud (1) is just over 20,000 equivalent sales ahead of Ed’s ÷ (2) at the halfway stage of the chart week.

If Kasabian hold on, it’ll give the Leicester band their fifth consecutive Number 1 album, following 2014’s 48:13. 

New entries and high climbers

A further 13 new albums are on course to land a place in the Official Albums Chart Top 40 this week, including Blondie, who start at Number 4 with their new collection Pollinator. The Debbie Harry-fronted band last reached the Top 10 18 years ago, with 1999’s No Exit.

Meanwhile, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ best of Lovely Creatures is new at 6, and Leftfield’s reissue of their 1995 album Leftism starts at 10. 

Rockers Slowdive enter at 14 with their new self-titled record, Canadian singer-songwriter Mac Demarco is at 15 with This Old Dog, US guitarist Christ Stapleton debuts at 16 with From A Room – Vol 1, and Inter Alia by American punk rockers At The Drive In is at 17. 

Singer-songwriter LP is set to make her UK Top 40 debut with Lost On You (19), as is rapper Logic with his third album Everybody (20).

Finally, Hawkind’s Into The Woods (24), Diana Krall’s Turn Up The Quiet (26), Rifle’s Unplugged Album – Recorded At Abbey Road (30) and Afghan Whigs’ In Spades (33) could all earn a place in this week’s Official Albums Chart Top 40.