Kate Bush Sets U.K. Album Charts Record

“Following a triumphant start to her critically acclaimed Before The Dawn live shows (her first in over 35 years), legendary British singer/songwriter Kate Bush has claimed a place in history as the female with the most simultaneous entries in the Official Albums Chart Top 40,” British music sales tracking firm The Official Charts Company said.

The 56-year-old had 11 albums in the top 75, it added.

“Kate now rides only behind Elvis, the overall record holder who managed 12 entries in the top 40 following his untimely death in 1977, and The Beatles who notched up 11 simultaneous top 40 entries with their 2009 album reissues,” the company said.

Bush kicked off her series of 22 comeback concerts last week to rave reviews and with various celebrities in the audience.

A few other female musicians have managed to get multiple albums into the British charts at the same time. For example, Madonna had three albums in the U.K. top 40 in 1987, while also featuring heavily on the Who’s That Girl film soundtrack that was also in the album charts at the time.

Similarly, Joan Baez dominated the charts for several weeks in the summer of 1965 with three albums in the top 20, according to historical data from the Official Charts Company.

And in 2011 and 2012, Amy Winehouse and Whitney Houston saw two of their albums simultaneously enter the top 10 and top 75, respectively.

Bush is no stranger to making U.K. chart history. “Back in 1978, the star became the first female artist in history to score a U.K. number 1 on the Official Singles Chart with a self-penned song,” according to the music sales tracking firm. The song, “Wuthering Heights,” went on to top the chart for four weeks, becoming the first of Bush’s 26 top 40 hits in Britain.

Here is a look at Bush’s presence in Britain’s Official Albums Chart this week:

Rank Album
6 The Whole Story
9 Hounds of Love
20 50 Words for Snow
24 The Kick Inside
26 The Sensual World
37 The Dreaming
38 Never for Ever
40 Lionheart
43 Aerial
44 Director’s Cut
49 The Red Shoes

Source: Hollywood Reporter