Veteran rocker Ozzy Osbourne’s band Black Sabbath has stormed to the top of the charts with their new album, 13.
The heavy rock trailblazers have set a new UK chart record for the longest gap between number-one albums, overtaking Rod Stewart who set a similar record last month.
“I’m in shock!” Black Sabbath frontman told the Official Charts Company. “The success of this album has blown me off my feet. We’ve never had a record climb the charts so fast.”
Osbourne said it was “great” to have beaten Stewart but added: “Rod’s the same as us, we’ve got something other people haven’t got... We know our craft.”
It was 43 years ago that Black Sabbath last hit the top spot with Paranoid in 1970 and the new album reunites original members Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler for the first time in 35 years.
The Rick Rubin-produced comeback, which was released last week, has sold 13,000 more copies than Liam Gallagher’s Beady Eye with their latest offering, BE, which is at number two.
Osbourne, who had marital difficulties earlier this year said the band would “probably” release another album, but added: “We’re still revelling in coming back with this. I don’t want to promise anything to anyone. It took us long enough to do this, and we can’t wait another 43 years to have another number one.
“If it comes to pass we don’t make another record, then I can rest easily knowing we finished things properly with 13.”
Stewart’s latest album, Time, set the record for the longest gap between number-one albums last month, 37 years after he last reached the top of the chart. He is at number three this week while another veteran act, Status Quo, has gone straight in at number 10 with their new release, soundtrack album Bula Quo!
American singer Robin Thicke tops the singles chart for the third consecutive week with Blurred Lines featuring TI and Pharrell Williams. The tune has clocked up more than half a million sales since its release.
Emeli Sandé collaborator Naughty Boy holds steady at number two with La La La featuring Sam Smith, while Passenger climbs one place to number three with Let Her Go.