David Bowie tops UK albums after 20 years

The Next Day, David Bowie’s first album in a decade, has become the fastest-selling of the year in UK, hitting No. 1 spot in its first week.

The Next Day is David Bowie’s first No. 1 since 1993’s Black Tie White Noise.

The album sold 94,000 copies this week, according to the Official Chart Company, outselling No. 2 album What About Now from Bon Jovi two to one.

Justin Timberlake remains at the top of the singles chart with Mirrors.

The announcement that David Bowie was releasing new material came as a surprise to many in the music world, and has had Bowie aficionados picking over the fiercely private star’s back catalogue, comparing his early work with his latest release.

A retrospective of the eclectic performer is being unveiled at London’s V&A Museum on March 23, celebrating David Bowie as a musical innovator and cultural icon.

Although David Bowie is not directly involved with curating the exhibition, the David Bowie Archive gave “unprecedented access” to the V&A, which picked out flamboyant costumes, early photographs and other memorabilia to show.The Next Day’s first week sales beat that of the previous fastest-selling UK album, which was Biffy Clyro’s Opposites which sold 71,600 in its debut week in January.

Emeli Sande’s Our Version of Events slipped down one to No. 3, following behind Bon Jovi’s What About Now.

Last week’s No. 1 from chart-toppers Bastille fell to No. 4.

In the singles chart, One Direction saw their Comic Relief effort One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks) rise to No. 2 in the wake of Friday’s Red Nose Day.