Michael Jackson’s The Essential Michael Jackson is the UK’s biggest album of 2026 so far, with more than 508,000 chart units by the end of the third quarter, according to Official Charts data.
The 2005 greatest hits compilation has benefited from renewed interest following the release of the blockbuster biopic Michael in April, with increased streaming and sales helping it outperform albums released this year.
Michael Jackson leads the UK album chart
The Essential Michael Jackson sits ahead of Olivia Dean’s The Art Of Loving at Number 2 and Harry Styles’ Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally. at Number 3.
Jackson’s wider catalogue is also performing strongly. Thriller ranks at Number 16, while Bad sits at Number 20, giving the late pop star three albums in the year-to-date Top 20.
Olivia Rodrigo climbs into the Top 5
Olivia Rodrigo’s You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love has climbed eight places to Number 5, with more than 305,000 chart units. Her earlier albums, SOUR and GUTS, also feature in the rankings at Numbers 26 and 29.
Fleetwood Mac, The Weeknd, Ed Sheeran, Noah Kahan and Alex Warren remain among the year’s leading album acts. Oasis also continue to draw chart attention following the Oasis Live ’25 tour, with Time Flies: 1994–2009 rounding out the Top 10.
With the final quarter of 2026 still to come, Jackson currently holds a substantial lead, although the year-end standings could still change.
UK’s Top 10 Albums Of 2026 So Far
- The Essential – Michael Jackson
- The Art Of Loving – Olivia Dean
- Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally – Harry Styles
- 50 Years: Don’t Stop – Fleetwood Mac
- You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love – Olivia Rodrigo
- The Highlight – The Weeknd
- +-=÷x (Tour Collection) – Ed Sheeran
- The Great Divide – Noah Kahan
- You’ll Be Alright Kid (Chapter 1) – Alex Warren
- Time Flies: 1994–2009 – Oasis
