Welsh rockers secure first-ever number one album after chart battle

Much-loved Newport rock outfit Skindred have scored their first number one album after a closely fought chart battle with a pop queen.

After a nail-biting race to the top between the Welsh band and singer Jessie Ware, which saw them neck-and-neck all week, it’s Skindred who take home their first Official Number 1 trophy for You Got This.

The Welsh trio got off to a strong start, leading the first chart update on Monday (April 20) – but it didn’t take long for Jessie’s sixth album Superbloom to swoop in and take over the following day.

From there, things got competitive on socials, with both acts calling on their fans to help push their record to the top spot. Rallying cries and emotional pleas meant that it all came down to today, and it’s the boys from Newport who’ve done it.

This is Skindred’s first chart-topping accolade, a huge moment for the band, but also for the metal community as a whole. The band take home the Number 1 spot on the Official Vinyl Albums Chart too, shifting the most copies of their record on wax over the past seven days.

Previously the band, comprising Benji Webbe, Mikey Demus and Arya Goggin, have seen Official Albums Chart success with 2023 release Smile, which narrowly missed out on the Number 1 spot by a mere 150 units to Cian Ducrot’s Victory. They have also bagged Top 40 accolades with 2014’s Kill The Power (28), 2015 record Volume (29) and 2018’s Big Tings (26).

Posting a message on their Facebook page, the band wrote:

We are absolutely blown away by the amazing reaction and support to our new album and want to say a massive thank you to absolutely everyone that came out this week to buy a copy especially all our amazing fans and all of those in our extended Family in the rock and metal communities. You know who you are . Plus all the Festivals , venue owners , bands & friends who supported us and helped carry us through the last week. Dont worry we will post more extensively as we have a lot of thank you’s to do. Thanks also to all in Team Skindred and our amazing crew who have carried us through an intense schedule these last couple of weeks,

In all honesty the moment we decided to call the album You Got This after i was at the gym doing a spin class and i saw a PT helping a person i know who was recovering from a stroke and i heard them say these three magical words that was it. You Got This!

You Got This is a positive message to everyone going through a tough time, or suffering with their mental health, its a message also of belief to hopefully help empower every young band or artist and to help them keep going and to push on through too . So to be the first Welsh Ragga Metal Punk band from Newport to hit number 1 really is a special moment. It really is a Fairy Tale of Newport. You Got This !

Me and the band would also like to send special congratulations also to Jessie Ware too on her amazing new album from all of us in Skindred.

Big Up everybody . Thank you . You really are the best !

Together WE GOT THIS ! Have a great Weekend !