Eminem breaks own chart record amid controversy over Manchester bombing lyrics

Eminem has broken his own chart record with his latest album Music To Be Murdered By despite the controversy surrounding lyrics referencing the Manchester bombing.

The surprise release from the American rapper has debuted at number one on the chart, making him the first artist in UK chart history to achieve 10 consecutive number one albums.

Eminem, real name Marshall Bruce Mathers III, previously made history by becoming the first artist to ever have nine UK number one albums in a row, following the success of 2018’s Kamikaze.

Every one of the Grammy-winning artist’s albums since 2000’s The Marshall Mathers LP have topped the charts in the UK.

He has also taken the number one spot on the singles chart this week with Godzilla featuring Juice Wrld.

It is only the fourth song over the past year to debut at the top of the singles chart, according to the Official Charts Company.

Eminem fended off competition from Manchester indie band The Courteeners, who were previously in the running to take the album chart top spot with their new LP More. Again. Forever. earlier in the week.

The group has instead taken number two, but it is still their highest-charting album yet and is this week’s best-selling album on vinyl.

The victory comes after the rapper defended his controversial lyrics about the tragic Manchester bombing events in the new album.

The US rapper came under fire for the song Unaccommodating, which references the terror attack that killed 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester in 2017.

“I’m contemplating yelling ‘bombs away’ on the game, like I’m outside of an Ariana Grande concert waiting,” he raps on the song.

In a statement released on social media, Eminem said “certain sections” of the album are “designed to shock the conscience". He added that is not for the "squeamish" explaining that the word “murder” on his album “isn’t always literal, nor pleasant."

Elsewhere, Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi is at number three this week with Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent ahead of a new entry from Bombay Bicycle Club, whose new album Everything Else Has Gone Wrong is at number four.

Stormzy’s Heavy Is The Head rounds off the top five albums of the week.

Over on the singles chart, this week’s number two under Eminem is rising music star Roddy Ricch, whose viral hit The Box is at number two.

His was just 93 chart sales behind Eminem’s Godzilla, making it one of the tightest finishes for the chart top spot ever, the Official Charts Company said.

Stormzy’s Own It with Ed Sheeran and Burna Boy is at number three, The Weeknd’s Blinding is at number four and Capaldi’s Before You Go is at number five.