Today is a great day for British bands as Sports Team achieve the highest first week sales for a debut album by a British band in four years, with critically acclaimed debut Deep Down Happy.
The London-based six-piece enter the Official Charts at Number 2, becoming the seller of the week, leading on physical sales (10,000+) and having the edge on digital downloads; as Lady Gaga only just takes the top spot. Sports Team have also scored Number 1 on the Official Vinyl Chart.
With no record stores open, and no live shows due to lockdown, Sports Team have still managed to achieve the biggest selling album of the week in independent retail; a mammoth feat for Britain’s next breakthrough guitar band.
Blossoms were the last British band to record the highest week one sales in 2016, with Wolf Alice in 2015, Royal Blood in 2014, and The 1975 in 2013. The 12,248 sales week one, has eclipsed debuts by Shame, Idles, The Big Moon, Pale Waves and The Magic Gang.
Sports Team have built an incredibly loyal, impassioned fanbase, who carried the Gaga x Sports Team chart battle conversation last night on Twitter. From a Lewis Capaldi summoning circle which lead to support from the superstar (proving witchcraft does work), to TV fisherman Jeremy Wade, and Sam Fender, Sports Team fans were out in force, showing comradeship for the future of guitar music.
“It was Blur vs Oasis but with Lewis Capaldi, Sam Fender, shadow ministers and Jeremy Wade. Bizarre but amazing that the community of fans we’ve built around this can take on a global superstar. Live forever,” said the band.
Listen to and purchase your copy of ‘Deep Down Happy’ here and check out the new music video for ‘Camel Crew’ below.
