From Music Week:
Albums
Two years to the week after securing their fourth number one album, Keane make it five in a row, with Strangeland racking up first week sales of 47,839. In 2004, the Sussex band's debut album Hopes And Fears entered the chart at number one on sales of 155,373; in 2006, Under The Iron Sea debuted in pole position with sales of 222,297 copies; in 2008, Perfect Symmetry accessed the apex with a 79,106 start; and in 2010, Night Train - which has eight tracks and a playing time of less than 32 minutes and is generally regarded as a mini album or an EP - took the title on sales of 28,063.
Strangeland's success comes despite a fairly lukewarm reception for introductory single, Silenced By The Night. Although the track has been given plenty of exposure, climbing as high as number 21 on the radio airplay chart -it recovers 27-25 this week, its sixth in the Top 50 - it has struggled in the sales chart. It finally breaches the Top 75 this week, having moved 78-152-162-46.
The only acts to have had more number one albums than Keane in the 21st century are Eminem, Robbie Williams and Westlife (seven apiece) and Madonna (six). Coldplay, Oasis and Bruce Springsteen have also had five. Eminem also topped the chart with D12, while Oasis' Noel Gallagher also reached top perch with his High Flying Birds album. Although some might suggest that 2005 import Live Recordings 2004 broke Keane's string of number ones by reaching number 131, on a less strict interpretation of their career limited to the Top 75 - which would also exclude digital releases of Live From London (2004), Live Recordings: European Tour (2008) and iTunes Live: London Festival (2010) - they have had five number one albums in a row, something only Abba (eight), Led Zeppelin (eight), The Beatles (seven) and Eminem (six) have exceeded in chart history. Of these acts, however, only The Beatles' run starts - like Keane's - with their first album.
"This time I'm gonna get it right. I'm gonna paint my face like the Guggenheim!"