Midweek Charts Welcome 'Weird Al' While Sheppard Stay Strong

“Weird Al” Yankovic is set to make a top-10 debut on the ARIA Albums Chart this weekend, while Brisbane pop heroes Sheppard look to stay strong, with their acclaimed debut Bombs Away likely hanging on to a top-three position as we move into the weekend.

Yankovic’s 14th studio LP, Mandatory Fun, just earned him his first #1 spot on the US Billboard charts – ever – so a strong entrance in Australia should be a nice little kicker for the renowned parodist’s achievement cabinet.

Meanwhile, local acts Jessica Mauboy and Hilltop Hoods will also enter the charts this week, with the former’s iTunes Session EP and the latter’s single Pyramid Building both primed to make their debuts; early indications peg the Hilltop lads’ new cut within the top 40. Ubiquitous expat rapper Iggy Azalea also makes a fresh post-Fancy appearance, with Black Widow, featuring Rita Ora, stepping out to help the wispy wordsmith’s LP The New Classic enjoy a healthy bump in the Albums Chart.

Lily Allen’s Sheezus and London Grammar’s If You Wait also see lifts in performance, spurred on by healthy interest surrounding the acts’ (well, just Allen’s, now) scheduled performances at Splendour In The Grass this weekend.

English synth-pop act La Roux will round out the album debuts for the week, with Trouble In Paradise expected to make its inaugural chart appearance, while over on the Singles Chart Gabrielle Aplin’s Please Don’t Say You Love Me,  Anja Nissen’s I Have Nothing and Cheryl Cole’s Crazy Stupid Love, featuring Tinie Tempah, are all set to make their debuts.

Singles expected to make an upwards climb include Paloma Faith’s Only Love Can Hurt Like This, G.R.L.’s Ugly Heart, Charli XCX’s Boom Clap, The Voice coach will.i.am with It’s My Birthday, featuring Cody Wise, and George Ezra’s Budapest.