The Cat Empire To Battle Kendrick Lamar For Week's Top Album Debut

He's arguably the biggest rapper in the industry right now and though Kendrick Lamar is unsurprisingly aiming for the #1 spot on the ARIA Albums Chart with his surprise compilation record, Untitled Unmastered, the US hip hop artist will have to fight off Aussie ska/jazz veterans The Cat Empire to claim the coveted top spot. 

The Melbourne-founded outfit's seventh studio album, Rising With The Sun, has been a hit with critics and fans alike (as well as scoring our pick for Album Of The Week) and subsequently is not only primed for a top three placing, but is also chance to spoil Lamar's party. 

The Cat Empire could score their second #1 if they do win out the battle, following on from their 2005 offering, Two Shoes.

Meanwhile, if Lamar was to take out top spot, it would mark his second-straight Aussie #1 after his acclaimed 2015 album, To Pimp A Butterfly, peaked at top spot, as well as picking up a bunch of Grammy Awards last month including Best Rap Album, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.

Sydney pop-rock/punk outfit Tonight Alive and Aussie hip hop artist Urthboy are also set to crack the top ten with their respective new albums, Limitless and The Past Beats Inside Me Like A Second Heartbeat.

Rounding out the album debuts this week include Miike Snow's III and Ray LaMontagne's Ouroboros.

Over on the Singles chart, expect to see top 50 placings for UK girl group Little Mix's Secret Love Song, featuring Jason Derulo and Miike Snow's Genghis Khan, the second single from their new album.