Stone Sour Set For First-Ever #1 Aus Album... They Just Have To Beat Ed Sheeran First

Stone Sour are on track for their first-ever #1 album in Australia and all they have to do to claim it is knock off Ed Sheeran.

According to the ARIA midweek figures, the US rock outfit's newly-released Hydrograd is primed for a top three finish and will clinch top spot if it can take down Sheeran's long-reigning ÷ (Divide) on the ARIA Albums chart.

Stone Sour's highest placing in Australia came with their last LP, 2013's House Of Gold & Bones — Part Two, which peaked at #4.

Check out our full chat with frontman Corey Taylor on The Music Podcast With Dave & Neil, who was in the country last month to promote the album and August tour.

Meanwhile, Lorde's acclaimed Melodrama is an outside chance to reclaim the #1 spot, but don't be surprised to also see Katy Perry's Witness move into the top five on the back of her Australian tour announcement last week.

Other records debuting on the Albums chart this week include Calvin Harris' Funk Wav Bounces Vol 1 (top five), Tex, Don & Charlie's You Don't Know Lonely (top ten), Superfruit's Future Friends — Part One (top 20) and LANY's self-titled debut (top 30).

Over on the Singles chart, Niall Horan's Slow Hands is expected to move up from #5 last week into the top three and will contend for top spot against DJ Khaled's Wild Thoughts, featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller (#2 last week) and Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee's Despacito, featuring Justin Bieber (gunning for eight straight weeks at #1).