Chart File: Paul McCartney’s ‘The Boys Of Dungeon’ Lane Cracks The Whip In Australia, UK & US

Well into his eighth decade, Paul McCartney is still one of the most prominent commanders of the charts – both here and abroad.

Paul McCartney

Still taking a sad song and making it better? At the age of 83, Paul McCartney is still proving his relevancy in the charts.

His The Boys Of Dungeon Lane enters the ARIA this week, at #5 on the Albums Chart and #3 on the Vinyl Chart.

So far in his post-Beatles career, McCartney has made 27 solo albums, including those with Wings and one with Linda McCartney.

But only two have reached #1 in Australia. Both of these came from 1973 and both with Wings.

In comparison, The Beatles had 14 chart topping albums and 23 top-of-the-shelf singles in Australia.

As you can see below, though, Fab Macca has continued his run in Australia with two #2 spots and, according to David Kent’s Music Report, half a dozen peaking at #3.

But in the UK he’s made chart history by landing yet another #1 in his mother country.

The star responded in TikTok to his enduring success: “It is phenomenal, it is really phenomenal.

“When we started out, we were just kids, and rock and roll was just really coming in, and we thought, ‘if we’re lucky, we’ve got a couple of years’ – that’s how long people normally lasted. They couldn’t really sustain much more after that.

“We expected maybe five years max, and then that became 10, and we were kind of still going and the scene’s still there.

“Then it became 20, then 30, and now it’s right up there. It’s great, it is a lovely feeling.”

In the US overnight, The Boys Of Dungeon Lane entered at #5 on the Billboard Top 200, giving Paul his 22nd Top 10 solo entries (including Wings). He had 33 Top 10s Stateside with The Beatles.

The album arrived at #1 on Top Album Sales (for 63,000 equivalent album sales), Vinyl Albums and Indie Stores Album Sales. It also had a #2 debut on Top Rock Albums and Top Rock & Alternative Albums.

There’s still the off-chance that Dungeon Lane could become his third Australian chart topper if he tours here this year.

According to Melbourne’s Herald Sun, rumours are this could happen – so far denied by Frontier Touring who brought him here in 2023 – if he makes it to this part of the world to play at the Singapore for F1 Grand Prix race on October 9-11.

Confirmed so far are Mark Ronson, DJ Snake, Major Lazer, Split Enz, and the Goo Goo Dolls. But a headliner is still to be announced.

In 2023, McCartney shifted 220,471 tickets Down Under over seven sell-out dates on his Got Back tour in October and November. It grossed AU$55 million. A spring visit could also shift record sales, and a focus on his newer material.

But as it stands, according to ARIA, the success of The Boys of Dungeon Lane this week means “He has now landed 18 Top 10 albums.”

In the meantime in the UK, The Official Chart Company notes that as a result of the album’s debut at #1, “Paul McCartney extends his lead as the most successful albums act of all time on the Official Chart. It becomes his sixth solo Number 1 and 24th across his entire career.”

Breaking down the numbers, McCartney has scored 15 Number 1 LPs as a member of The Beatles, two with Wings, six with his solo projects and one alongside Linda McCartney to become the most prolific Albums Chart-topper in history.

Becca Monahan and Chris Austin, Co-Managing Directors, Official Charts Company, comment:

“Paul McCartney securing his 24th UK Number 1 album in the UK is an incredible achievement, and his place as the most successful albums artist in the history of the Official Charts is truly deserved.

“Across seven decades, Paul’s music has found new generations of fans, and this latest milestone is a testament to his extraordinary career.

“As we near the 70th anniversary of the Official Albums Chart on July 22nd, Paul’s continued success highlights his profound and sustained impact across the lifetime of the chart.

What’s more, The Boys Of Dungeon Lane also tops the Official Vinyl Albums Chart, this week’s best-seller on wax, and the Official Record Store Chart, shifting the most copies in independent UK record shops over the past seven days.

Paul's success comes with the announcement of Beatles Day, set to take place annually on June 25th to celebrate the anniversary of The Beatles’ BBC Our World Performance of All You Need Is Love.

His 12 Australian Highest-Charting Solo Albums

We look at the making of his two Australian chart toppers.

**Wings – Band On The Run (1973)**

His fifth solo album, and the third with Wings, it remains his most successful album. It had an exuberance and joy that belied the tensions that arose during the sessions.

This came from recording at EMI’ studio in Lagos, Nigeria. Just before Wings left for Africa, guitarist Henry McCulloch and drummer Danny Seiwell quit.

There was no time to find replacements, so McCartney had to play most of the instruments, with guitarist Denny Laine and Linda McCartney.

The studio turned out to be below par. The couple was mugged at knifepoint (Linda shouted: “Don’t kill him, he’s Beatle Paul!”) and a bag of demos and song lyrics were stolen.

In an incident Paul fainted, thought to be a heart attack. It was a bronchial spasm due to heavy smoking. When Wings returned to London, they belatedly found a letter from EMI sent before they left for Africa: “don't go to Lagos, there’s a cholera attack there.”

Initially Paul didn’t want any singles released from the long player.

But when sales were sluggish, they rushed out the title track and Jet, the latter which he said was about a family Labrador puppy but later changed the narrative to be about a Shetland pony his kids played with on their Scottish farm.

Some international editions also included Helen Wheels. It was initially titled Hell On Wheels about their rough and ready farm Land Rover but changed not to offend radio.

Highest Australian Chart Position: #1

Australian sales: 300,000

Global Sales: 9.3 million.

**Wings – Red Rose Speedway (1973)**

Red Rose Speedway was originally to be a double album. But EMI pulled it back to a single, arguing there wasn’t enough strong material.

But with hits like My Love, and in the wake of the James Bond theme Live And Let Die, the album went on to great things.

Highest Australian Chart Position: #1

Australian sales: 150,000

Global Sales: 2.4 million

And The Other 10…

**Wings – Venus And Mars (1975)**

Highest Australian Chart Position: #2

Australian Sales: 150,000

Global Sales: 4.28 million

**Wings – Wings At The Speed Of Sound (1976)**

Highest Australian Chart Position: #2

Australian Sales: 140,000

Global Sales: 4.05 million