Viola Beach’s posthumous debut album looks set to be number one on the UK’s Official Albums Chart.
The late British four-piece – frontman Kris Leonard, guitarist River Reeves, bassist Tomas Lowe and drummer Jack Dakin – and their manger Craig Tarry were tragically killed in February on the E4 motorway bridge at Sodertalje, southwest of Stockholm, Sweden, and now their first-ever record looks set to top the UK chart.
The self-titled release is currently 6,000 combined sales ahead of ‘All Over the World: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra’, which was last week’s number one.
As a tribute the families and friends of the group have released the band’s album, which includes the track ‘Swings and Waterslides’, which entered the Official Singles Chart at Number 11 earlier this year following the news of their untimely deaths.
A number of bands have paid tribute to the group including Coldplay’s Chris Martin, who performed a cover of their song ‘Boys That Sing’ at during their headline slot at Glastonbury Music Festival in June to "create Viola Beach’s alternate future and let them headline Glastonbury for a song".
Discussing the album last week, the families of members Jack, Kris, River and Tom, and their manager Craig said: "We are tremendously proud of everything the boys achieved in such a short space of time. Craig, Jack, Kris, River and Tom shared a huge passion, talent and dedication to music. We believe the best way to celebrate our sons’ lives is to release an album of their songs."
Meanwhile, Martin Talbot of the Official Charts Company said: "Following the terribly tragic events of February, everyone will have been rooting for the Viola Beach album this week, so it’s fantastic news that it is doing so well – I’m sure we will all be keeping our fingers crossed that it can hold on at Number 1."
They will have to beat off stiff competition from Christine and The Queens’ ‘Chaleur Humaine’, which number three, DJ Khaled’s ninth album ‘Major Key’ at four, and Drake’s ‘Views’, which is sits comfortably in fifth place.
Viola Beach’s posthumous debut LP heading for number one
