Harry Styles breaks records with triumphant return as new album Fine Line tops charts across the globe... while 1D bandmate Liam Payne's LP1 continues to struggle
Harry Styles’ new album Fine Line has topped charts around the world in an astonishing return to the charts, which has seen the star breaking records.
The 25-year-old musician's latest offering has made history as providing the biggest sales week for a solo UK male artist’s album since Nielsen Music began electronically tracking sales data in 1991.
Comparatively, his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne's album, which was released on December 6, has struggled to make any such impact, peaking at number 17 in the UK and a bruising 111th place on the America's Billboard 200.
Record-breaking record: Harry Styles’ new album Fine Line has topped charts around the world in an astonishing return to the charts, which has seen the star breaking records
Harry's album debuted at number in the US on the Billboard 200 with over 478,000 equivalent album units sold and 393,000 traditional albums sold, making it the sixth best-selling traditional album of the year in just under a week.
Share this article
Adding to the success of the album, it also marks the fourth-biggest vinyl sales week in Nielsen music history.
Fine Line has drawn over 100 million on-demand audio streams in just the first week, marking the third highest debut for any artist this year and is the biggest week for a pop album by a male artist in four years.
Struggle: Comparatively, his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne's album, which was released on December 6, has struggled to make any such impact. Pictured together in 2015
Among the countries where Fine Line has landed at the top spot are the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Mexico, Netherlands, Sweden, Brazil, and across South East Asia.
He has now become the first UK male artist to debut at number with his first two albums and has even more than doubled the first-week numbers of his debut self-titled album, which was released in May 2017.
While Harry basks in the glory of chart success in the run-up to Christmas and the New Year, Liam has not only faced disappointing sales - where his album hasonly broken the top 20 in the UK - he has also faced harsh reviews.
Critics have given the album, which had climbed to number nine on the ITunes chart, mixed reviews, with The Guardian's Laura Snapes giving LP1 one star out of five.
Wow: The musician's latest offering has made history as the biggest sales week for a solo UK male artist’s album since Nielsen Music began electronically tracking sales data in 1991
Success: Harry's album debuted at number in the US on the Billboard 200 with over 478,000 equivalent album units sold and 393,000 traditional albums sold
The Independent's Helen Brown gave the album two stars and described the record as 'one dimensional'.
NME reviewer El Hunt gave the album two stars and added: 'Eclectic sounds, but little depth.'
Despite the negative reviews, the singer took to Instagram to thank his supporters and said that he was 'blown away by the reaction already'.
He said: 'Thanks to everyone that’s picked up the album so far... your support doesn’t go unnoticed.'
During a recent appearance on US TV show Watch What Happens Live, Liam spoke about seeing Harry for the first time in three years at Capital's Jingle Bell Ball in London earlier this month.
Sales: Liam's album has received brusing reviews from critics, and peaked at number 17 in the UK (the only country where it broke the top 20) and 111th place on the America's Billboard 200
Liam said: 'We spoke about a number of things. We hadn't seen each other for three years. Literally, I haven't seen him once and we hadn't spoken or anything.
'So it was good to see him. He was pretty much the same boy that I left him. We spoke about the kids and happiness and all sorts of stuff.'
This winter marks a busy time for all of the One Direction stars, with Zayn Malik has following in the footsteps of his former bandmates by teasing new solo material.
Following on from Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan also also either released or announced new music in the past two months, while Zayn took to social media last month to confirm a new single is imminent.
Back on the scene: Their former One Direction bandmate Zayn Mailk recently returned to social media for the first time in almost a month to announce that he's releasing a new track
The star, 26, returned to social media for the first time in almost a month to announce the new track Flames.
The singer has teamed up with R3hab and Jungleboi on the new track, which is 'coming soon' and available to pre-save on Spotify now.
Alongside the artwork he simply wrote on Instagram: 'FLAMES.' The upcoming track is the first from the PillowTalk hitmaker since his 2018 album Icarus Falls.
All of the One Direction lads have had new music out over the past couple of months.
Niall put out Nice To Meet Ya at the beginning of October, and over the past two months Louis has released the singles Kill My Mind and We Made It from his upcoming debut solo record Walls.
Two new tracks: Over the past two months ,Louis Tomlinson has released the singles Kill My Mind and We Made It from his upcoming debut solo record Walls
First track in two years: Niall Horan put out Nice to Meet Ya at the beginning of October, the lead single from his upcoming second studio album
Iconic: Zayn left One Direction in 2015 with the band, who were formed on The X Factor in 2010, going on hiatus in January 2016 (pictured in November 2013)
