Neil Diamond Debuts Atop U.K. Album Chart

Paul Sexton, London

Neil Diamond repeated his Billboard 200 feat by entering the U.K. album chart at No. 1 yesterday (May 18) with "Home Before Dark." It's his second album chart-topper in the territory, and first with a studio set. In a double for Columbia, the Ting Tings, the label's U.K. punk-dance duo of Jules De Martino and Katie White, debuted at the top of the singles chart with "That's Not My Name."Diamond, now 67, first entered the British album bestsellers in March 1971 with "Gold." His one previous turn at the U.K. album peak came when "The Greatest Hits 1966-1992" had three weeks at the summit in the summer of 1992. His last album, "12 Songs," produced like the new one by Rick Rubin, debuted on the U.K. chart at No.5 in February 2006.The veteran singer/songwriter was in the territory for promotion around the release of "Home Before Dark," including a concert for BBC Radio 2 aired by the national AC broadcaster on Saturday."Dark" hit the top ahead of a new entry at No. 2 for Australian band Pendulum's "In Silico" (Warner Bros.). That follows the recent success of their single "Propane Nightmares," now at No. 12 after reaching No. 9 two weeks ago. German techno band Scooter's surprise No. 1 of last week, "Jumping All Over the World" (All Around the World/Universal Music TV), fell to No. 3.U.K.-Asian R&B star Jay Sean, formerly with Virgin but now on his own independent 2Point9/Jayded label, made an impressive No. 6 debut with "My Own Way." Sean has already scored two U.K. hit singles from the set, "Ride It" and the recent "Maybe."

"Nothing But the Best," a new Frank Sinatra compilation released by Reprise/Warner Bros. to mark the tenth anniversary of his death May 14, entered at No. 10. Sinatra was No. 1 on the first-ever U.K. album chart with "Songs for Swinging Lovers" in July 1956.The latest vintage act to benefit from a new TV-advertised compilation on UMTV was the Searchers, the influential Liverpool hitmakers of the 1960s who continue to tour. "The Very Best of the Searchers" opened at No. 11, as UMTV's "The Very Best of the Platters" spent a remarkable third week in the top 10, dipping 8-9."That's Not My Name" is not only the Ting Tings' first No. 1 but their first U.K. chart entry. They initially released the track on the indie label Switchflicker before signing to Columbia. De Martino and White were previously together in the unsuccessful group Dear Eskimo, signed to Mercury/Universal.Also on the new singles chart, Rihanna scored a No. 2 debut with "Take a Bow" (Def Jam/Universal) as "4 Minutes" by Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake fell 1-3. Duffy's "Warwick Avenue" (A&M/Universal) climbed 17-13 and the Pigeon Detectives' "This Is An Emergency" (Dance to the Radio) rose 24-14. Nelly & Fergie's "Party People" (Universal Island) improved 19-16 and 16-year-old Gabriella Cilmi's "Sweet About Me," also on Island, inched up 23-19."4 Minutes" is in a fourth week at No. 1 atop Billboard's Eurochart Hot 100 Singles survey, while Madonna's "Hard Candy" leads European Top 100 Albums for a second week.