BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

Bruce Springteen's Wrecking Ball goes straight to Number one in the U.K.

Bruce Springteen's Wrecking Ball goes straight to Number one in the U.K.One week after the official release of Bruce Springsteen's new album Wrecking Ball tops the U.K. Album charts, setting his ninth official number one album. With an awesomely rootsy production style that recalls 2006's "The Seeger Sessions," the album even sounds like a cross section of America, drawing from folk, gospel, and hip-hop.

The Boss saw off stiff competition from the Military Wives, who could only reach Number 2 with their new album In My Dreams. Springsteen pipped The Wives to the post by a small margin of just 18,000 sales, according to Official Charts Company. With little movement in the middle of the Top 10 list, it's Lionel Richie's new release Tuskegee that leads the next section of new album entries at Number 7; climbing up one place since Wednesday's Official Chart update. Falling to fourth place was Adele's 21</I> and rounding out the top five was Ed Sheeran's album +.

Meanwhile, Dry The River's debut album Shallow Bed failed to break into the Top 20, but has reached a respectable Number 28.

Bruce hit the road with the supporting tour, along The E Street Band on Saturday night, March 10th their first show in over two years, the first one with a new percussionist in the band, Clarence Clemons' nephew Jake Clemons. The concert started with each member of the E Street Band taking the stage one by one as they touched the famous Apollo Theater tree stump for good luck. They opened up with new tracks "We Take Care Of Our Own" and "Wrecking Ball.

Bruce Springsteen "We Take Care Of Our Own" music video:

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In the singles chart, Gotye held on to the top spot to for his fourth, non-consecutive Number 1. The Aussie singer has now reached half a million sales for his single "Somebody That I Used To Know".

Elsewhere, all-new girl band StooShee have notched their first Top 5 single with "Love Me", while 2011 X Factor finalist Marcus Collins is at Number 9 with his cover of The White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army".