New York, NY (Top40 Charts/
Take That Official Website) -
Take That - now back to their original line-up and fresh from announcing a blockbuster 14-date Summer stadium tour, are also set to dominate the Christmas charts this year according to music retailer HMV and bookmakers
William Hill, who are offering just 2/5-on that their new album Progress will top the charts come Christmas Day when the Official UK Album Chart is announced on Sunday, 19th December. These represent the shortest odds ever issued by Hills for a Christmas no.1 album prediction.
Progress, which is out on November 15 - the day after Take That are rumoured to be performing on the X Factor, is likely to face its closest challenge from JLS, whose follow-up album Outta This World has been issued odds of 5/1 by Hills.
Kings of Leon's Come Around Sundown, which came out this week and is already setting the pace as the fastest-selling record of 2010, is likely to push for a top-3 spot, attracting odds of 9/1, whilst new recordings from Susan Boyle (The Gift - 10/1) and Duffy (Endlessly - 16/1) also look set to vie for a top 5 spot.
The rest of the predicted top 10 continues to have a distinctly X-Factor inspired feel to it, with the likes of Black Eyed Peas, Olly Murs, Cheryl Cole, Michael Buble, Rihanna and Westlife all likely to do really well following recent or planned appearances on the prime-time family show. A good outside bet, however, could prove The Soldiers, whose album Letters Home, which is donating proceeds to Help For Heroes amongst other charities, may well tap into the strong sentiment that so evidently exists among the British public for our service men and women.
HMV's Gennaro Castaldo comments: "Usually it's the winner of the X Factor landing the Xmas no.1 single that's the easy prediction to make, but, after last year's upset with Rage Against the Machine, people are not so sure now - though you'd still have to make them favourites.
"More certain, I'd say, is the likelihood of Take That massively outselling everyone else on the albums front this Christmas. They're the biggest act in the country by far and clearly much-loved by all, so Progress will appeal as much to your gran as it will to your five-year old. It has to be the ultimate family album, and with Robbie back, a great lead single to come and the band due to appear on the X Factor as well as in their own TV documentary, you have to say there are all the makings of a perfect storm that will see Take That dominate the charts this Christmas."
Rupert Adams of William Hills, adds: "We think it's a one horse race - Take That with Robbie back on board are going to be almost impossible to beat."
