BBC News Online: Entertainment: Music

Westlife album set for number one

Only one Westlife single did not make number one

Midweek sales figures show the band's latest album is streaking ahead of it nearest rivals.

Their third album, World of our Own, is currently outselling Madonna's greatest hits title GHV2 by two to one.

Music industry experts predict Westlife will have sold about 150,000 copies by Sunday, knocking Steps' greatest hits title Gold from the number one position.

Westlife are currently riding high at the top of the singles chart with the ballad Queen of my Heart.

It entered the chart at number one, giving them their ninth number one hit.

All but one of their singles has now reached the number one spot since Swear it Again in April 1999.

What Makes a Man was beaten to the Christmas number one by Bob the Builder.

Westlife were involved in a heated chart battle last year when their album went head-to-head with the Spice Girls' third album.

Blue

Their album Coast to Coast triumphed over Forever, and the Spice Girls have yet to recover from the poor sales.

Westlife has spent time in the States this year attempting to crack the notoriously difficult American market.

But after several months of touring they admitted defeat and decided to return to concentrate on their core European fanbase.

But it looks as if Queen of My Heart will be toppled from the number one spot by another boyband.

Blue's third single If You Come Back is currently outselling Westlife.

Their debut album, All Rise, is also expected to reach number one on its release on 26 November.