Bono’s son Elijah Hewson has topped the charts in the UK with his band Inhaler’s debut album, It Won’t Always Be Like This.
The Irish rockers earned 18,000 chart sales, 92% of which were physical sales, also reaching number one in their home nation, according to the Official Charts Company.
Their success makes them the first Irish act to reach the top spot in the UK with their debut in 13 years, since The Script’s self-titled debut in 2008.
“We can’t believe our album has gone to number one,” they said.
“From starting off in small clubs in the UK to where we are today, never did we think during the making of this album that this would be possible for us four chancers.
“Thank you to everyone who bought or streamed our record. It means the absolute world to us.”
The quartet from Dublin released their first single I Want You in 2017 and were recognised as up-and-coming talent after they placed fifth in BBC’s Sound Of 2020.
Alongside 21-year-old singer Hewson, Inhaler is bassist Robert Keating, drummer Ryan McMahon and guitarist Josh Jenkinson.
Elijah is the son of Paul Hewson – better known as Bono – the activist and frontman of Irish rock band U2, who have won a total of 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other band.
It Won’t Always Be Like This is the fourth debut album to reach number one in the UK this year – after Celeste’s Not Your Muse, The Snuts’ WL and most recently Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour, which drops a place to number two in this week’s chart.
On the singles chart, Ed Sheeran holds on to number one for a third week with Bad Habits.
Good 4 U by Rodrigo is at number two, while Clash by rapper Dave featuring Stormzy is at number three – the highest new entry of the week.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s soundtrack to his new musical Cinderella debuts at number one on the compilations chart ahead of its opening night.
He said: “I am thrilled that the Cinderella album is number one. It was recorded in lockdown, mainly at home and long before the show was able to open.
“To see audiences finally loving the show and people listening to the album means a huge amount to me and all of the people who have worked so hard to bring Cinderella to the stage in the most difficult circumstances I have ever worked in.
“I hope to see you at the Gillian Lynne Theatre soon.”
Written by The Crown star Emerald Fennell and starring Carrie Hope Fletcher, Cinderella is described as a “complete reinvention” of the classic fairytale and is based on an original idea by Fennell.
