Paul McCartney Blocked From His First No. 1 On One Chart

BusinessHollywood & EntertainmentPaul McCartney Blocked From His First No. 1 On One ChartByHugh McIntyre,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Hugh McIntyre covers music, with a focus on the global charts.Follow AuthorJun 09, 2026, 10:30am EDTPaul McCartney's The Boys of Dungeon Lane misses out on becoming his first No. 1 on the U.K.'s Official Album Downloads chart as Boards of Canada rules. LONDON - CIRCA 1964: Bassist Paul McCartney of the rock band "The Beatles" poses for a portrait sitting on a bed in circa 1964 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)gettyPaul McCartney is not just one of the most successful musical artists of all time, he's also one of the most respected. He is beloved by millions all over the world, and he remains a commercial superstar in his home nation of the United Kingdom. Whenever McCartney returns with a new piece of music, it adds to his list of chart wins, and more often than not, an album debuts at No. 1. The former Beatle's latest project, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, arrives at the top of nearly every tally in the U.K. where it debuts this frame – but there is one list where even McCartney doesn't rule.Paul McCartney Misses a Clean SweepThe Boys of Dungeon Lane narrowly misses a clean sweep on the U.K. charts this week. On the Official Album Downloads ranking, McCartney's latest is forced to settle for second place. Inferno, the first project from Scottish electronic duo Boards of Canada in more than a decade, soars from No. 26, where it arrived last frame, all the way to the highest rung.Boards of Canada Blocks Paul McCartney From No. 1Boards of Canada scores its first No. 1 and second top 10 win on the Official Album Downloads chart as the band blocks McCartney from the summit. As the duo leads, the Wings frontman stops just short of claiming the top-selling title on download storefronts, such as iTunes, for the...