Harry Styles has secured his third UK number one album with Kiss All The Time. Disco Occasionally, according to the Official Charts Company.
The album sold more than 183,000 copies in its first week following its release last Friday, comfortably surpassing the opening performance of Styles’ previous record Harry’s House, which sold 113,000 copies in 2022.
Around 66,000 of the sales came from vinyl records, making it the biggest physical release of the year so far.
Mixed reviews from critics
The strong commercial debut came despite mixed reviews from critics. The Telegraph said the album had «all the emotional heft of a perfume advert», while The Guardian awarded it three stars and described the listening experience as «nice all the time, good occasionally».
Chief music critic Alexis Petridis said the record was musically subtle and pleasant but criticised its lyrical direction.
Other outlets were more positive. NME praised the singer for sounding «liberated and full of light», while Clash magazine described the album as a successful step in Styles’ personal and artistic evolution.
Inspired by life after touring
Harry Styles said the album was shaped by his experience returning to everyday life after his 22-month Love On Tour.
He explained that he had been trying to embrace new experiences and reconnect with the outside world by attending events, meeting people and immersing himself in crowds again.
«When you close certain doors off to protect yourself, you also shut out a lot of positive things,» he said in an interview with BBC Radio 1.
Record opening week for male solo artist
The album’s performance marks the biggest opening week of the year and the strongest debut for a male solo artist since Ed Sheeran released ÷ (Divide) in 2017.
Harry Styles also topped the UK singles chart with «American Girls», while two other tracks from the album, «Aperture» and «Ready, Steady, Go!», entered the top five.
His success means British artists have held the number one spot on the UK album chart for the first 11 weeks of 2026. Recent chart-toppers include Olivia Dean, Robbie Williams, Louis Tomlinson, Charli XCX, Mumford & Sons and Gorillaz.
The streak could end next week with the return of BTS.
Industry group BPI said the run highlights the strength of British music, noting the UK industry generated a record £1.57 bn in 2025.
