It was like 1997 all over again this weekend, as Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow battled it out for the Number One spot on the UK Album Chart. Much like the battles of the mid-to-late nineties, it was Robbie who came out on top again, making him the last artist to top the album chart in 2013.

Robbie WilliamsGary Barlow
The Take That guys were fighting for the top spot yet again

Robbie's new big band album, Swing Both Ways, held on to the No. 1 spot for a second week, having emerged victorious from another closely fought contest from last week. It was One Direction who Robbie managed to beat to the No. 1 spot last week, with his latest album beating Midnight Memories to the top spot by just 200 copies. This time around it was a relatively more clear contest, with Swing Both Ways outselling Gary Barlow’s latest solo effort, Since I Saw You Last, by approximately 12,000 copies.

According to OfficialCharts.com, Swing Both Ways sold close to 91,000 copies in the last seven days, compared to the 79,000 shifted by Since I Saw You Last. The recent spate of sales also marks a return to the chart for both albums, which were both initially released in November and managed to perform well in the charts then too. Although Barlow's album sold more copies that Robbie when it was released on 22 November (a week after Swing Both Ways' initial release), it stalled at No. 2 behind the latest 1D album and although he has enjoyed strong sales since then, the album still hasn't made it to the top of the charts. When it originally charted, Swing Both Ways also became the 1000th Number One UK album.

The rest of the top ten saw One Direction, Beyoncé and Olly Murs make up the top five, with their albums Midnight Memories, Beyoncé and Right Place Right Time placing at No.s 3, 4 and 5 respectively. The rest of the top ten comprised of Ellie Goulding at No. 6 with her album Halcyon, The Marshall Mathers LP 2 by Eminem was at 7 and Michael Bublé took up the 8th and 9th spots on the chart with Christmas and To Be Loved. Direct Hits, the greatest hits compilation by The Killers, finished the top ten.

The Killers
The Killers finished the top ten with the greatest hits record, Direct Hits