The emotional moment The Lottery Winners found out they’d landed number one on the UK albums chart has been captured on video.
The Leigh indie pop band released their fifth studio album, Anxiety Replacement Therapy, to critical acclaim at the end of April, and found themselves up against heavyweights like Jessie Ware, US band The National, and British rapper Nines, as well as several other anticipated new releases, as they battled for the top spot on the UK album charts.
As the days went on last week, the four-piece were comfortably leading the charge to the top and it looked sure that they clinch number one, but nothing was set in stone, and all would be revealed when Friday rolled around.
After eagerly awaiting confirmation, the Official Charts Company revealed last Friday that the group’s album had, in fact, debuted at number one.
It’s the band’s first number one album of their career.
♥ JACKPOT! ♥
The Lottery Winners' (@LotteryWinners) Anxiety Replacement Therapy is your brand-new Number 1 album 🏆
According to the Official Charts Company, Anxiety Replacement Therapy was the biggest release of the week on both physical formats and digital downloads, and not only that, but it also topped the Official Record Store Chart as the best-selling album of the past seven days in independent UK record shops too.
“Anxiety Replacement Therapy is the official UK number 1 album,” the band said in a statement on social media last Friday.
“This feels like a dream.
“We want to wholeheartedly thank every single one of you for your love and support. Together we have achieved something truly monumental and we are now in the musical history books indefinitely. Thank you from the bottom of our ART.”
The band has also shared a video of the exact moment they were told they had secured the number one spot on the album charts.
The emotional video shared to Instagram yesterday shows the band receive confirmation of their monumental achievement, and then proceed to burst into happy tears – with cheers, heartfelt group hugs, and general celebrations all following.
There’s also heartwarming footage of leader singer Thom Rylance and bass player Katie Lloyd calling their mums to tell the news.
Right at the end of the video, Thom is seen knocking on the door of his home and hugging his mum.
The Lottery Winners hail from the Greater Manchester town of Leigh, and formed back in 2008.
Comprising of members Thom Rylance, Robert Lally, Katie Lloyd, and Joe Singleton, the band released their debut album in 2011, before signing to Manchester-based record label, Modern Sky, and making a name for themselves with a series of singles throughout the 2010s.
They then put out three other studio albums, the self-titled The Lottery Winners, Sounds of Isolation, and Something to Leave the House For, in quick succession during lockdown in 2020 and 2021.
The Lottery Winners land first UK number one album with Anxiety Replacement Therapy / Credit: The Lottery Winners (via Instagram)
Prior to the release of Anxiety Replacement Therapy on 28 April 2023, the group’s highest placement on the UK album chart was number 11 with their fourth offering.
Courteeners’ frontman Liam Fray, Bolton-born TV and radio presenter Vernon Kay, and fellow bands and musicians The Reytons, You Me at Six, Frank Turner, Jamie Cullum, and Lucy Spraggan also sent messages of congratulations to the band on social media.
Featured Image – The Lottery Winners
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Honorary Manc Ariana Grande announces huge world tour – but skips Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Ariana Grande has announced details of a huge world tour, but the honorary Mancunian will be skipping Manchester again.
The 32-year-old, Grammy Award-winning star has instead booked five nights at The O2 in London for her only UK stop on the tour.
Ariana Grande was made an honorary Mancunian back in 2017, in recognition of her work following the Manchester Arena terror attack.
She is the first person to have ever received this honour.
Since the atrocity in the city, which took the lives of 22 people, Ariana has only performed here twice more – once at the One Love concert she organised as a fundraiser for the victims and their families, and once as a headliner of Manchester Pride.
It’s been six years since her last tour, but Ariana Grande is now back, sharing details of her hotly-anticipated The Eternal Sunshine Tour next summer.
As well as her five-night residency in London, she’ll play four nights in LA and Brooklyn, as well as cities right across North America.
Ariana Grande has announced The Eternal Sunshine Tour
Her London dates will be her only European shows on The Eternal Sunshine Tour.
Eternal Sunshine was released in 2024 and was her seventh studio album, spawning singles ‘Yes, And?’, ‘We Can’t Be Friends’, and ‘The Boy Is Mine’.
Ariana Grande is now also an Academy Award and Golden Globe-nominated actress thanks to her starring role in Wicked as Glinda the Good Witch.
Tickets for her tour will go on sale from Tuesday 16 September with an artist presale as well as an O2 Priority Presale. Remaining tickets will be available during the general ons-ale beginning Thursday 18 September at 10am.
Ariana Grande – The Eternal Sunshine Tour Dates 2026
A rising Manc musician is supporting a global popstar on tour in America
Danny Jones
Up-and-coming Greater Manchester musician Elliot James Reay, from just down the road in Bury, has just joined fellow rising solo artist and already established US superstar Benson Boone on his upcoming American tour.
Yes, a lad from Bury is opening for the bloke who belts out that ‘Beautiful Things’ tune that’s been stuck near the top of the charts for what feels like the last year.
Fittingly joining Boone for the US leg of his American Heart tour supporting his sophomore album of the same name, 23-year-old Elliot James Reay has already played a trio of shows warming up the crowds ahead of the headliner and is quickly gaining new fans across the pond.
Especially since his music harkens back to some of their most famous music icons of all time.
The youngster is still having to pinch himself at the mere notion of being on the road with such a big name so early in his career, posting on social media this week, “How do I explain this one to my friends back in Bury?
“A dream come true to be opening for Benson Boone in St Paul last night, I’m eternally grateful for the opportunity to sing to you all and thank you for all the love you gave me!”
Roy Orbison-obsessed Raey – who also takes plenty of look and feel from the likes of Elvis and Billy Fury, among other old school, soulful American singers – has gone from releasing covers on YouTube to dropping his first-ever EP back in June and now playing full Stateside stadiums.
What a whirlwind journey it’s been for the local lad already.
The Manc songwriter and guitarist featured as one of our artists of the month last December, and we’re glad to see he’s only gone from strength to strength.
It’s fair to say that he’s matured a lot in the time since then, let alone the last 12 months or so, and booking a slot as a support act for as big as Benson Boone is right now is nothing short of huge.
We said late last year, and we’ll say it again: we see a bright future ahead for this talented young Macunian, and we wish him all the best for the dozen or so remaining US tour dates.
If you haven’t listened to his stuff before, you can get a little taste with his latest single HERE.
Or, if you want to take our advice, why not watch a great music video filmed around some very familiar city centre sites down below?
He’s certainly got his own style, even if it his heavily inspired by some of the greats.
Emily Sergeant -
9th May 2023 
