5 Seconds of Summer are battling ‘The Greatest Showman’ for the U.K. chart title

The Greatest Showman is doing exactly what it boasts on the artwork, as the soundtrack races out to a U.K. chart feat not seen in a lifetime. Four lads from Sydney could put the stops to that.

5 Seconds Of Summer are challenging for the U.K. chart title with their third and latest album, Youngblood, which dropped globally last Friday. The album is No.  2 on the midweek chart, some 3,000 combined units (sales and streams) adrift, according to midweek data published by the Official Charts Company.

The pop-rockers have some fine chart history on their side. Youngblood is the follow-up to 5SOS’ Sounds Good Feels Good, which arrived at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart in October 2015 and 2014’s self-titled debut, which just missed out on top spot, peaking at No. 2.

With Hugh Jackman as ringleader, however, The Greatest Showman has a habit of outlasting its rivals. If the LP nails down top spot once more when the chart proper is published Friday, it'll clock a jaw-dropping 20 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1, equalling the winning ways of Ed Sheeran's Divide this year and last.

It’s already recognized as the longest-running No. 1 soundtrack since The Sound Of Music ruled living rooms some 50 years ago, at a time when stage and motion picture cast recording were high-flying sales beasts.

According to the OCC, the second album to ever top the Official Albums Chart was the soundtrack to Oklahoma!, while the companion album to South Pacific spent a mind-blowing 115 weeks on top between 1958–1961. The Sound Of Music managed 70 weeks at No. 1 from 1965-1968.

5SOS will also be keen to keep their hot streak going in the U.S., where they became the only band -- not vocal group -- to see their first two full-length studio sets debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. They’ll face stiff competition for the crown from new releases by the likes of Nas and Christina Aguilera.