LAST UPDATE | 8 May

KNEECAP HAVE NARROWLY missed out on becoming the first act to top the UK album charts with a predominantly Irish-language rap album after finishing in second place behind a Michael Jackson greatest hits collection.

The west Belfast trio’s latest album, Fenian, finished at number two in the UK charts today, behind The Essential Michael Jackson, which has surged back to the top spot amid renewed interest generated by the singer’s smash-hit biopic Michael.

Former Spice Girl Mel C finished in third place with her new solo album Sweat.

Kneecap had been in contention throughout the week to claim the number one spot, with the group describing the possibility on social media as an “Irish language first”.

While Fenian ultimately fell short, the album still marks one of the strongest ever chart performances for a largely Irish-language release in Britain.

The trio’s rise comes amid both critical acclaim and ongoing political controversy surrounding the group.

The album has received strong reviews from critics in Ireland and Britain, with The Guardian describing it as “triumphant, yet tortured”, while NME also praised the release.

Its success has unfolded against the backdrop of Kneecap’s fraught relationship with British authorities.

Earlier this year, a UK court ruled that member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, would not face a terror trial after being accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag at a concert.

Despite widespread claims online (including from the rap trio themselves), Fenian would not have been the first UK number one album to feature Irish-language songs.

We're very close to a number 1 album in both Ireland and England (would be an Irish language first)

In a showdown with Michael Jackson and Mel C....things we never thought we'd type😂

Chart closes at 23.59 TONIGHT🕛

GRMA for all the support comrades.

Can get it here with a… pic.twitter.com/bGXimEclRE

— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) May 7, 2026

Enya’s 1991 album Shepherd Moons topped the UK album charts in November 1991 and included several Irish-language tracks.

Still, Kneecap’s chart success represents another milestone for Irish-language music in Britain.

One of the best-known Irish-language songs to previously chart in the UK came when Clannad reached number five in the UK singles chart in 1982 with Theme from Harry’s Game, written for the TV drama about the Troubles.

Meanwhile, Jackson’s return to number one comes more than 15 years after The Essential Michael Jackson first topped the UK charts following his death in 2009.

The renewed chart success has been driven largely by the commercial performance of the new biopic Michael, which stars Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson as the singer.

The film has proven a major box office hit despite criticism from child protection and abuse survivor groups over its handling of allegations against the late pop star.

Additional reporting by Andrew Walsh