Nick Cave Lands Top U.K. Chart Debut With ‘Wild God’
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds miss out on U.K. chart heaven with Wild God, although the alternative rock legends do score the week’s top debut.
Wild God opens at No. 5 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart — the top start by any album on the latest tally — for Cave and Co.’s seventh U.K. top 10 album.
The LP is denied by a resurgent Oasis, as the comeback kings grab three of the top 5, including a No. 1 with the 30th anniversary re-issue of their debut Definitely Maybe, and Sabrina Carpenter’s breakthrough sixth album Short ‘n’ Sweet (at No. 2).
Cave, who lives in the U.K. and is widely recognised there as a master of his art, has never tasted the fruits of a No. 1. He got close, with 2016’s Skeleton Key peaking at No. 2 on the Official Chart.
Wild God is the band’s 18th studio album, and first through a new worldwide licensing deal with PIAS.
In Australia, the album is denied top spot on the ARIA Chart by Carpenter’s latest.
Opening at No. 2 on the all-genres ARIA Albums Chart (and No. 1 on the vinyl tally), it’s the alternative lock legends’ 14th top 10 album.
Wild God is the followup to Ghosteen, which peaked at No. 2 in 2019. Cave’s 2021 collaboration with Dirty Three leader Warren Ellis, Carnage, also reached No. 2.
The ARIA Hall of Fame-inducted band leader will support the new album with a pan-European jaunt, kicking off Sept. 24 at Rudolf Weber-ARENA in Oberhausen, Germany, with Dry Cleaning with opening act honours.
U.S. and Canada tour dates will follow, kicking off April 15 at Agganis Arena in Boston, MA, with St. Vincent in support — marking the act’s first North American shows since 2018.
Ahead of its release, Cave stopped by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, for an intriguing discussion which covered grief, artificial intelligence and his experience recording with Johnny Cash.
AI he warned will “take the creative act from us.” Computer learning programs would “create music as a product” and the creative process would be reduced “as an impediment.”