The Who’s Live at The Oval 1971 launches inside the top 10 on multiple charts in the United Kingdom, bringing the beloved rock band back. British guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend, British drummer Keith Moon (back to camera), British singer and musician Roger Daltrey, and British bass guitarist John Entwistle of British rock band The Who before performing live at the Duke of York Barracks, Chelsea, London, England, 12th November 1966. The band, who performed five songs, were being filmed for a piece about ‘Swinging London’ for NBC’s ‘Today’ show.
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The Who is one of the rare rock bands from decades past that is still putting out new projects that reach the charts. Years after the musicians cemented their place as some of the genre’s defining stars, they continue to revisit their history with live albums that find a home in the ears of their loyal audience. Fans in the United Kingdom, where the act comes from, remain especially eager for these collections, and that love is shown on the charts as the Who returns.
The Who Earns A Pair Of New Top 10 Wins
Live At The Oval 1971 debuts this week across a handful of U.K. charts, and it shines especially bright on two of them. The project opens at No. 9 on both the Official Albums Sales and Official Physical Albums charts. Those lofty entry points add to the band’s already impressive track record, giving the rock outfit five top 10s on the sales tally and eight on the physical-only ranking.
Almost Another Top 10 On Vinyl
The new live collection comes close to claiming a third top 10 start. On the Official Vinyl Albums chart, Live At The Oval 1971 begins at No. 12, just missing the uppermost tier.
The Album Also Breaks Into The Top 40
Beyond its most impressive landing spots, Live At The Oval 1971 appears on several other lists. The title launches at No. 40 on the Official Albums chart, marking The Who’s forty-fifth entry on the all-genre ranking. It also debuts at No. 25 on the Official Album Downloads tally, showing there’s still an appetite for digital purchases of the band’s music, though physical purchases are tops this week.
The Who’s Growing Totals And Recent Live Releases
With Live At The Oval 1971, the band has now appeared on the downloads-only tally just 11 times, while the rockers have racked up just under 40 appearances on the ranking of the top-selling albums on any physical format.
The Who regularly doles out live sets, which almost all become commercially successful in the U.K. In March 2024, the band delivered Live At Shea Stadium 1982, and just a year before that, the troupe issued The Who With Orchestra Live At Wembley.