When Two Albums Fight for Chart Dominance: Olivia's Sour and Guts Take Different Paths in the U.K.

It’s a rare sight in the music industry—an artist’s catalog competing directly against itself. In the United Kingdom’s charts, this is becoming the norm for Olivia Rodrigo, whose debut and sophomore records are locked in an ongoing battle across multiple rankings. What’s particularly interesting is how the competition plays out so differently depending on which metric you’re measuring.

The Split Between Physical Sales and Streaming Performance

The most striking division appears when comparing how audiences choose to consume these records. On the streaming side, Rodrigo’s debut maintains stronger momentum, climbing several positions to claim more real estate on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. Meanwhile, Guts shows different strength—particularly when it comes to tangible, physical purchases.

In terms of olivia physical album sales, Guts demonstrates considerably more purchasing power. The sophomore effort reaches No. 40 on the Official Physical Albums chart and No. 42 on the Official Albums Sales tally, representing solid positioning for an established release. Sour, by contrast, tumbles over 10 spots on both physical metrics, landing at No. 80 and No. 83 respectively on the same rosters.

A Blended Picture on Combined Rankings

When the U.K. applies its comprehensive methodology—one that weighs both sales and streaming data equally—the results slightly favor the newer project. Guts advances significantly to No. 26 on the Official Albums chart, while Sour edges up just one position to No. 30.

This divergence reveals something noteworthy about listening patterns: collectors still prefer Rodrigo’s recent work, while the streaming audience maintains stronger attachment to her debut. The streaming-dominant crowd keeps Sour at No. 23, just ahead of Guts at No. 25, showing that first albums retain a particular staying power in the digital age.

The phenomenon underscores how modern chart analysis requires looking beyond single metrics to understand what audiences truly want.