THE YARDBIRDS REACH A CHART FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH A HALF-CENTURY-OLD ALBUM

During their initial years together, The Yardbirds scored several hit singles in the U.K., and just one successful album. The music they made is still remembered fondly, but the group is perhaps best known for helping launch the careers of some of rock’s most prestigious musicians: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page. All three were once part of the band, which has just scored a new hit album this week in the country where their journey began.

The Yardbirds are back on the charts in the U.K. this week with their sole project aimed at the British audience. Roger the Engineer debuts on the Official Album Downloads ranking at No. 39, instantly earning the band a top 40 win.

Roger the Engineer marks The Yardbirds’ first top 40 hit on the Official Album Downloads chart. In fact, it’s their first-ever appearance on the U.K.’s ranking of the most-downloaded albums.

The Yardbirds released Roger the Engineer in 1966. It went on to peak at No. 20 on the main albums chart, and it remains their only placement on that important roster.

In 2021, a deluxe version of Roger the Engineer was reissued, bringing the band to several U.K. charts for the first time. The title debuted at No. 39 on the Official Physical Albums ranking—exactly where it starts on the download list this week—and two spaces further down on the Official Albums Sales tally.

That same year, The Yardbirds collected their first, and so far only, top 10 album in the U.K. Roger the Engineer launched at No. 10 on the Official Vinyl Albums chart. While it only spent one week on that list, it remains their highest placement on any chart in the nation.

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