Madonna’s “Rebel Heart” may have had taken an early lead to hit the top in the Official Albums Chart this weekend, but Sam Smith denied her of the chance. The latter’s “In the Lonely Hour” album bolted past the pop icon at the last minute, beating her by 12,000 sales, BBC reported.

“Rebel Heart” started outselling its nearest competitor “Chasing Yesterday” by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, the former No. 1 album, just after 24 hours since being on sale. It has remained on top spot throughout the week and was foreseen to be officially No. 1 by the weekend. Smith, however, landed the position when the the Official UK Top 40 Albums Chart was announced Saturday. “In the Lonely Hour” has now bagged the top spot in six separate charts, a big upholding for a male solo artist. Smith undoubtedly received a boost prior to performing his new single “Lay Me Down” with John Legend on “Comic Relief Show” on Friday.

“Rebel Heart,” Madonna’s 13th studio album, was one of the four newly released albums to debut in the Top 10, alongside “Gracetown” by Aussie indie band San Cisco, “Friday Night” by former “The X Factor” contestant Jason Owen and “Chasing Yesterday.” It explores the pop star’s divorce from ex-husband Guy Ritchie and her regular topics of sex, dance and religion. "Rebel Heart" would also have been Madonna’s 12th UK top album following Like A Virgin (1984), True Blue (1986), Like A Prayer (1989), The Immaculate Collection (1990), Ray Of Light (1998), Music (2000), American Life (2003), Confessions On A Dance Floor (2005), Hard Candy (2008), Celebration (2009) and MDNA (2012). Her “Bedtime Stories” (1994) also came close to being number one, but falling short as it also made its debut at number two.

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