Meat Loaf albums return to the UK charts after his death

A week after his death, Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell has re-entered the UK charts at number three - its highest ever placing.

Released in 1977, the operatic rock opus originally failed to chart at all, only starting to sell the following year when Meat Loaf appeared on BBC Two's The Old Grey Whistle Test.

It went on to sell 3.3m copies in the UK alone.

Born Marvin Lee Aday, Meat Load died of unknown causes last Friday, aged 74.

His death triggered a surge of affection for his songs, with streams increasing by 2,583%, according to Billboard magazine.

That also propelled his compilation album Hits Out Of Hell into the top five; with 1993's Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell charting at 24.

Bat Out Of Hell's previous chart peak was at number nine, which it achieved both in 1981 and 2013.

The record has now spent 523 weeks - more than 10 years - on the charts. Only three studio albums have surpassed that figure: Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, Pink Floyd's Dark Side of The Moon and (What's The Story) Morning Glory, by Oasis.

Elsewhere in the album charts, Years & Years' third album Night Call went straight in at number one.

Now a solo project for singer Olly Alexander, the band started out as a three-piece, winning the BBC Sound Of 2015 before scoring hits with King and Desire.

Celebrating, the latest news, Alexander said: "I'm just really, really proud. Everybody who got this album and streamed it - I can't believe it, thank you so, so, so much! We got Number One baby!"

Runners-up were Leeds rock band Yard Act, whose debut album The Overload landed at number two.