Ezra Collective have made UK chart history with their fourth studio album, Here Because of Hope, becoming the first UK male jazz group to reach No. 1 on the Official Albums Chart.

The London five-piece claimed the top position on the chart published September 24, giving the group its first UK No. 1 album. The record also topped the Official Vinyl Albums Chart.

Here Because of Hope Reaches Number One

Released on September 11 through Partisan Records, Here Because of Hope is Ezra Collective's fourth studio album.

The album follows 2024's Dance, No One's Watching, which reached No. 7 on the UK Albums Chart. Their previous studio album, Where I'm Meant To Be, peaked at No. 24 in 2022.

The new album's No. 1 position therefore represents the group's highest placement on the main UK Albums Chart.

A New Milestone for UK Jazz

The Official Charts Company describes Ezra Collective as the first UK male jazz group to achieve a No. 1 studio album.

The distinction is significant within the group's growing list of chart and industry milestones, but it is important to use the official wording rather than suggesting that no UK jazz act of any kind had previously reached the top of every possible album chart.

Here Because of Hope is also No. 1 on the Official Jazz & Blues Albums Chart for the week of September 25 to October 1.

From London's Jazz Scene to the Top of the Charts

Ezra Collective emerged from London's grassroots jazz community and consists of Femi Koleoso, TJ Koleoso, Joe Armon-Jones, Ife Ogunjobi and James Mollison.

The group has developed a sound that combines jazz with influences from funk, Afrobeat, hip-hop, gospel and other forms of Black diaspora music.

Their rise has already included another major UK jazz milestone. In 2023, Ezra Collective became the first jazz act to win the Mercury Prize, taking the award for Where I'm Meant To Be.

The Album's Themes

Here Because of Hope explores movement, culture and sound across generations, with the group connecting different strands of British musical history.

The album continues Ezra Collective's approach of bringing jazz into conversation with contemporary UK music while retaining the ensemble's live-band identity.

The group released the album's lead material ahead of the September 11 arrival, building towards the chart campaign that ultimately delivered their first No. 1.

Another Vinyl Number One

The album's success extends beyond the main albums chart.

Here Because of Hope also topped the Official Vinyl Albums Chart, meaning it sold more vinyl copies than any other album during the relevant seven-day chart period.

That result reflects the continuing importance of physical formats alongside streaming and digital consumption in the UK album market.

A Milestone After the Mercury Prize

The No. 1 arrives three years after Ezra Collective's Mercury Prize victory.

Their previous album, Dance, No One's Watching, reached No. 7 on the main UK Albums Chart, while Where I'm Meant To Be peaked at No. 24. The group's latest release has now moved beyond both of those positions to claim the top spot.

For Ezra Collective, Here Because of Hope adds another major milestone to a career that has increasingly connected London's jazz scene with a much wider UK audience.