Drake beats Fifty Shades to the top of the album chart

Drake's surprise release, If You're Reading This It's Too Late, has shot to the top of the album chart with 495,000 digital sales in just four days.

A physical release for the album on CD or vinyl has not been announced prior to the hip-hop star's planned fourth studio album, Views From the 6, which is scheduled for later this year (15).

If You're Reading This It's Too Late is Drake's fourth Billboard 200 chart-topper.

The album blocks the new Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack from debuting at number one. The compilation, featuring songs by Ellie Goulding, Annie Lennox and Beyonce, enters the new chart at two with 258,000 units sold - the largest opening week for a film soundtrack since Michael Jackson's This Is It in 2009.

Both the top two albums were released on Republic Records, marking the first time one label has debuted the top two spots since April, 2008 when Atlantic managed the feat with Day26's self titled album and Panic! At the Disco's Pretty.Odd.

Meanwhile, back to the new countdown, Sam Smith's In the Lonely Hour rises a spot to three, switching places with fellow Brit Ed Sheeran's x, and Taylor Swift's 1989 rounds out the top five.