Franz Ferdinand album: Strong start

Franz Ferdinand's second album, You Could Have It So Much Better, hit Number 1 on the UK Top 20 Charts and Number 8 on the Billboard Top 200 with first-week sales of 81,202 copies.

The first week chart analysis is as follows:

Australia #5 - 35,000+ - Gold
Canada #3 - 16,000+
Finland #26
France #5
Ireland #2
Italy #8
Japan #7 - 28,777 (Week 2: #14)
Netherlands #9
Netherlands #7
Norway #4
Sweden #23
Switzerland #4
UK #1 - 101,884 (33'000 on day one) - Gold
USA #8 - 81,000+

Expectations were high for the album, which follows up the Scottish quartet's platinum 2004 debut, but frontman Alex Kapranos told us the band felt more confidence than pressure while recording:
[ click here to listen if you have a Backstage Pass] "I wouldn't say there's pressure. There was a little bit of confidence through having played a little longer than we did than when we made the first record. When we recorded the first record, we'd played 20 concerts together - I think it was maybe 20, 21, something like that. This time around we played 280, and there is a difference that comes about in the group dynamic. That gave us a greater confidence, definitely."

The first single from You Could Have It So Much Better is "Do You Want To."

A DualDisc version of the album includes the "Do You Want To" video, an interview with the band, a photo gallery, and footage from the recording sessions.

Franz Ferdinand next perform on Friday, October 14th, in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, a fourth consecutive night has been confirmed at London's Alexandra Palace on Saturday 3rd December. Tickets go on sale on Friday October 14th.