Paul McCartney and Wings miss hitting No. 1 with their new box set Wings, as the career-spanning compilation and collectible opens inside the top 10 on multiple lists. British rock group Wings pictured together at Abbey Road Studios to record the album, ‘Venus And Mars’, London, 15th November 1974. Left to right: keyboard player Linda McCartney (1941 – 1998), singer and bassist Paul McCartney, drummer Geoff Britton, guitarist Denny Laine and guitarist Jimmy McCulloch (1953 – 1979, front). (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images)
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Throughout his decades-long career, which is surely one of the most celebrated among all musical acts, Paul McCartney has enjoyed immense success in multiple groups. He first found fame and critical acclaim as one-quarter of The Beatles. Then, after that outfit split, he formed Wings. For decades now, the rocker has been writing and recording under his own name while simultaneously pulling from the catalogs of both The Beatles and Wings for a variety of projects, including countless compilations and re-releases.
The latest of the bunch, a box set titled Wings, focuses on some of the most familiar and important tracks in that group’s discography, and the project nearly earns McCartney another No. 1 in his home country as it launches and stands out as a fast bestseller.
Wings Almost Debuts at No. 1
Wings debuts at No. 2 on the Official Physical Albums chart, the U.K.-based ranking that looks only at full-lengths and EPs released on CD, cassette, or vinyl. McCartney and his group are blocked by Hayley Williams of Paramore fame, whose solo effort Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party launches atop the roster.
Wings Hits a New All-Time Chart Peak
Wings, the pop group formed by ex-Beatle, Paul McCartney are in Liverpool. They are L-R: Denny Laine, Steve Holly, Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney (1941 – 1998), and Laurence Juber. Original Publication: People Disc – HK0488 (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images)
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Wings reaches a new all-time peak on the Official Physical Albums chart as the group’s self-titled box set outpaces the No. 3 high that Band on the Run climbed to last year.
The same cannot be said for McCartney, though, as he has reached the summit twice on his own, first with Egypt Station and then later McCartney III. The Beatles, meanwhile, racked up seven champions – all of them taking a turn running the show decades after the four musicians went their separate ways.
Wings Box Set Debuts Inside the Top 10 on Several Charts
Wings opens inside the top 10 on three of the five charts where it debuts in the U.K. this week. In addition to the Official Physical Albums tally, the recent release starts at No. 3 on the Official Albums Sales ranking and in fifth place on the Official Vinyl Albums roster.
How Many Top 10 Albums Has Paul McCartney Charted?
English singer-songwriter and musician Paul McCartney with his dog, English Sheepdog Martha, and two kittens at his house in St John’s Wood, London, UK, 20th June 1967. (Photo by Les Lee/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
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McCartney has now earned seven top 10s on both the Official Albums Sales and Official Vinyl Albums charts. He is up to a lucky 13 top 10s under his own name on the Official Physical Albums list.
It is worth noting that some Wings albums were shared under only the group’s moniker, while others, such as this new box set, are labeled with both the name Wings and McCartney.
Paul McCartney’s Wings Becomes a Fast Bestseller
The Wings box set performs very well on the two tallies where it starts off just slightly beneath the loftiest arena. Wings kicks off its time on the Official Albums chart, the main ranking of the biggest projects in the U.K., at No. 12 and just a few spaces lower at No. 15 on the Official Album Downloads roster. McCartney and his bandmates score one of the top new starts across all five rosters this frame.
What Is Featured on the New 2025 Wings Box Set?
McCartney himself selected the songs featured on Wings. The compilation includes more than 30 tracks which were recorded between 1971 and 1979. Some of the more famous tunes like “Band on the Run” and “Live and Let Die” are sure to be among the most popular, and there’s a highlights version available for more casual listeners packed with only the biggest and brightest.
Wings was released in multiple versions, including as a triple LP and a double CD, as well as single-vinyl and CD editions. Some came with a 32-page book that features commentary on the band’s history and the songs featured on its tracklist, as well as a number of special photographs, and a Blu-ray was also available.