'Exile on Main Street' becomes Stones' first No 1 album in 16 years

(PA)

The Rolling Stones were celebrating their first album number one in 16 years last night, as a re-released Exile on Main Street hit the top spot.

The ageing rockers managed to hold off dance outfit Faithless in the race to have the top-selling LP in the UK. Last Sunday's top album, Keane's Night Train, slipped to number six.

Originally released in 1972, the remastered version of Exile on Main Street features songs such as "Tumbling Dice" and "Rocks Off" along with 10 bonus tracks including the single "Plunder My Soul".

The album was recorded in the South of France when the Rolling Stones were living as tax exiles – a period of the band's history that has recently become the subject of a documentary.

When Stones in Exile, directed by Stephen Kijak, played at the Cannes Film Festival last week. Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger put in an appearance with his girlfriend, L'Wren Scott, to promote it. "Nixon was in the White House, the Vietnam War was going on, and Eddy Merckx had won the Tour de France," Jagger told the audience at Cannes, speaking in French and English, according to AFP. "We didn't know anything about it, because we were stuck in a villa in Villefranche making a record."

It was "quite easy, really" to record while on drugs, Jagger said. "It can be done. But I'm not saying it's really great to smoke pot and sing."

The Rolling Stones have now had 12 UK number one albums, including their 1970 live record, Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! Last night's album success is the band's first such achievement since 1994's Voodoo Lounge. The Stones have released 22 studio albums in the UK, the most recent of which, A Bigger Bang, peaked at number two.

In the singles chart, US rapper B.o.B's new track, featuring Bruno Mars, came straight in at number one. "Nothin' On You" replaced Roll Deep's "Good Times", which slipped two places to number three.

There was also disappointment for Robbie Williams, who has teamed up with comedian Russell Brand to record a new version of football anthem "Three Lions", alongside the song's original performers Frank Skinner, David Baddiel and the Lightning Seeds' Ian Broudie.

The track – recorded under the name of "Squad" – only made it to number 21 in the chart. The football anthem topped the charts in both 1996 and 1998 – but it was not to be third time lucky for the lads.