LONDON: Rapper Jay-Z has reached the top of the British album charts for the first time with his new release "Magna Carta...Holy Grail", sales figures showed on Sunday.

The hip hop artist knocked the English folk rock band Mumford & Sons off the number one spot, according to the Official Charts Company, which compiles the weekly rundown.

Jay-Z's new album features guest appearances by his wife Beyonce and singer Justin Timberlake. Seven of his previous albums have entered the British top 40, but none had reached the number one position, the compiler said.

He saw off a challenge from Scottish veteran Rod Stewart, whose album "Time" climbed three places to number two.

The English folk rock band Passenger took third place with "All the Little Lights".

On the singles chart, American R&B singer Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" took the number one spot, displacing British soul singer John Newman's "Love Me Again".

Swedish DJ Sebastian Ingrosso was the highest new entry, at number three, with the dance hit "Reload".