Judas Priest’s Painkiller debuts on multiple charts in the U.K. after being reissued on vinyl for its thirty-fifth anniversary. INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 19: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been converted to black and white). Rob Halford of Judas Priest performs at The Kia Forum on October 19, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
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Judas Priest rocks its way back onto the charts in the United Kingdom this week. The heavy metal icons don’t have new material out, but rather a re-release of one of the group’s most famous full-lengths is responsible for the band’s comeback.
Painkiller propels the musicians back to the tallies as the set finally debuts on multiple rosters. Painkiller finally becomes a bestseller thanks to National Album Day in the United Kingdom and a special vinyl offering, and its impressive sales success after so many years of availability demonstrates just how popular Judas Priest remains to this day, especially in the U.K.
Judas Priest’s Hugely Successful and Busy 2025
Judas Priest earns its third new win on the Official Rock and Metal Albums chart of 2025 alone. Painkiller opens at No. 15 on that roster, its loftiest debut this frame and one of just two top 40 beginnings.
In February, Rocka Rolla opened and peaked at No. 7. Just two months later, Live in Atlanta ’82 arrived at No. 13, and then fell away only a few days later.
Judas Priest’s Album Painkiller Debuts on Multiple Charts
Portrait of British heavy metal group Judas Priest as they pose backstage at the Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, Illinois, June 14, 1984. Pictured are, from left, bass player Ian Hill, guitarist Glenn Tipton, singer Rob Halford, guitarist KK Downing, and drummer Dave Holland. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images)
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The same project opens on both the Official Albums Sales and Official Physical Albums charts. Painkiller launches at No. 71 on the list of the top-selling titles on any physical format — be it CD, cassette, or vinyl. The Judas Priest classic opens at No. 77, just a few spaces below where it kicks off its time on the Official Physical Albums roster, on the general sales list. Painkiller follows Rocka Rolla, earning Judas Priest a second bestseller of 2025 on the two tallies.
Judas Priest’s Fourth Vinyl Albums Chart Hit
Painkiller also manages to sneak into the top 40 on the Official Vinyl Albums chart, narrowly managing to become a true bestseller on that format in the U.K. Judas Priest collects a fourth career appearance on the fo-only tally. That sum stands out as the fewest number of placements on any of the four charts where Painkiller debuts this frame.
Judas Priest Reaches a New Career Low with Painkiller
Painkiller now stands as Judas Priest’s lowest-peaking set on the Official Vinyl Albums chart. Before this week, that distinction belonged to Reflections – 50 Heavy Metal Years of Judas Priest, which spent one frame at No. 29. The band’s other two successes on the tally, Firepower and Invincible Shield, both missed out on becoming the group’s first No. 1 by just a single spot.
The History of Judas Priest’s Painkiller
Judas Priest shot in Los Angeles in 1991 (Photo by Aaron Rapoport/Corbis via Getty Images)
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Judas Priest released Painkiller in September 1990, and the band is now honoring its thirty-fifth anniversary. The title came at a very controversial time for the heavy metal outfit, as the rockers had just been cleared of all wrongdoing in a case where the suicide of one man and the attempted suicide of another were partially blamed on the group’s music, and especially its lyrics.
The album delivered singles “Painkiller” and “A Touch of Evil,” and the full-length peaked at No. 26 on both the Official Albums chart and the Billboard 200, the American counterpart that also lists the most-consumed full-lengths and EPs in that country.
Judas Priest Celebrates Painkiller’s Anniversary With Vinyl Reissue
Judas Priest delivered a blue-and-white marble vinyl copy of Painkiller to celebrate its birthday. The drop was part of National Album Day, an initiative backed by the U.K. music industry that is aimed at shining a light on the format as an art form, and hopefully spurring sales.
Judas Priest and Ozzy Osbourne Joined Forces for “War Pigs”
Judas Priest returned to different charts in the U.K. only a few weeks ago, as this fall has been busy for the outfit. The group even scored a new bestselling song earlier this month. Judas Priest dropped “War Pigs,” a team-up with the late, great Ozzy Osbourne, turning the Black Sabbath classic into a collaborative affair just a short time after his passing. “War Pigs,” which Judas Priest has used as its intro music for concerts for many years, opened inside the top 20 on both the Official Singles Downloads and Official Singles Sales charts, where it held for just one frame.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2025/10/29/judas-priest-charts-a-surprise-win-with-a-decades-old-album/
