Scottish singer-songwriter Fish has claimed that his final solo album Weltschmerz, which he released independently last Friday, has scored enough sales to land at No.2 on the UK midweeks charts, had it been chart-registered.

The chart rules require distribution through official channels – while Fish has entirely self-funded, marketed, created and distributed the album from his home in Scotland.

His "phantom" No.2 position on the UK midweek charts would land him just behind IDLES, and ahead of Prince, Michael Kiwanuka, Machine Gun Kelly and Deftones.

"I've been operating as an independent artist since the mid 90's," Fish explains. "We have adjusted to living without the machinery of the major music business with our small cottage industry since then, constantly adjusting and refining how we sell and send albums out to fans.

"With a retail sector in tatters and particularly at this moment in history when there's little footfall in stores, having a mail order set up operating out of the studio where we live has been a life saver."

In addition to Fish's success in the UK, the new album has also sold the same again internationally, with particularly significant sales in Benelux and Germany.

"It's a lot of work and a lot of organisation but the levels of satisfaction are immense," Fish continues. "I'm proud that as an independent operation based in Scotland with a small dedicated and enthusiastic team and with tremendous support from my fans – who are incredibly engaged with me through social media – that we have managed to achieve the equivalent of a 'phantom' number 2 midweek position for the Weltschmerz album in the UK national charts.

"It's disappointing that it won't be officially recognised but we know ourselves what we have achieved and in amongst the 'forest' of cardboard packaging strewn throughout our house there are people with big smiles today!"

Weltschmerz is set to be the final album from Fish, who was widely known as the lead singer of Marillion in the '80s. He launched his solo career in 1988.

“This is my defining statement," he says of the new album. "I knew that I couldn’t do anything more in music. It’s time to walk away. The pandemic has taught me that I need to take the rhythm of my life right down. That’s why Weltschmerz is the perfect ending to it all.”