OCC
Courteeners Driving to First U.K. Chart Title With ‘St Jude’ Reissue
Fifteen years after its release, Courteeners’ St Jude (via Polydor/UMR) is on track for its first U.K. chart crown. Originally released in 2008, St Jude peaked at No. 4 on the Official Albums Chart, with three of its tracks going on to impact the U.K. top 40. The British indie rock band has made seven top 10 appearances, including all six of their studio LPs. Until now, Courteeners’ career U.K. chart peak is No. 2 for 2020’s More. Again. Forever. Thanks to a reissue of St Jude, Courteeners could go one better. It’s the top title on the Official Chart Update, published Jan. 16. Based on sales and streaming data collated by the Official Charts Company, this week’s highest new entry could belong to Supergrass guitarist Gaz Coombes, whose fourth solo album Turn The Car Around (Hot Fruit...
Lewis Capaldi Outpoints Raye In U.K. Chart Race
Following a tight chart race which saw Raye take an early lead, it’s Lewis Capaldi who takes the U.K. crown with “Pointless” (via Vertigo). The Scottish singer songwriter bags his fourth No. 1, as “Pointless,” co-written by Ed Sheeran, finishes just 1,200 combined sales ahead of its closest competition, Raye’s independently-released hit “Escapism” (Human Re Sources), featuring 070 Shake. “Pointless” improves 15-1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, published Jan. 13, powered by physical and digital download sales, the Official Charts Company reports, as “Escapism” dips 1-2. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Pointless” is the second single lifted from his upcoming second studio album Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent, slated to drop in May. “4...
Raye, Taylor Swift Reign Over U.K. Charts
Raye ascends the U.K. singles chart for the very first time with “Escapism,” while Taylor Swift snags another albums chart crown. A teary Raye celebrated her spectacular result on social media. It’s a moment that carries extra significance for an artist who, in 2021, publicly cut ties with her major label after claiming she’d been shelved and overlooked for years. Released through Human Re Sources, J. Erving’s distribution and artist services company, “Escapism” is one of several singles Raye has dropped in recent months ahead of her upcoming debut album My 21st Century Blues, alongside “Hard Out Here,” “Black Mascara” and “The Thrill Is Gone.” Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The most-streamed song for the latest chart U.K. chart week, wit...
Lewis Capaldi Challenges Raye In Tight U.K. Chart Race
A star is born in Raye, whose “Escapism” is the first U.K. No. 1 of 2023 – and the first of her career. Based on early chart data, “Escapism” is heading for a second week in the box seat, though Lewis Capaldi could stage an upset. Featuring U.S. rapper 070 Shake, “Escapism” leads the Official Charts Company’s First Look survey, which ranks singles based on the first 48 hours in the cycle. “Escapism” is lifted from Raye’s upcoming debut album My 21st Century Blues, alongside “Hard Out Here,” “Black Mascara” and “The Thrill Is Gone,” and is released independently through Human Re Sources, after she cut ties with Polydor, part of Universal Music Group, in 2021. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “We are Number 1 in the U.K.! It’s the...
Harry Styles’ ‘As It Was’ Named U.K.’s Biggest Single In 2022
In the year that saw King Charles ascend the throne, it was Harry Styles who was crowned on the U.K. charts. The pop superstar rules 2022’s year-end singles and albums charts, with “As It Was” and its parent, Harry’s House, respectively, according to new data published by the Official Charts Company. Released in April 2022, “As It Was” reigned over the Official U.K. Singles Chart for 10 weeks, and went on to shift 1.57 million combined units, the OCC reports. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “As It Was” also finished the year as the most-streamed song in the U.K., with more than 180.9 million audio and video streams, and it was the best-seller across combined physical and digital formats, raking-in 65,000 units. The former One Direction singer l...
Harry Styles Unlocks 2022 Best-Seller In U.K. With ‘Harry’s House’
Harry Styles really did own the keys to 2022. The British pop singer’s third studio album Harry’s House was the biggest LP of the year in the U.K., according to new data published by the Official Charts Company. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The ex-One Direction singer leads the year-end albums survey with Harry’s House, which shifted north of 460,000 U.K. chart units over the year, including 160,000 sales (150,000 physical and 10,000 downloads), the OCC reports. Harry’s House logged six non-consecutive weeks atop the Official U.K. Albums Chart in 2022, more than any other album, and the lead single from it, “As It Was,” tops the U.K.’s year-end singles survey. Compatriot Ed Sheeran comes in at No. 2 on the year-end albums list with = (Equals...
Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’ Returns to No. 1 In U.K.
Wham’s “Last Christmas” (via RCA) is the gift that keeps giving, as the ‘80s classic returns to No. 1 in the U.K. The holiday standard lifts 2-1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, published Dec. 30, for its second stint at the summit in 2022. According to the Official Charts Company, “Last Christmas” scoops over 79,000 combined chart units, including a market-leading 18 million streams, to bag the last No. 1 of the year. Less than a year earlier, “Last Christmas” was finally crowned on the survey, setting a new mark for the longest journey to the top, at 36 years. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The latest survey is brimming with Christmas spirit. Indeed, holiday numbers swamp the Top 40, taking out 34 spots, including nine of the top 10. Mari...
LadBaby Rings up Chart Record With U.K. Christmas No. 1
LadBaby lands the ultimate Christmas present with “Food Aid” (via BMG) earning the coveted Christmas No. 1 in the U.K. — and doing so in record-busting fashion. The charity single debuts at No. 1 on the Official Singles Chart with more than 65,000 chart sales, the Official Charts Company reports, for the fastest-selling week of any recording in 2022. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The husband-and-wife duo of Mark and Roxanne Hoyle become the first act to nab five Official U.K. Christmas No. 1 singles, beating the old mark held by the Beatles, who bagged four non-consecutive Christmas leaders in 1963, 1964, 1965 & 1967. Previously, LadBaby ruled the Christmas chart with “We Built This City” (in 2018), “I Love Sausage Rolls” (2019), “Don’t S...
Mariah Carey Leads Christmas Trifecta on Midweek U.K. Chart
The Christmas takeover is about to begin on the U.K. chart, with three holiday classics jostling for the crown. Based on sales and streaming data published by the Official Charts Company, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Columbia) holds the edge at the halfway point, ahead of Wham’s “Last Christmas” (RCA) and Ed Sheeran & Elton John’s “Merry Christmas” (Atlantic), respectively. Just 1,000 chart sales separate the three tracks at the midweek point, the OCC reports. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news All three tracks have led the Official U.K. Singles Chart, with Carey’s 1994 classic the current No. 1. They’ll face some stiff competition for the coveted Christmas No. 1 in the form of LadBaby. The husband and wife duo of Mark and...
Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ Sleighs to No. 1 In U.K.
The Christmas invasion is in full swing on the U.K. singles chart, as Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (via Columbia) returns to the summit. Carey’s 1994 holidays classic took 26 years to reach No. 1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, a record-setting feat it finally achieved in 2020. It’s right back at the top, having returned to the top 40 earlier than usual. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “All I Want For Christmas Is You” rockets 8-1, with 10.8 million streams during the latest cycle, the Official Charts Company reports, to unseat Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” (down 1-5 via EMI) after six weeks. It’s the second stint at No. 1 for Carey’s “Christmas,” which, in 2020, set a new mark for weeks spent in the top 40 before reaching ...
Olly Murs Bags U.K. Chart Crown With ‘Marry Me’
Olly Murs lands his fifth U.K. No. 1 with Marry Me (EMI), which bows at No. 1. Marry Me is the British singer and songwriter’s seventh album, with In Case You Didn’t Know (2011), Right Place Right Time (2012), Never Been Better (2014), 24 HRS (2016) and now Marry Me all reaching the summit of the weekly survey. The X Factor alum brushed-off controversy surrounding the lyrics to album track “I Hate You When You’re Drunk” to lead at the halfway point, and then on Friday, Dec. 9 when the chart proper was published. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Murs outpaces Taylor Swift‘s former leader Midnights (EMI), which lifts 3-2 on the latest survey, published Dec. 9. Meanwhile, Atlanta recording artist and producer Metro Boomin blasts to No. 3 ...
Olly Murs On Track For U.K. Chart Crown With ‘Marry Me’
Olly Murs‘ Marry Me (via EMI) is walking up the aisle for a U.K. No. 1. The English pop singer’s seventh studio LP leads the midweek chart, and is heading for a fifth U.K. No. 1 following In Case You Didn’t Know (from 2011), Right Place Right Time (2012), Never Been Better (2014) and 24 HRS (2016). The X Factor alum has brushed off controversy surrounding the lyrics to Marry Me song “I Hate You When You’re Drunk,” to take pole position on the Official Chart Update, ahead of Taylor Swift’s Midnights (EMI) and Cliff Richard’s Christmas With Cliff (EastWest/Rhino), respectively. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Meanwhile, Atlanta hip-hop producer Metro Boomin could score a career-best with Heroes & Villains (Republic Records), his sophomore sol...
