Well, here we are.

1. Sam Fender & Olivia Dean – “Rein Me In”

That’s eighteen weeks, and that does match the all-time record set by Frankie Laine’s “I Believe” in 1953. I’ve made the point before that this isn’t entirely comparable, because the 1953 chart was based on sales, so it was measuring the point when people started listening to the record, while the 2026 chart is measuring how long people continue listening. But the fact remains that 18 weeks is still exceptional even by modern standards, not least because it’s virtually impossible to last that long without peaking and getting hit by the downweighting rule. “Rein Me In” has lasted a year without triggering that rule, which is frankly astonishing.

The other thing to bear in mind is that both “Rein Me In” and “I Believe” had interrupted runs at the top. The record for the longest continuous run at number 1 is still 16 weeks, held by Bryan Adams.

If “Rein Me In” manages another week, it breaks the record. Improbably, the midweeks have it in a close fight with “Dai Dai” by Shakira and Burna Boy, despite the fact that the World Cup is over. I suspect it will get its 19th week, but you never know.

It is, shall we say, a quiet week for new entries.

36. BTS – “Normal”

This is the second single from the album “Arirang”. It’s… I mean, it’s a Ryan Tedder song. Which is not really want I want from my Kpop. Very much a first-week fan release, and it seems clear from the midweeks that it’ll be gone on Friday.

37. The Killers – “Mr Brightside” 

So it’s come to this. “Mr Brightside” is a track that hangs around the lower reaches of the top 100 incessantly, forever threatening to poke its head into the top 40.

Its chart record is truly bizarre, and perhaps the embodiment of the long tail. On release in 2004, it entered at number 10, and left the top 40 after three weeks. In its entire history, it has spent eight weeks in the top 40, including this one. (It also re-entered in 2013 and again in 2024.) But it has also spent 515 weeks in the top 100.

It is truly indestructible. After the nuclear apocalypse, the cockroaches will still be listening to “Mr Brightside”.

40. Noah Kahan – “Orbiter” 

This is an album track that’s been climbing from the lower reaches for a couple of months. Officially, it’s the fourth single from the album, but it still only has this lyric video. Admittedly, one that’s had a lot more effort put into than many.

This week’s climbers – and to be fair, this is a bit more active:

• “Dai Dai” by Shakira & Burna Boy climbs 5-2.
• “Talk To You” by ANTOR & 54 Ultra climbs 4-3.
• “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley rebounds 8-5, returning to its previous peak.
• “Free Your Mind” by Prospa & Cloonee climbs 7-6.
• “Movin’ To The Sun” by Hugel, Imael Angel & Ultra Naté climbs 16-11.
• “Boston” by Stella Lefty climbs 18-15.
• “Earrings” by Malcolm Todd climbs 17-16, again returning to a previous peak.
• “Great Expectation” by Sienna Spiro climbs 22-19 to become her fourth top 20 hit.
• “Bloodstream” by Alyssa Grace climbs 36-23, which really is a significant jump.
• “Blessings” by Calvin Harris & Clementine Douglas climbs 28-24, its highest position on its current run. (It previously peaked at number 25 a month ago.)
• “The One That Got Away” by Katy Perry climbs 37-25, having previously peaked at number 28 a month ago. It peaked at 18 on its original run in 2011.
• “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey rebounds 31-27 on its third week to return to its entry point.

There are also re-entries for “Die With A Smile” by Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars at number 31 (which has been hanging around in the 50s for ages and never really went away), “Hit The Wall” by Gracie Abrams at number 32 (on the back of the release of her album), and “Lush Life” by Zara Larsson at number 35 (which dipped outside the top 40 for the first time last week). So there are six tracks leaving the top 40 this week:

• “Three Lions” by David Baddiel, Frank Skinner & The Lightning Seeds drops from number 3 straight out of the top 100 after England got knocked out of the World Cup. Less football-specific tracks have fared better: “Wonderwall” continues to hang around, and “Dai Dai” appears to be picking up streams purely on its merits even after the World Cup ended.
• “Janice STFU” by Drake entered at number 2 and lasted nine weeks.
• “Vindaloo” by Fat Les got a single week at number 20 when the English were excited about the football.
• “Hey Jude” by the Beatles got a single week at number 24
• “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler got a single week at number 29.
• “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond got a single week at number 35.

On the album chart:

1. Gracie Abrams – “Daughter From Hell” 

The single “Hit the Wall” made number 18 (and “Look at My Life” got to number 39). It’s her third album and her second number 1.

15. Yard Act – “You’re Gonna Need A Little Music” 

Their third album; the first two made the top 5, so this is a noticeable drop.

30. Nia Archives – “Emotional Junglist”

Her second album. The first one reached number 16, so again, this is a bit of a tail off.

31. Motionless In White – “Decades”

Their seventh album, their first to chart in the UK, though they’ve come very close before. They’re a metalcore band from Scranton, Pennsylvania.