Archives: 2024

Noah Kahan looks pretty pleased with himself doesn't he? And well he might, owner of the first new No.1 single of the new year. Welcome to this year's great chart reset.

A group of middle-aged men top the albums chart for the first time. But Shed Seven are by no means the only golden oldies around this week. Come with me on a journey through time and all will be revealed.

Noah v Ari was the big fight we weren't expecting to have a ringside seat for. But this may well have been one for the ages.

As if one Noah Kahan track wasn't more than enough, he doubles up with a second Top 5 hit this week. Even if he has to bring a British friend along for the ride. We also delve into the murky world of dance music cross-collaboration. Everyone performs with everyone else eventually.

I am not going to pretend my use of AI generated images for this site has been a total success, but scary Sophie will have to do. She is indeed No.2 for the second week running, but the real stories relate to the big hits that turned out not to be.

None of these women have invited me to their Last Dinner Party. But they are incredibly excited to have the fastest selling debut album by a group in almost ten years. No more spoilers, click to read.

A tale of three Americans. Noah Kahan (ongoing), Beyonce (returning yee-haw), and Kanye West (seek help man). Plus we get a new No.1 next week. Details inside.

Yes, it is the same photo as last week but Beyonce makes headlines in her own way for the second week running. No.1 for the eighth time in her career all told, but curiously only for the second time solo. Dua Lipa was supposed to have a say in this but in the end was never a contender. How odd.

We celebrate all things American this week, as artists - solo artists to boot - dominate the upper end of the singles chart in a manner they haven't done for over 70 years. And I'm not even joking.

Happy day, happy RAYE as she sweeps the board at the BRITs and becomes the most notably artist on the chart this week. Even if she isn't quite blowing everyone out of the water. But a win is a win. And she's had plenty.

It's fine Ari, you can open your eyes now. As if there was ever any doubt in the matter, Eternal Sunshine is easily the No.1 album of the week.

This week's column is not sponsored by The One Show but clearly this was the best opportunity to get a shot of Benson Boone with his award for a No.1 single. Which kind of spoils this week's big reveal, but never mind. All hail the conquering rock heroes. Of all generations.

These two men nearly have the biggest album of the week but also the highest new entry of an unusually frantic week. Click inside to find out exactly who they are. Plus, is this the first ever British-free Top 10?

Kick those heels up guys and gals, as we are well and truly in a world of country. And prior to the Super Bowl could anyone have guessed that it would be Beyonce who takes us there? The first ever black artist to land a country No.1 album does so in quite spectacular style. All the details you need are inside.

There's a 'sweet' record on fire at the top of the charts. Reel out more Hozier, as he returns Irish pride to the No.1 position for the first time in over a decade.

WANTED: New picture editor for Chart Watch website. NOT WANTED: New No.1 single. Hozier is doing quite nicely there for now thank you. Although he has to contend with the relentless Taylor Swift drumbeat.

Did you know Taylor Swift had an album out this week? If you did you were not alone. A record it seems of such significance that every site online has to weigh in with an opinion on it. Including this one it seems.

Like a much-needed shot of caffeine, Sabrina Carpenter is a narrow but quite pleasingly joyful No.1 this week. I take mine creamy, thanks.

A radically optimistic Dua Lipa toasts some chart success as she enters at No.1 with an album for the very first time. But the talk of the singles charts is two rappers fighting like toddlers through the medium of song.

Close, but no stetson. The most surprising collaboration of the year so far might well have been No.1, but Sabrina Carpenter still percolated to the top. Plus it is post-Eurovision  week. Feeling Dizzy?

The artist we known as "Billie Eilish" is technically two people, and this seems to be Official Charts' acknowledgement of this. Her/their third album has the best opening week of HER career with three Top 10 singles to accompany it. But Sabrina is still No.1.

Yes, that is a new picture of Sabrina Carpenter lovingly cradling her No.1 award. Striking the exact same pose as she did in the first. But that's appropriate for a chart in which - new entries aside - pretty much everyone remains where they are.

Presenting a brand new series of the Eminem show, as the veteran star throws back to his old self, throws up a whole new set of arguments - and charges in style back to the top of the charts.

Imagine you are Sabrina Carpenter. Releasing a new single, joining yourself in the Top 3. And yet you still aren't one of the biggest stories of the week. Welcome to the madness of June 2024 as Taylor Swift continues to get in everyone's way.

Please Sabrina, top the charts again for us? It turns out you don't have to ask her three times after all.

This is Gracie, she's bezzie mates with Taylor Swift. And now has a No.1 album plus a hit duet with the lady herself. This though is the era of the multi hit. If you don't have at least two chart singles right now, are you even a thing?

Dua cringing at the Glasto busker. Had to be done. But she's also one of the big chart winners from the weekend in a week when Sabz C is still No.1, but was battling herself in the third closest chart race of the modern era.

Reheated coffee? Not my cup of tea, if you'll pardon the expression. But Britain can't get enough Espresso and it is No.1 once again. Recycling photos is environmentally friendly anyway.

He delivers the final flourish, topping the albums chart for the 11th time but not quite managing to return to the singles summit. But this is Eminem's week, even if it wasn't Gareth Southgate's.

The No.1 keeps repeating on us as Sabrina Carpenter replaces herself... AGAIN. Plus we complete the set of Little Mixers - but does Jade have greater staying power than a K-Pop hit?

Sabrina continues to take the mic but is now looking carefully over her shoulder at the chasing pack. Meanwhile everyone else is on the rise - including a single whose charmed life in the Top 10 will continue until at least September. Find out why inside.

The British are coming (back) to the top of the charts. For the first time this year a UK act is No.1 - Charli XCX is the lady to do it as she returns to the summit after 12 years away. But what does it all have to do with knickers?

Three men - all of them British (hooray!) - combine to make one of the more explosive No.1 single debuts of the summer. Get ready to show some Backbone.

The hands of Stormzy beckon us to come hither, to a chart that does indeed have him and his mates at the top, but the curious sight of three different women all with two simultaneous Top 10 hits.

It is a tale of two artists. One blonde, the other pair notably not blonde. But what both Sabrina Carpenter and Oasis do to the charts this week eclipses just about everything else.

All about Oasis and all about Sabrina. Wait, didn't we do this last week as well? And just what is with all the old singles floating around?

Emily contemplates her latest communication from the spirits of L Ron Hubbard (possibly). She may not look like Chester but she damn well sounds like him, and propels the "new" Linkin Park to their biggest chart success ever.

We are STILL all about The Carpenter, as she achieves something nobody has done since Olivia Newton-John. But new hits are on the way, including from The Weeknd who is sat in his groove and has no reason to move.

"Blonde woman breaking records with her music" was the AI prompt for this image, and it is good enough I guess. Click inside to hear about one particular blonde and the records she is breaking.

The Weeknd and Playboi Carti arrive in the Top 10 with the worst record ever made (probably). Meanwhile Sabrina Carptener continues to set records, Linkin Park become a computer game. And nothing else much happens. Can we just wheel in Mariah and Wham already?

Moon. Music. Don't ask me, that's what they call it. But with their 10th album Coldplay land themselves the fastest-selling album by a British act in over three years. Hey, whatever diverts attention away from The Carpenter I guess.

We've been waiting weeks for it, and finally Sabrina's Bed Chem becomes her fourth hit of the year. Why? A massive sweep of ACR gives the chart a whole fresh new look. Even if that does result in Invasion Of The Weird Chicks.

It is truly the end of a 2024 era as Sabrina Carpenter spends her final week at No.1. So the race to replace her begins, with Bruno and Rose playing drinking games over the prospect. Meanwhile Liam Payne dies and people stream his music in large numbers. As it should be.

Gigi Perez contemplates the prospect of a thematically sound No.1 single and just what this will do to her levels of fame. Else where Tyler The Creator literally nicks the No.1 album slot and Gaga proves that you should never ever write her off completely.

Another new No.1 single and the third in a row for a different solo American female. Which may mean something or it may not. Meanwhile older hits just keep on lingering, but we are so close to Christmas nobody has any motivation to make any new ones. All very grim, truth be told.

The collective chart breath-holding continues as well, nothing much goes on this close to Christmas. But Gracie accelerates away at No.1. It's a proper, true smash hit. And deserves it's own dedicated graphic. Will this do?

The last dregs of 2024 normality are starting to ooze away, but for now the biggest hits of last week remain the biggest hits of this. Sam Fender and Tate McRae enter the conversation though, showing there is room to mix things up. And who would have guessed Linkin Park would be as back as they are?

Wicked Wicked. Kendrick is massive. Wicked Wicked. So is the movie. Who cares that the Christmas chart is just three weeks away?

Two weeks out from the Christmas chart, and nobody has any bloody idea what will happen. But Gracie Abrams continues to fight off the horde of marauding Santas to ensure female soloists reign supreme for just one more week. And the "new" Band Aid record is rubbish. There, I said it.