The Final Cut
Pink Floyd have a No.1 album.
I say that as a headline comment, just for the sheer novelty of getting to type it, because it seems such an extraordinary state of affairs. We've often seen how barriers for yesteryear's great bands to top the charts are lower than ever; they can 'pop a rating,' engineering enough sales from loyal fans. Still, it's headline-worthy when they do.
The Floyd also occupy their own special pantheon in rock history, the 60s prog rockers who spent the 1970s developing their own special niche, making sonic symphonies that sounded like nobody else, and tying all that in with a visual aesthetic that meant as much as Roger Waters' deeply personal lyrics. Couple that with their longstanding reluctance to release singles - as well as the way they still had the final No.1 hit of the 1970s with one of those rare releases - meaning they have always had a semi-mysticism which has served their legends well.
Almost needless to say though that their return to the top of the charts is via the repackaging of older material - specifically a famous performance they staged (sans audience) in the amphitheatre of the ruins of Pompeii in Italy. Recorded over four days in October 1971, the performance formed part of a concert film to which studio material was added. But until now the only audio release of the performance was as a 5-track album that formed part of an Early Years box set released in 2016. All that changed this week with the release of the first ever official soundtrack album. Entitled Pink Floyd at Pompeii - MCMLXXII it flies with some ease to the summit of the Official UK Albums chart - although its overall sale of just shy of 14,000 meant this wasn't quite the runaway chart success it might have been. Just imagine if they'd conceded second place to Sabrina Carpenter.
But a No.1 album it is, the group's seventh of their long and storied career and their first for over ten years after the mostly instrumental and ambient release The Endless River sailed to the top of the charts in November 2014. Pink Floyd At Pompeii is their second live album to hit the top, arriving (scarily) almost 30 years after concert double album Pulse made it to the top.
Come Hold Me Tight
To singles now, and you will be completely forgiven for having lost count. But Alex Warren's Ordinary remains No.1, clocking up its eighth straight week at the top of the Official UK Singles chart. This, however, is where the statistics start to get interesting. Eight weeks now matches the total No.1 run of Gracie Abrams' That's So True and remains for now the longest consecutive run at No.1 since Sabrina Carpenter enjoyed 9 weeks with Taste last year. But as a solo male he is now in very rare territory indeed. Sure, plenty of other men have had longer extended runs at No.1 - Harry Styles managed 10 weeks, Ed Sheeran 13 and 11, Drake with 15, Bryan Adams famously with 16. But these men are all either British or Canadian.
To find the last American with a SOLO (that bit is important, apologies to John Travolta) No.1 that spent as long as 8 weeks at the summit you have to go back fully 65 years. To November 1960 to be exact, and Elvis Presley's eight week run with It's Now Or Never. The all-time record for a solo American is held by the man who for the longest time also held the record for the longest consecutive stay at the top - Slim Whitman who notched up 11 weeks with Rose Marie from June 1955.
So can Alex Warren beat a 70 year old record? His enemy is the dreaded ACR. And with consumption of the track returning to its downward curve and a drop to just under 66,000 chart sales the clock has now ticked once. Meaning it has two weeks left if this trend continues.
Ordinary does, for now, not appear in any risk of being overtaken by any other chart contenders, the one constant of its eight weeks at the summit being the unusually large gap between it and the No.2 record of the week. To illustrate its dominance, here's a look at Ordinary's margin of victory each week, the only time it has had anything resembling a close challenger was in that first week at the top when it went head to head with Chappell Roan's newly released The Giver.
Week 1 - 7,722
Week 2 - 28,216
Week 3 - 36,539
Week 4 - 36,379
Week 5 - 33,979
Week 6 - 28,652
Week 7 - 31,320
Week 8 - 28,029
Loving Her
Speaking of Chappell Roan, this week she is notably not the owner of the No.2 single behind Alex Warren. The award instead goes, pleasingly, to Ravyn Lenae who oozes to another new peak with Love Me Not. The single which was flagged here many weeks ago as deserving of a place at the top end of the chart has fulfilled its destiny. But does that destiny also include eventually topping the charts?
If there is a trend developing for the summer of 2025 it appears to be for low-fi bluesy pop records. Joining Ms Leanae is the still marvellous Sombr who now has a Top 10 hit of his own with Undressed which becomes the most enthusiastic climber of the week with a leap to No.6. Meanwhile, after wobbling last wee,k its companion hit Back To Friends is also on the move once more and accelerates to No.15.
Azisn't
Ed Sheeran's new album now has a release date, although it is apparently not until September. Meaning there is plenty of time for him to work some singles chart magic. However there is clearly concern about the "good but not good enough" peformance of Azizam (bless you). Lodged in the Top 5 it may be, but this is Ed Sheeran we are talking about here. Hence you suspect the motive behind the release of some CD and vinyl copies of the hit this week, a sales drop which briefly propelled the track into the Top 3 on early sales flashes but which eventually were not enough to prevent the single from dropping to a No.5 finish. The really funny part? Sheeran's physical sales this week amounted to 3,032 copies which is less than the gap between him and Sombr at No.6. The release had precisely zero effect on his chart position.
Sheeran does however have the honour of the highest new entry in a week largely devoid of them. New teaser single Old Phone posted a Top 10 midweek position but has to be content with a No.17 for its final resting place. This just isn't like him at all. Has the magic really now worn off?
Those who are fans of cute juxtapositions will however enjoy the way Old Phone sits one place above Nokia, better yet both of them underneath Mystical Magical meaning the charts at 15, 16 and 17 tell an intriguing story. This does however pale in comparison with the week back in 2014 when Sheeran contrived to have Don't and Sing occupying consecutive positions on the iTunes chart to launch a thousand online gags.
New to the "much hyped releases that have a poor Week 2" file: What Was That by Lorde which dips 11-19.
"Weeds"
Down in the weeds of the Top 40 we have a few highlights making slow but steady progress - Charli XCX's Party 4 U edging to No.28 and Sky Newman's Hairdresser moving 38-30. Both really need a fire lit beneath them to achieve their full potential.
Brand new at No.39 is the always worthwhile Jorja Smith with new single The Way I Love You. It is her second chart single of 2025, following on from her guest credit on AJ Tracey's No.23 hit Crush although it is her first solo hit single since her festive take on Stay Another Day reached No.16 for Christmas 2023.
Marmite
There's one final new entry worth noting, if only to check in at what may or may not be the start of an extended run as a hit record, depending on how much it blows up. Perhaps not quite living up to the online hype, Gnarly by Katseye opens its account at No.52. They are a curious concept, a Los Angeles-based K-Pop sextet featuring members from four different nations. Their single is divisive to say the least, a brash "this is our welcome to the world" series of chants just ripe for social media sharing but a track that you will either love or hate in an instant, a view that you will stick to rigidly until it goes away again. Thank me later. This may be huge. Plenty will hope I am wrong.
