Following the death of Aretha Franklin last week, the Queen of Soul’s music is heading back to the Official Charts as fans pay tribute to the late music icon.
On today’s Official Singles Chart Update, I Say A Little Prayer For You leads the pack at Number 22 and set for its first chart entry in 50 years this Friday, while Aretha’s UK breakthrough hit R.E.S.P.E.C.T currently rides at 33 midweek – the track peaked at Number 10 upon its release in 1967.
Elsewhere, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman could claim its first ever Official Chart entry this week. Hard to believe that the much-loved Carole King-penned classic has never charted in the UK, but that could be set to change on Friday as it tracks just outside the Official Chart Update Top 40 at 43 today. Aretha’s chart-topping George Michael collaboration from 1987, I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) is at 81.
On the midweek Official Albums Chart Update, five Aretha records are currently inside the Top 100. Leading the way at Number 8 is Soul Queen, a mammoth 60-track album of her hits, followed by A Brand New Me at Number 11, a collection of her greatest hits re-worked by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra that missed the Top 40 when it was released last November.
Further down, 2003’s Respect – The Very Best Of is on course for a Top 20 finish (17), 1985’s 30 Greatest Hits is at 33 and her last studio album, 2014’s Aretha Franklin Sings The Great Diva Classics, is at 94.
