In a historic week for the Official Charts, Sam Fender has secured his first-ever Number 1 single with the Olivia Dean collaboration, "Rein Me In." The track’s ascent to the summit is a record-breaking feat of endurance, marking the longest "slow burn" journey to the top in chart history.
After entering the Top 40 in June 2025, the collaboration spent a staggering 35 consecutive weeks climbing the ranks before finally claiming the crown. This achievement shatters the previous record held by Ed Sheeran’s "Perfect," which took 22 weeks to reach Number 1 in 2017. Having previously peaked at Number 5 on three separate occasions, the song’s persistence has finally paid off, cementing Fender’s status as a top-tier chart force.
The win marks a momentous milestone for the North Shields singer-songwriter, surpassing his previous personal best with "Seventeen Going Under," which reached Number 3 in 2021. For Olivia Dean, it is a "1, 2" punch of a week; she secures her second career Number 1 alongside the Fender link-up, while her solo track "So Easy (To Fall In Love)" climbs to a new peak at Number 2. Her former chart-topper "Man I Need" also remains a force, rising to Number 4.
Elsewhere, the charts are being shaped by a massive wave of nostalgia. Zara Larsson’s "Lush Life" has completed a full-circle resurgence, equalling its original Number 3 peak nearly a decade after its release, fueled by a viral 2016-themed social media trend. Similarly, Milky’s 2002 hit "Just The Way You Are" has cracked the Top 20 for the first time in 24 years, landing at Number 14 thanks to a popular Mall Grab remix.
The week also sees significant movement for modern icons. Charli xcx dominates the lower Top 40 with three tracks from her Wuthering Heights companion album, while Bad Bunny secures the week’s highest new entry with "Tití Me Preguntó" at Number 18. As the dust settles on this historic countdown, all eyes remain on Sam Fender and Olivia Dean, whose record-breaking marathon has redefined the meaning of a chart-topping hit.
