WEEK ENDING 24th MARCH 2018

The closest race yet, but Drake just edges it to claim an eighth week at the top of the chart.  He now becomes just the second artist in UK chart history to have two songs spend 8 consecutive weeks at Number One.  The only other artist to achieve this feat is Frankie Laine with "I Believe" (9 weeks consecutive - 18 weeks total) from 25th May to 20th July 1953 and "Answer Me" (8 weeks) from 14th November 1953 to 2nd January 1954.

This is "God's Plan".

Stuck at 2 for a sixth successive week is Rudimental, Jess Glynne & Macklemore with "These Days".  It is just the seventh record to spend as many consecutive weeks at Number 2 without reaching Number 1.  For a complete list of the others, see my separate post.

Refusing to go away, and climbing up one more place to a new peak position of 3 is "Feel It Still" from Portugal.The Man on its 31st week in the Top 75, Number 3 for a third week, after spending a month at Number 4, while also up one place to 4 is Marshmello with Anne-Marie & Friends.

After 7 weeks at either number 3 or 4, Dua Lipa drops two places to 5 this week with "IDGAF", while back up one place to 6 is Keala Settle & the Greatest Showman ensemble with "This Is Me".

Swapping places with Keala, down one place to 7, are Post Malone & Ty Dolla $ign with "Psycho", while static at 8 is Kendrick Lamar with SZA and "All The Stars".

Also static at 9 is Justin Timberlake with Chris Stapleton and "Say Something", while the first new entry into the Top 10 in two weeks climbs three places to 10 - "The Middle" from Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey.

Up 13 places to 20 this week, is Bebe Rexha featuring legendary country duo Florida Georgia Line.

So it's three country artists in the Top 20 for the first time since I can remember, this is "Meant To Be".

With two tracks from the "Greatest Showman" soundtrack now coming under the ACR rules, two different songs from the movie are now eligible for the chart.  The first of these comes in at Number 22 this week, closely followed by the second at Number 24.

First up is "A Million Dreams" from Ziv Zaifman, Hugh Jackman & Michelle Williams.

Then it's Loren Alldred with "Never Enough".

Also new at 25, is a synthpop trio who burst on the scene in 2015 with their Number One hit "King" and their Number 2 hit, "Shine".   

Back after nearly three years out of the Top 40, welcome back Olly, Mikey and Emre, this is Years & Years with "Sanctify".

This week's highest climber is up 23 places to Number 27.

From M.O., Lottoboyzz & Mr Eazi, this is "Bad Vibe".

Back up 12 places to 32 is the latest single from the phenomenon that is the "Divide" album.

This is Ed Sheeran with "Supermarket Flowers".

Just outside the 40 this week, up 13 places to 46, is two of the breakthrough artists of the last year.

This is Logic & Marshmello with "Everyday".

Also up 13 places to 52 is the follow up to his massive hit, "Dancing On My Own".

This is Calum Scott with "You Are The Reason".

As usual I finish off with tracks from the US & UK Number 1 albums.  In the UK, its now 10 consecutive weeks at the top for the soundtrack to the movie "The Greatest Showman", a figure bettered only by Adele's "21" this century.

From the album, and sung by Keala Settle & the Greatest Showman Ensemble, this is the recent Top 3 hit "This Is Me".

In the US, reclaiming the Number One spot it relinquished last week,  another soundtrack album takes the honours.

From the "Black Panther: The Album Music From And Inspired By" album, this is the Top 10 hit, "All The Stars" from Kendrick Lamar & SZA.

   UK NUMBER 1's/NUMBER 2's ON THIS DAY 

 
1 year ago - Shape Of You - Ed Sheeran/Galway Girl - Ed Sheeran

5 years ago - Mirrors - Justin Timberlake/One Way Or Another (Teenage Kicks) - One Direction

10 years ago - Mercy - Duffy/Better In Time-Footprints In The Sand - Leona Lewis

20 years ago - It's Like That - Run DMC vs Jason Nevins/Stop - The Spice Girls

30 years ago - I Should Be So Lucky - Kylie Minogue/Together Forever - Rick Astley

40 years ago - Wuthering Heights - Kate Bush/Take A Chance On Me - Abba

50 years ago - Cinderella Rockafella - Esther & Abi Ofarim/The Legend Of Xanadu - Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich

60 years ago - Magic Moments - Perry Como/The Story Of My Life - Michael Holliday

US NUMBER 1's ON THIS DAY 

1 year ago - Shape Of You - Ed Sheeran/Bad And Boujee - Migos featuring Lil' Uzi Vert

5 years ago - Harlem Shake - Baauer/Thrift Shop - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz

10 years ago - Love In This Club - Usher featuring Young Jeezy/With You - Chris Brown

20 years ago - Getting Jiggy With It - Will Smith/Nice & Slow - Usher

30 years ago - Man In The Mirror - Michael Jackson/Endless Summer Nights - Richard Marx

40 years ago - Night Fever - Bee Gees/Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees

50 years ago - (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding/Love Is Blue (L'Amour Est Bleu) - Paul Mauriat & his Orchestra

Don't forget you can see all the latest UK & US Top 40 videos on my YouTube channel - Chart Blog UK 

How many weeks can Drake clock up - see you next week, same time, same place.

For those of you in the Vale of Glamorgan area in South Wales, or who listen to the radio via the internet, tune into Bro Radio on 98.1 FM on Tuesday evening from 7 to 9 pm to hear my dulcet tones as guest co-presenter on the Gareth Long show.  For everyone else, join me here column next week.