WEEK ENDING 31st MARCH 2018

Nine weeks it is then, as once again Drake remains at Number 1 again.  However, as the sales of the track have dropped for the last three weeks, and next week is its tenth week on the chart, it is unlikely to make it ten at the top, as streams will be downgraded to the ACR level of 300:1.  He does, however, become the first artist in chart history to have two nine week chart toppers, after "One Dance" spent 15 weeks at the top in 2016.

This is "God's Plan".

Stuck at 2 for a seventh successive week is Rudimental, Jess Glynne & Macklemore with "These Days".  It is just the third record in chart history to spend as many consecutive weeks at Number 2 without reaching Number 1.  

Static at 3 this week is "Feel It Still" from Portugal.The Man, while also static at 4 is Marshmello & Anne-Marie with "Friends".

Up seven places to Number 5 this week, with his third Top 10 hit, is George Ezra.

This is "Paradise".

The next three tracks all fall one place this week - down to 6 is Dua Lipa with "IDGAF"; down to 7 is Keala Settle & the Greatest Showman ensemble with "This Is Me" and down to 8 is Post Malone & Ty Dolla $ign with "Psycho".

Up one place to 9 is "The Middle" from Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey while down two to 10 is Kendrick Lamar & SZA with "All The Stars".

Up eight places to Number 12 is Bebe Rexha and country duo Florida Georgia Line.

This is "Meant To Be".

This week's highest new entry comes from a new name to the UK chart - American comedian David Andrew Burd who performs rap songs as Lil' Dicky.

With guest vocals from Chris Brown, this is his take on the movie "Freaky Friday".

Up 8 places to Number 20, is another rapper with his first UK Top 20 single - 20 year old Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy.

Performing as XXXTentacion, this is "Sad".

He also has a new entry at Number 31 this week.

Here is XXXTentacion again with "Moonlight".

As usual I finish off with tracks from the US & UK Number 1 albums.  In the UK, its now 11 consecutive weeks at the top for the soundtrack to the movie "The Greatest Showman", equalling Adele's "21" for the longest consecutive run 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, claiming his second chart topper is rapper Sir Robert Bryson Hall II (AKA Logic) with his latest mixtape, "Bobby Tarantino II".

From the album, this is "44 More".

                                   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 - What About Us - The Saturdays featuring Sean Paul/Mirrors - Justin Timberlake

10 years ago - American Boy - Estelle featuring Kanye West/Mercy - Duffy

20 years ago - It's Like That - Run DMC vs Jason Nevins/My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion

30 years ago - Don't Turn Around - Aswad/Drop The Boy - Bros

40 years ago - Wuthering Heights - Kate Bush/Denis - Blondie

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

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/That's What I Like - Bruno Mars

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 

So who is going to claim Drake's Number 1 spot next week? - find out here, 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.