SHOTGUN BY GEORGE EZRA BREAKS RECORD FOR LONGEST CONSECUTIVE CHART RUN ON UK SINGLES CHART

On this week's Singles Chart, "Shotgun" by George Ezra is at Number 54 on its 74th week on the listing.

Congratulations are in order, as this is now a new record, overtaking the 73 week runs of previous (joint) record holders, "Rather Be" and "Thinking Out Loud".

In celebration of the new milestone, set out below is a timeline of how the record has gradually increased since the first track to spend 30 consecutive weeks on the chart.

The first record to spend 30 consecurive weeks on the chart was "I Believe" by Frankie Laine.  First charting on 4th April 1953 at Number 11, it reached the 30 week mark on 24th October 1953, finally bowing out on 5th December after a 36 week run.  (This total is all the more impressive as the chart was only a Top 12 at the time!).  

This 36 week total included a record 18 weeks at Number One in three separate spells at the top, a record that still stands today.

This total stood until 23rd September 1961, when Scottish singer Andy Stewart hit 37 weeks with his song "A Scottish Soldier".  It would finally bow out a week later having totalled 38 weeks on the chart.  Remarkably, the track never made the Top 10, peaking at just Number 19.

However, this new mark stood for less than a year, when Acker Bilk's haunting "Stranger On The Shore" reached the 39 weeks mark on 25th August 1962. Remarkably, the track would hang around the chart for another four months, eventually leaving on 15th December 1962 after setting an impressive new mark of 55 weeks.

This new record stood for just over five years, until "Release Me" by Engelbert Humperdinck would increase the record by the smallest margin, hitting 56 weeks on 17th February 1968.

This impressive new total would stand as the benchmark for more than 40 years, until it was eventually overtaken on 17th July 2010, when a group takes the record for the first time. "I Gotta Feelin'" by US group the Black Eyed Peas would eventually clock up an impressive 63 week run, finally leaving the chart on 28th August 2010. 

The group would hold of allcomers until early 2015, when Pharrell Williams spent a 64th week on the chart with "Happy".  The run would come to and end on 4th April 2015 after setting a new record of 70 weeks, in the meantime becoming one of only two records ever to spend a whole calendar year on the chart.  (Ironically the other one, "Let It Go" by Idina Menzel was on the chart the same time as Pharrell).

Pharrell's reign was short-lived, however, as in June 2015, "Rather Be" by Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne spent a 71st week on the chart, eventually departing on 29th June with a new record of 73 weeks.

This total would be equalled later that year, when on 20th November, "Thinking Out Loud" by Ed Sheeran also managed 73 weeks on the chart before leaving.

Finally, we come to this week, and "Shotgun" spends a 74th week on the listing.

Congratulation to Mr Ezra, here he is with the new record breaking track.