U.K. CHARTS: JUSTIN BIEBER BREAKS ALL-TIME STREAMING RECORD
Ted Cockle’s Virgin EMI is enjoying a solid week as Justin Bieber becomes the first act in U.K. Official Charts history to hit 100m streams with “Sorry,” while Paul Simon (also on Virgin EMI) is this week’s Official Albums #1 with Stranger to Stranger.
“Sorry” spent two weeks as #1 on the Official Singles summit late last year, and has stayed in the Top 40 ever since. Bieber's other two chart-toppers, “What Do You Mean” and “Love Yourself,” are also hurtling toward the 100m mark, currently at 98.6m and 94.3m, respectively.
Another act that’s showing no signs of letting up in Blighty is Drake, as “One Dance” (Island) secures its ninth week at #1 on the Official Singles Chart on 73k combined sales. It’s also the most-streamed track of the week with 5.6m listens.
Two more non-movers are Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” (RCA) at #2 and Calvin Harris and Rihanna’s “This Is What You Came For” (Columbia) at #3.
Indie track “This Girl” (3 Beat) by Kungs vs. Cookin’ on 3 Burners rockets six places to #4 and Clean Bandit and Louisa Johnson’s “Tears” (Atlantic) is up one place to #5.
On the Official Albums story, Simon has secured his fifth chart-topping album with 13th solo collection Stranger to Stranger; his first studio effort to have reached the top spot in 26 years.
Elsewhere, Drake’s Views is still at #2 and Coldplay move up one place to #3 with A Head Full of Dreams (Parlophone). Beyoncé's Lemonade (RCA) slides one position to #4, and last week’s #1, The Ride (Island) by Catfish and the Bottlemen, drops to #5.
