The Smile and The Reytons are battling it out for this week’s Official Albums #1. Over on singles, Teddy Swims could be set for his first Top 3 hit.
Radiohead offshoot group The Smile—comprised of Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood and Tom Skinner—are #1 midweek with their second record, Wall of Eyes (XL).
Indie-rock band The Reytons are also within touching distance of #1 with their self-released Ballad of a Bystander. Should they charge ahead by Friday, they’ll claim their second chart-topper in a year.
James Arthur could have his fifth U.K. Top 10 with Sweet Love (Columbia) at #3, while Tom Odell aims for a sixth with Black Friday (UROK) at #4.
Future Islands’ People Who Aren’t There Anymore (4AD) rounds out a prospective all-new Top 5.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles midweeks, Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” (Republic) is tracking for a fifth week at #1. Swims’ “Lose Control” (Atlantic) is expected to rise three to #3.
“Popular” (Republic) by The Weeknd, Madonna and Playboi Carter is aiming for a re-peak at #11. “Beautiful Things” (Warner Records) by Benson Boone is set to rise five to #13. Finally, “Alibi” (Asylum) by Ella Henderson f/Rudimental is up 10 to #16.
Green Day has its fifth U.K. Official Albums #1 with Saviors (Reprise). Over on singles, Noah Kahan has two entries in the Top 5.
Saviors also tops this week’s Official Vinyl Albums Chart, with one third of its total sales made up of vinyl purchases.
Noah Kahan’s Stick Season (Mercury/Republic) is up two to #2.
Neck Deep (Hopeless) from Welsh pop-punk outfit Neck Deep debuts at #11, their fourth Top 20 album. Heavy metal band Saxon secure their 11th Top 40 with Hell Fire and Damnation (Militia Guard Music) at #19.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart, Kahan’s “Stick Season” remains at #1 with 8.7m streams across the last seven days. His “Homesick” with Sam Fender is the week’s highest new entry at #5.
“Murder on the Dancefloor” (Polydor) by Sophie Ellis-Bextor again rises to its previous peak of #2 thanks to its feature in Saltburn.
Another track enjoying a nostalgia wave is “Unwritten” (Sony) by Natasha Bedingfield, which rises five to #13 after being featured in the rom-com Anyone But You.
Further down, Flo Milli’s “Never Lose Me” (RCA) hits a new peak of #17, while TikTok star Benson Boone has his first Top 20 with “Beautiful Things” (Night Street/Warner) at #18.
RAYE breaks the record for the most BRIT Award nominations in a year with seven while Dua Lipa, Central Cee and J Hus are among the artists up for multiple awards.
RAYE is up for Artist of the Year, Mastercard Album of the Year for her debut, My 21st Century Blues (Human Re Sources), Best New Artist, Pop Act, R&B Act and two nods for Song of the Year. The previous record of six noms was held by Gorillaz (2002), Craig David (2001) and Robbie Williams (1999).
More than half (55%) of all 2024 BRIT nominations feature women, either as a solo artist or as part of an all-woman group. The figure rises to 57% when including women in mixed gender groups.
Dua Lipa has three nods: Artist of the Year, Pop Act and Song of the Year. She’s the first artist confirmed to perform at the main show in London on 3/2.
Central Cee and J Hus both have four nods, while Blur, Little Simz and Young Fathers have three. Also up for three awards are Calvin Harris, Dave and Olivia Dean.
2024 also sees the first BRIT nomination for The Rolling Stones in over a decade, in the Alternative/Rock Act category.
Music Venue Trust’s annual report paints a dismal picture of the state of the grassroots venue sector in the U.K., with 38% of businesses reporting a financial loss over the last 12 months. Sixteen percent of venues have closed.
Despite an increased demand for tickets last year, and more than £500m in revenue generation, 835 MVT members made just £2.5m or 0.5% profit for the period. The report details how, without a combination of grants and donations totaling £3.1m, the sector would have operated at a loss.
GMV’s staged more than 187k events in 2023, with 1.7m individual artist performances attracting an audience of 23.5m. The total amount that venues are subsidizing live music rose to £115m in 2023from £79m in 2022, an increase of 45% year-on-year, according to MVT.
Beverley Whitrick, COO of Music Venue Trust, said: “Without external support our entire sector would be bankrupt. We have been warning of these consequences for the last six years yet still the top end of the live music sector posts record profits while, with a few notable exceptions, turning a blind eye to those who discover, nurture and develop the artists that generate that revenue for them.”
With energy costs remaining high and rent increases averaging 37%, 164 member venues accessed the MVT Emergency Response Service. For the first time since the organization’s launch a decade ago, the primary cause of venue closure was a lack of financial viability.
“Enough is enough, this report speaks for itself and we will not allow this to continue,” MVT CEO Mark Davyd said. “We must either find a way to act collectively to get these venues and the artists who rely on them the financial support they need to survive or we will seek legislation to compel it.
“The idea that we, as an industry, cannot voluntarily create a levy to support our grassroots sector, unilaterally and without government intervention is absurd but we cannot escape the fact that we are simply not acting fast enough.”
Davyd is asking all of the main political parties for manifesto commitments ahead of the forthcoming general election that state that there must be a contribution from the most successful parts of the industry into the grassroots research and development carried out on their behalf.
“It’s time to stop the excuses—we can no longer accept complacency from those in a position to help prevent the annihilation of our sector.”
CAA’s veteran U.K. agent Emma Banks has been named chair of music therapy charity Nordoff and Robbins. She takes over from David Munns, who is stepping down after 14 years.
In her new role, Banks will oversee Nordoff and Robbins’ mission of using music therapy to help break through the barriers caused by life-limiting illness, disability and social isolation. She will be supported by newly appointed Vice Chair Lucy Noble, who takes over from Howard Jones.
Sandra Schembri, CEO of Nordoff and Robbins, called Banks “a hugely respected figure in the music industry and beyond.” She continued: “We are grateful for Emma’s time, presence and energy as we now leave the challenges of recent years behind and look ahead to a bright future.”
Banks, co-head of CAA’s London office and of international touring, is a longstanding supporter of Nordoff and Robbins. She has chaired the committee of the charity’s flagship O2 Silver Clef Awards for the past decade and joined the Board of Trustees in 2019.
Banks called her new title “a true honor.” “The music industry has loyally supported and championed this vital charity for many years, and I embrace the responsibility of building on David’s legacy with the support of Lucy and the Board of Trustees, continuing this essential advocacy far into the future.
“We have an incredibly strong board that we will be looking to add to in the coming months as our new strategy develops, and I welcome anyone who is interested in becoming involved with Nordoff and Robbins to reach out to me.”
As part of its new strategy, Nordoff and Robbins will continue using music to address injustice across society, lobby for policy change on behalf of its clients and encourage a more diverse pool of musicians to train as music therapists.
Green Day looks set to claim their fifth U.K. Official Albums #1 on Friday. Over on singles, where “Stick Season” (Republic) is holding strong at the top, Noah Kahan looks to add to his Top 10 tally.
Saviors (Reprise) is outselling the rest of the Top 10 combined at the halfway point.
Elsewhere, Welsh pop-punk outfit Neck Deep could claim their highest-charting album yet with Neck Deep (Hopeless) at #2.
This week’s rock theme continues with heavy metal band Saxon on track for their first Top 3 with Hell Fire and Damnation (Militia Guard Music) at #3.
Outside the Top 10, yet another rock act, South of Salem, are at #14 with their self-released Death of the Party. Teddy Swims’ with I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 1) (Warner Records) continues to rise, now at #20.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles midweeks, “Stick Season” is currently 7k sales ahead of its closest competition. Should it hold onto its lead, Friday will be its fourth week at #1.
This week’s highest new entry could also go to Kahan. His “Homesick” with Sam Fender is expected to debut at #3.
“Murder on the Dancefloor” (Polydor) by Sophie Ellis-Bextor is up again, rising one to #2. TikTok star Benson Boone could have his first Top 20 with “Beautiful Things” (Night Street/Warner) at #13.
D-Block Europe have their first U.K. Official Albums #1 with Rolling Stone (EGA). Over on singles, Noah Kahan claims a third week at the top.
Rolling Stone, which has been self-released and distributed by EGA, is the third full-length studio album from the rap duo. This week, they have reclaimed their title as the British rap act with the most Top 10 albums, with eight in total (including mixtapes and collaborative releases).
American Dream (Epic/Slaughter Gang) by 21 Savage is his highest-charting solo LP at #2. The Vaccines have their sixth Top 5 album with Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations (Super Easy) landing at #3.
Further down, Teddy Swims’ debut, I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1) (Warner Records), is up three to #21.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart, Kahan's “Stick Season” (Republic) fends off strong competition from Ariana Grande’s “yes, and?” (Republic) to remain at #1.
The former remained on top with 8.2m streams but there were just 600 sales between the two. Grande therefore has this week’s highest new entry at #2.
Swims’ “Lose Control” is up one to #5. Three tracks from Savage's American Dream are in the Top 40: “redrum” at #11; “née-nah” with Travis Scott and Metro Boomin at #23; and “n.h.i.e.” f/Doja Cat at #27.
Brooke Salisbury has joined Sony Music U.K. in the newly created position of SVP, International Marketing & Digital Partnerships. She most recently served as GM at ADA U.K.
In her new role, Salisbury will oversee the label's U.K. teams working on international marketing and partnerships with DSPs.
“I’m delighted to welcome Brooke to her new role where she will help bolster our service for both artists and digital partners,” Jason Iley, MBE, chairman and CEO at Sony Music U.K. & Ireland, said.
At ADA, Warner Music’s distribution and label services division, Salisbury worked closely with Central Cee on his success through chart-topping mixtapes and global hit singles. She also guided the distributor’s partnerships with a range of independent labels, including BMG, Defected and London Records, and artists such as Sonny Fodera, Oliver Heldens and Tom Zanetti.
Prior to ADA, Salisbury held senior roles at Domino, first running its Australian business before relocating to London as the label’s U.K. head of Marketing. There, she oversaw the campaigns of Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, Jon Hopkins and more.
