U.K. MIDWEEKS: SYCO FACTORS IN

The X Factor winner’s single, penned by Ed Sheeran and Amy Wadge, has shot to #1 on the U.K. iTunes chart after being released Sunday. Will it top the Official Singles #9 peak 2015 winner Louisa Johnson reached—and return the show to its former #1 hitting glory?

“When Christmas Comes Around” (Syco) is sung by Matt Terry, who was crowned victor of Simon Cowell’s talent show in Blighty Sunday night. It’s the second time Sheeran and Wadge have collaborated, “Thinking Out Loud” being the first.

A sales flash Tuesday will reveal the stats; in the meantime, Taylor Swift and Zayn’s Fifty Shades Darker contribution “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” (Virgin EMI) is the highest new singles entry midweek at #5. The track, released on UMG, adheres to Swift's anti-Spotify policy.

The debut single from 1D’s Louis Tomlinson, “Just Hold On” (Ultra) with Steve Aoki, was bolstered by an X Factor performance on Saturday and has entered at #21 after one day on sale.

Clean Bandit’s “Rockabye” (Atlantic) is still #1 and BRITs Critics’ Choice winner Rag’n’Bone Man has risen six places to #2 with “Human” (Columbia).

Over on the Official Albums midweek update, Michael Ball and Alfie Boe’s Together (Decca), which has sold 250k copies over the last five weeks, is heading to #1, thanks in part to an ITV special that aired over the weekend.

Falling one place to #2 is last week’s #1, The Rolling Stones’ Blue & Lonesome (Polydor), while Elvis Presley’s The Wonder of You (Sony Music CG) rebounds to #3. Little Mix’ Glory Days (Syco) and Olly Murs’ 24 HRS (RCA) complete the Top 5.