U.K. CHARTS: BRITS ACTS RULE

BRITs performers Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry and winner Rag’n’Bone Man dominate this week’s charts in Blighty, as George Michael, The 1975 and Emeli Sande see their Spotify streams rocket.

Sheeran has three tracks in the Official Singles Top 5 with “Shape of You” (Atlantic) logging its seventh week at #1 with 7.37m streams and 34k downloads this week.

“How Would You Feel (Paean)” is new at #2, while “Castle on the Hill” moves down one place to #4. All have him in prime position for the release of his third album on 3/3.

BRITs Critics’ Choice and British Breakthrough Act Rag’n’Bone Man (Columbia) is at #3 with “Human,” while Perry’s “Chained to the Rhythm” (Virgin EMI) rises two places to #5 after a very well-received BRITs performance.

Kygo and Selena Gomez’ collaboration “It Ain’t Me” (Columbia) opens at #9, and, despite not maintaining a midweek peak of #4, Take That shifts the most physical sales this week with (a rather bizarre) 12k copies of “Giants” (Polydor) to finish at #13.

Over on the Official Albums Chart, Rag’n’Bone Man logs a second week at #1 with Human. The album has outsold the rest of this week’s Top 5 with 69k combined sales; it’s another extremely impressive week following his 117k first-week tally.

Amy Macdonald ends at #2 with fourth album Under Stars (Virgin EMI), while Ryan Adams scores a personal best with Prisoner (Virgin EMI) at #3.

Sheeran's x spends its 62nd non-consecutive week in the Top 5 at #4 and BRITs Global Success Adele rises one place to #5 with 25 (XL).

Other BRIT Award winners and nominees seeing sales spikes include Sheeran, whose + rebounds six places to #13, while Best British group The 1975 enjoy a 67% boost week on week with I Like It When You Sleep... (Dirty Hit/Polydor) rocketing 34 places to #18.

Best Female Solo Artist Sande shifts eight spots to #28 with Long Live The Angels (Virgin EMI), while nominees Christine and the Queens' climbs four rungs to #30 with Chaleur Humaine (Because). Kings of Leon's W.A.L.L.S (Columbia) is boosted 21 positions to #35.

Those enjoying an unptick in Spotify streams following the BRIT Awards are as follows:

ARTISTS
George Michael +108% (more than doubled)
The 1975 +102% (more than doubled)
Emeli Sandé +62%
A Tribe Called Quest +61%
David Bowie +40%

TRACKS
George Michael "A Different Corner" (performed by Chris Martin) + 856%
Emeli Sandé "Hurts" + 331%
Robbie Williams "I Love My Life" +274%
Robbie Williams "Mixed Signals" +169%
The 1975 "The Sound" +169%
Skepta "Shutdown" +166%
Robbie Williams "The Heavy Entertainment Show" +165%
Bruno Mars "That's What I Like" +103%