STYLES, SHEERAN LEAD CHARTS IN FIRST HALF OF '22

Harry Styles has the top single of the first half of 2022 in the U.K. and the second-best-selling album, Harry’s House (Columbia), the biggest of this year’s releases. Ed Sheeran’s having a good year, too.

Harry’s House, Styles’ third solo LP, has achieved 244k in U.K. chart sales since its release in May and is the top seller on physical formats. Lead single “As It Was” logged 10 weeks atop the Official Singles Chart, with more than 855k combined chart units so far, driven by 95m streams. “As It Was” is also the most physically purchased (11k units) and digitally downloaded (33k units) song of the year.

Ed Sheeran is likewise enjoying a solid 2022, with the top-selling album of the first half of the year and three entries in the Top 10 at singles.

Sheeran’s = (Equals) (Atlantic), his fourth studio record, has racked up 256k in combined U.K. chart units this year and is also the most streamed and downloaded album of the year to date. His Divide is in the #8 slot. Sheeran’s single with Afrobeats legend Fireboy DML, “Peru,” is #2 on the singles chart, propelled by 98m streams, while his “Bad Habits” is #4 and “Shivers” comes in at #6.

“We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” the mega-hit from Disney’s Encanto, places at #3, but it’s by far the most-streamed track of the year: 110m streams overall, 36m of which are video streams.

New acts with breakthrough singles this year are Cat Burns, whose “Go” (Since 93/RCA) is #7, and Belters Only, whose “Make Me Feel Good” f/Jazzy (Polydor) is #9.

At albums, the only other Top 10 entry for 2022 thus far is The Weeknd’s Dawn FM (OVO/Republic), at #10 on 101k in combined chart sales since its January debut. The biggest new British release of the year comes courtesy of Shepherd’s Bush-born drill rapper Central Cee and his mixtape 23 (ADA), at #20.

OFFICIAL ALBUMS CHART TOP 10 FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 2022

1. Ed Sheeran, = (Equals)
2. Harry Styles, Harry’s House
3. Olivia Rodrigo, SOUR
4. Adele, 30
5. Little Mix, Between Us
6. Fleetwood Mac, 50 Years–Don’t Stop
7. The Weeknd, The Highlights
8. Ed Sheeran, Divide
9. Eminem, Curtain Call: The Hits
10. The Weeknd, Dawn FM

OFFICIAL SINGLES CHART TOP 10 FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 2022

1. Harry Styles, “As It Was”
2. Fireboy DML & Ed Sheeran, “Peru”
3. Encanto cast, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”
4. Ed Sheeran, “Bad Habits”
5. Lost Frequencies/Calum Scott, “Where Are You Now?”
6. Ed Sheeran, “Shivers”
7. Cat Burns, “Go”
8. Glass Animals, “Heat Waves”
9. Belters Only f/Jazzy, “Make Me Feel Good”
10. Dave, “Starlight”