Eminem Performs Magic Trick on U.K. Chart With ‘Houdini’

Eminem’s “Houdini” (Interscope) proves unstoppable on the U.K. chart, as it notches a second week at No. 1.

There’s a touch of magic about Marshall Mathers’ 11th and latest No. 1 on the Official U.K. Chart; it’s the first time the Rock Hall-inducted rap legend has secured more than one week at the summit.

Em previously led the survey with “The Real Slim Shady” (2000), “Stan” (2000), “Without Me” (2002), “Lose Yourself” (2002), “Just Lose It” (2004), “Like Toy Soldiers” (2005), “Smack That” with Akon (2006), “The Monster” with Rihanna (2013), “River” with Ed Sheeran (2017) and “Godzilla” with the late Juice WRLD (2020).

Sabrina Carpenter has had Brits drinking down “Espresso” (Island) all summer. The track holds at No. 2 on the chart, published Friday, June 14. Now, she’s getting a buzz from her new single “Please, Please, Please,” new at No. 3 for the highest new entry on the Official Chart.

Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour is currently working its way through the U.K. Typically, TayTay’s tunes fly up the charts of those countries she visits, and the U.K. is no different. As The Tortured Poets Department (EMI) returns to No. 1 on the national albums survey, “Cruel Summer” reenters the U.K. top 40 at No. 17.

After nabbing a record six Brit Awards earlier this year, RAYE bags a 15th U.K. top 40 appearance with “Genesis” (Human Re Sources). Clocking in at seven minutes, “Genesis” debuts at No. 22. It’s the followup to RAYE’s No. 1 hit from 2023, “Escapism.”

Meanwhile, Swift’s Tortured Poets logs a sixth non-consecutive week atop the Official U.K. Albums Chart, setting a new mark for the U.S. pop superstar. Tortured Poets surpasses her previous best of five non-consecutive weeks with 2022’s Midnights. Tortured Poets retains top spot, thanks in part to the release of new, U.K.-exclusive digital formats including previously-unreleased bonus live recordings, in celebration of the current U.K. leg of her The Eras Tour.

Five classic Swift albums climb the chart: Lover (19-7), 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (21-9), Midnights (26-13), folklore (25-14) and reputation (36-19).

After leading earlier in the week, Charli XCX’s sixth LP Brat (Atlantic) bows at No. 2. According to the Official Charts Company, Brat’s first-week total eclipses that of her 2022 No. 1 Crash.

Finally, Rock Hall-inducted rock legends Bon Jovi complete the podium with Forever (EMI), new at No. 3.

Lars Brandle

Billboard