Noah Kahan Pips Ariana Grande For U.K. Chart Crown

Noah Kahan sticks to No. 1 in the U.K., winning a chart race that goes down to the wire.

The Vermont singer and songwriter’s folky hit “Stick Season” enters a third consecutive week at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, published Friday, Jan. 19, edging Ariana Grande’s “Yes, And?,” for a Republic Records 1-2.

Grande’s comeback track is the week’s top debut, entering at No. 2 for her 21st U.K. top 10, and 32nd top 40 appearance in the U.K.

“Yes, And?” is the most-streamed song (8.2 million streams) during the cycle, the Official Charts Company confirms, and finishes the week just 600 chart units behind “Stick Season.”

Helmed by master Swedish producer Max Martin, “Yes, And?” is Grande’s first solo hit since “Test Drive” rode in at No. 38 in March 2021.

Completing the podium is Sophie Ellis-Bextor‘s Saltburn-fueled 2001 disco tune “Murder on the Dancefloor” (Polydor), dipping 2-3.

Teddy Swims continues to make a splash with “Lose Control” (Atlantic), which becomes the U.S. artist’s first U.K. top 5 single. It’s up 6-5 on the latest tally.

As expected, Natasha Bedingfield pens another chapter in her chart history with “Unwritten” (Phonogenic), which rebounds to No. 18, powered by its prominent sync to the romcom Anyone But You. Originally released in 2004, “Unwritten” peaked at No. 6 that year and is one of the British singer’s five career U.K. top 10s.

D-Block Europe’s “Eagle” (D-Block Europe) featuring Albanian artist Noizy becomes the British rap pair’s 30th top 40 single, new at No. 19. “Eagle” swoops in as D-Block Europe land their first No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart with Rolling Stone, an effort that extends their record tally of U.K. top 10 albums to eight – the most of any British rap act in Official Charts history.

Also new to the singles chart top 40 is Flo Milli’s “Never Lose Me” (’94 Sounds/RCA). The U.S. rapper’s viral release flies 41-24, for Milli’s first top tier appearance. “Never Lose Me” has sported a range of trends on TikTok since its release, and finally bagged top spot on the Jan. 20-dated TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart in its seventh week on the survey.

Following the release of American Dream (Columbia), his first solo U.K. top 10 album, 21 Savage lands three cuts on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, the maximum permitted from any album under OCC rules. Leading the charge from the London-born, Atlantic-based hip-hop artist is “redrum” (No. 11), “née-nah” with Travis Scott and Metro Boomin (at No. 23), and “n.h.i.e.” featuring Doja Cat (No. 27). American Dream starts at No. 2 on the albums tally. That’s one spot behind his 2022 collaborative LP with Drake, Her Loss, which reached No. 1, and eclipses 2020’s Savage Mode II with Metro Boomin, which peaked at No. 10.

Lars Brandle

Billboard