If you didn’t know the name Olivia Dean, you probably will after this moment, which punches her one way ticket to the summit of the music industry.

On just her second offering, her album, ‘The Art Of Loving’ has claimed the throne in the UK Charts this week, leapfrogging the likes of Sabrina Carpenter and Doja Cat. Her single ‘Man I Need,’ which has spiralled into popularity, also claimed pole position on the UK Singles Charts. 

Both mark the first time the singer has achieved either feat. The last female artist to have such a debut week, (53,00 units moved) was none other than Adele in 2021. Whilst following  those footprints seems unimaginably difficult, there is certainly no better way to go about it…

Dean has also topped the Official Vinyl Albums Charts. Oh, and dispute having the number one single, that wasn’t enough for her, she also snags number 4 (Nice To Each Other) AND number 9 (So Easy (To Fall In Love)).

Following the excitement, fans were delivered a second serving. Dean announced on her social media that two more O2 dates would be added to next year’s ‘Art Of Loving Tour’. 

That brings what is now an O2 Residency to six nights in total. Dean was performing in venues holding less than 5,000 people just one year ago. She will now sing to around 120,000 fans over 6 nights in what’s arguably the country’s greatest arena.

She really does make it look dangerously easy, but has stayed personal and connected with her followers. In a wholesome heartfelt style, that the London born singer has always embodied, she shared a heartfelt thank you to her fans on her Instagram.

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A post shared by Olivia Dean (@oliviadeano)

The artist wrote: “my heart is so full thank u for receiving the album so warmly. feeling very loved and understood!”

That would be a career defining feat for many, but you can’t ignore the feeling that this could be merely a surface scratching procurement.

Pre-sale tickets will be available from 10am on Wednesday 8th October.

To gain access, you can order the number one album from Dean’s official store by 5pm on Monday 6th October.

General sale tickets will be released at 10am on Friday 10th October.

In this week’s UK albums chart, Ed Sheeran is at number eight on its 13th week charting; previously, ‘The Mathematics Tour Collection‘ peaked at number five on its debut week and overall for three-non consecutive weeks since September. If the album climbs its way to number one, it would become Sheeran’s eight album to achieve the position: first, the artist claimed the spot with his first project in the mathematics collection, titled ‘+‘, which has since its debut become one of the longest charting albums of the century with 444 weeks charting. Afterwards, Sheeran topped charts again with ‘x‘, ‘divide’, ‘=‘ and ‘-‘. Perhaps the most successful out of all the ‘Mathematics’ projects is ‘Divide‘ which has spent 408 weeks in the UK top 100 after being released in 2017. Sheeran also reached the number one with ‘No. 6 Projects Collection‘ and ‘Autumn Variations’. 

The album is set to climb charts after the release of a limited edition vinyl variant.

According to Official Charts, Sheeran won’t be the only chart climber this week. Chappell Roan’s ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess‘ might be making its way to the top three podium after charting at number four this week. Sabrina Carpenter, currently at number two with ‘Short n Sweet’, is expected to hold on to the position, while current chart-topper Michael Buble will most likely fall out of the top ten after the festive excitement with his 2011 album ‘Christmas‘. Currently, the UK top five is made up of ‘Christmas‘, ‘Short n Sweet‘, SZA’s ‘SOS‘, ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess‘ and Charli xcx’s ‘BRAT‘.

Earlier last December, Sheeran had revealed that he had ‘big projects’ for 2025, hinting that a new album might be in the near future for the ‘Shape of You’ singer.

Last Friday, the winner of the 2025 Christmas number one title was announced to be WHAM!’s “Last Christmas“, for the second year in a row. While, among the most popular songs of the week, Michael Buble has a few charting from his 2011 album titled “Christmas“. If Mariah Carey is the queen of Christmas, Buble might as well be the King of the December holidays. Despite Sabrina Carpenter’s “Short n Sweet” has claimed the number one position in this week’s albums chart, Buble’s “Christmas” is predicted to reach this Friday’s top spot on charts. Currently, the album is charting at number two.

“Christmas” was first released in 2011, and debuted on charts in its release year in early November. Quickly, the album and Buble himself became synonyms with Christmas: in the year of its debut, “Christmas” climbed charts peaking at number one for three non-consecutive weeks, including Christmas week, and stayed charting at the top spots of the UK charts for the months of December and November. Despite the acclaimed debut and the public’s love for the album, Michael Buble’s “Christmas” struggled to make its way into the top five for the years following its debut and never peaked at number one again until January of 2021.

In 2021, in fact, “Christmas” peaked at number one on the first week of January. But during the month of December of 2021, despite having achieved the top spot earlier in the year, “Christmas“‘s peak was only number three. But Buble would re-claim that number one position the following year, and the year after as well! In 2022 and 2023 Buble peaked again, for two consecutive years, at number one. And according to Official Charts, this year the same might happen!

Overall, Buble’s “Christmas” has spent six non-consecutive weeks at number one on UK charts. It is one of Buble’s five albums which have peaked at number one in the UK, and overall the Canadian-born artist has spent 559 weeks charting in the top albums. The album “Christmas” alone is responsible for 118 of those weeks, and possibly another one coming this Friday!

Despite the success reached with his albums, Buble has still to get a UK top one song. Despite his Christmas albums is always one of the most played of the year, it has never granted Buble a number one hit song. Instead, the artist has three UK top tens, and 18 songs in the wider top 75.

In the past couple years, every time Buble would claim the number one spot it would be the week right after Christmas, is this year going to be the same? Will “Christmas” reclaim that number one spot that it has yet to achieve this year?

After the success of “I love you, I’m sorry”, which everyone thought would be Gracie Abrams’s biggest hit for the year, the American singer is making headlines and topping, once again, charts, with “That’s so True”.  The song has now been number one for five consecutive weeks. A fan-favorite which Abrams has played at many concerts before the official release, “That’s so True” is one of the longest number one charting songs of the year. The question is whether its success will guarantee the song the top spot over Christmas or if it will lose its crown to pre-established Christmas hits.

WHAM’s “Last Christmas” takes the second spot, climbing charts quickly the closer it gets to Christmas. “Last Christmas” peaked at number one three times in the past and it seems to be headed towards the same direction this year! It topped charts over Christmas in 2020, 2022 and 2023, and peaked at number two on 2021 (losing the title to Ed Sheeran and Elton John’s “Merry Christmas”). In a matter of days, the song went from number eight to number two and is currently the most likely song to be crowned Christmas hit of the year.

Number three and number four are taken by two songs which have been charting in the top five for a couple weeks now. The collaboration between Rosé and Bruno Mars titled “Apt” has been charting in the top 10 for seven weeks but always failing to achieve the number one position. Gigi Perez’s “Sailor Song”, instead, is on its ninth week in the top ten and has already claimed the number one position once.

At number five, Mariah Carey has begun her yearly climbing of the charts. “All I Want for Christmas is You” is one of the most popular Christmas songs of the decade and has achieved the number one position twice in the past. In 2020, twenty-six years after being released, it reached the number one position. It had been charting for seventy weeks before then, and Official Charts have confirmed no other song ever charted for that long before reaching number one. Carey’s Christmas hit also spent the week before Christmas as number one in 2022.

The race for Christmas number one is getting more competitive and it seems like the title will be awarded this year to a classic song that everyone knows and loves instead of a new release. View the full UK top 100 chart of the week here.

Michael gained worldwide acclaim through being a member of English pop duo, Wham! alongside Andrew Ridgeley from 1981 to 1986. The pair had many notable tracks throughout the 1980s, including: ‘Club Tropicana’, ‘Everything She Wants’ and ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’ – an impressive discography which sold more than 30 million certified records worldwide.

‘Careless Whisper’ was written in 1981 by Michael at 17-years-old. The track juxtaposed Wham’s pre-existing hits, they were usually energetic with infectious dance-driven beats and playful lyrics, whereas ‘Careless Whisper’ conveyed a sombreness and sincerity, expressing a profound maturity from the singer-songwriter. Michael’s vocals were smooth and soulful alongside the captivating saxophone instrumental, which soon iconically characterised the track.

In Michael’s 1991 memoir, ‘Blare’, the pop icon reminisced on the construction of ‘Careless Whisper’: “I was on my way to DJ at the Bel Air when I wrote ‘Careless Whisper’. I have always written on buses, trains and in cars. It always happens on journeys… With ‘Careless Whisper’ I remember exactly where it first came to me, where I came up with the sax line… I can remember very vaguely where I was when I wrote things after Wham! got off the ground, but with ‘Careless Whisper’ I remember exactly the time and place”.

Michael had released many hits throughout his solo career, including ‘Faith’, ‘Freedom ‘90’, ‘Father Figure’ and Fastlove, Pt. 1’, however, ‘Careless Whisper’ would always remain his biggest hit after it released on July 24, 1984. It sold over 6 million copies and reached Number 1 in 25 countries. It made Michael a breakthrough artist when he was awarded an Ivor Novello in 1985 for the track as ‘Songwriter of the Year’, becoming the youngest recipient at 21-years-old.

The re-release of the single in October saw the track climb to the Number 1 spot on the Physical Singles Chart on October 31 and again this week on November 14.

Upon the anniversary re-release of ‘Careless Whisper’, the track’s guitarist Hugh Burns fondly discussed with the Independent his work with Wham! and Michael. He stated: “The thing about George that was exceptional – and I’ve worked with a lot of wonderful singers – is that he had all his ideas in his head… Very often he would sing it to you, to give you an idea. He was very strict on detail, and he had a remarkable talent for getting the feel just right”. Burns had recorded on the track ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’ and performed alongside Michael during his performance of ‘Jesus to a Child’ at the MTV Europe Music Awards in 1994.

Despite his devastating passing over seven years ago, Michael remains a prominent musician in the industry, continuing to posthumously top the charts. Not only with ‘Careless Whisper’ but during every festive period, Wham’s iconic Christmas single, ‘Last Christmas’ tops the charts. 39 years after its release, it was crowned a UK Number 1 single on December 22, 2023, for the first time.

]]> https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/george-michaels-careless-whisper-reaches-number-one-on-the-physical-singles-chart/feed/ 0 https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/last-christmas-by-wham-is-this-years-christmas-number-one/ https://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/last-christmas-by-wham-is-this-years-christmas-number-one/#comments Sun, 24 Dec 2023 09:19:21 +0000 http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/?p=98422 This year, Wham!’s “Last Christmas” has claimed the title of Christmas number one, a remarkable achievement considering it was first released 39 years ago. In a highly competitive race, this festive classic surpassed Sam Ryder to secure the top spot. Mariah Carey secured third place, while Noah Kahn’s “Stick Season” came in fourth. Originally released in 1984, “Last Christmas” was initially held back from the top spot by Band Aid’s charity single, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” However, this week, UK fans streamed “Last Christmas” a staggering 13.3 million times, making it the most-played song ever during Christmas week.

Interestingly, this is the first time that George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley’s song has reached number one during Christmas week. Ridgeley expressed his delight and humility at achieving this milestone, stating,“It’s marvellous and humbling to have got there. Top of the pile is a great place to be.” He added that Michael, who died in 2016, had always wanted the song to be a Christmas number one.”He felt any great songwriter should be able to write a Christmas hit to order. Unfortunately, it’s taken too long for George – but he’d be absolutely over the moon.”

The Top Five Christmas Songs

1. Wham! – “Last Christmas”
2. Sam Ryder – “You’re Christmas To Me”
3. Mariah Carey – “All I Want For Christmas Is You”
4. Noah Kahan – “Stick Season”
5. Ed Sheeran and Elton John – “Merry Christmas”

For the past five years, the charity campaigners LadBaby have secured the coveted Christmas number one spot with their singles aimed at raising funds for food-related causes. However, this year they decided not to participate, leaving the title up for grabs. Out of the top 40 songs this week, a total of 33 were Christmas-themed, including popular tracks like Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” and Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.”

“Last Christmas” was written by George Michael in his childhood bedroom in February 1984. In an interview with Smash Hits in 1986, he confidently stated, “As far as I was concerned, it was a number one.” The inspiration for the song struck unexpectedly while the singer was spending time at his parents’ house in Hertfordshire. According to Andrew Ridgeley, Michael’s bandmate, “There was a footy match on the telly and he suddenly jumped up and disappeared upstairs where he had a little four-track studio. About an hour later, he came back and said, ‘Andy Andy, you’ve got to listen to this’. I rarely saw him as excited or as animated as that. And as soon as I heard it, it was so apparent that it had all the hallmarks of a Christmas classic. It was a jaw-dropping moment.”

@smoothradio The story of Last Christmas, told by Wham!’s Andrew Ridgeley #lastchristmas #lastchristmaschallenge #georgemichael #andrewridgeley #smoothradio Last Christmas –

The song was then recorded in August at London’s Advision Studios, which Michael adorned with Christmas decorations to create the right atmosphere. When the duo played the song for their families, Ridgeley recalled, “It claimed its first victim. One of my mother’s friends had a romance at Christmas, which is what the song is about. She got jilted and when she heard it, she burst into tears.”

The iconic and cheerful music video, featuring Wham!’s backing singers Pepsi & Shirlie and model Kathy Hill, was filmed later that year in Switzerland. In addition to the memorable chunky knitwear and the prominent silver brooch, the video also marked the final time Michael would be seen without his trademark designer stubble.

Sam Ryder emerged as a strong competitor to Wham! this year with his track “You’re Christmas To Me.” this track received a boost in the charts thanks to support from Amazon. Despite an extensive publicity campaign, Ryder couldn’t surpass Wham!’s dominance but remained enthusiastic about his achievement. The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl also made a bid for the number one spot with “Fairytale of New York,” landing in sixth place.

Harlow’s first UK number one follows three previous UK top ten hits, including “First Class,” “3D” with K-Pop phenomenon Jung Kook of BTS and “Industry Baby” with fellow American rapper Lil Nas X.

Harlow took to social media to promote his new track, writing “Thank u for allowing me to reset this year. I moved back to Kentucky and gave u an album I could not have made on the road. Surrounded by family & childhood friends this has been one of the happiest years of my life. But now…a new era begins.“

Thank u for allowing me to reset this year. I moved back to Kentucky and gave u an album I could not have made on the road. Surrounded by family & childhood friends this has been one of the happiest years of my life.

But now…a new era begins.

Lovin On Me at midnight EST. pic.twitter.com/aKSaxQr7zS

— Jack Harlow (@jackharlow) November 9, 2023

“Lovin On Me” has already taken TikTok by storm and has reeled in overwhelmingly positive reviews. Vulture writer Hershal Pandya wrote, “A surprisingly nimble flow and impeccable beat selection? Check and check. “Cut your boy a little slack,” he raps right before “Lovin on Me”‘s final chorus. If he keeps making singles like this, we won’t have to.”  

Lovin On Me out Friday pic.twitter.com/K74XjTgKAg — Jack Harlow (@jackharlow) November 6, 2023

The track samples the 1995 R&B song “Whatever (Bass Soliloquy)” by Cadillac Dale, which was the B-side to his single “Soulful Moaning.” “Lovin On Me” builds itself around the opening lyrical hook of Dale’s track, singing “I don’t like no whips and chains and you can’t tie me down / But you can whip your lovin’ on me” creating a tongue-in-cheek earworm.

“Lovin On Me” gives Harlow’s fans an insight into what they can expect from his upcoming fourth studio album. This new track has quickly followed his highly acclaimed album Jackman, released in April 2023. Jackman came in at number one on the Top Rap Albums Chart and garnered him a nomination for BET’s Hip Hop Album of the Year.

Harlow currently has no plans to tour the UK, announcing that his only 2023 tour will take place in his home state of Kentucky, aptly titled the No Place Like Home tour.

The only tour I’m going on this year.

Six shows across the state of Kentucky.

No Place Like Home 2023. pic.twitter.com/rQw8hBAmTJ

— Jack Harlow (@jackharlow) August 17, 2023