Chart Toppers: Sam Fender and Charli XCX Dominate UK Charts in 2026

Sam Fender has snagged his first-ever Number One single with the Olivia Dean collaboration, ‘Rein Me In.’ Simultaneously, Charli XCX’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ soundtrack has ascended to the summit of the albums chart. Let's dive into the details.

‘Rein Me In,’ initially released last June, has achieved a remarkable feat. As of today, February 20, 2026, its ascent to Number One marks a record-breaking 35 consecutive weeks in the Top 40 before reaching the top spot. This surpasses Ed Sheeran’s ‘Thinking Out Loud,’ which held the previous record at 19 weeks since 2014.

This is a monumental achievement for Fender, marking his first Number One single and exceeding his prior peak of Number Three with ‘Seventeen Going Under’ in 2021.

Dean is also having a stellar run, occupying three of the top four spots in the Singles Chart. ‘So Easy (To Fall In Love)’ rises to Number Two, while her previous chart-topper ‘Man I Need’ secures the Number Four position.

Elsewhere, Zara Larsson’s ‘Lush Life’ experiences a resurgence, climbing to Number Three, mirroring its peak from a decade ago. Bad Bunny also sees a boost following his Super Bowl halftime show, with ‘DTMF’ landing at Number Five.

Official UK Singles Chart, 20-26 February 2026

1. Sam Fender & Olivia Dean – ‘Rein Me In’
2. Olivia Dean – ‘So Easy (To Fall In Love)’
3. Zara Larsson – ‘Lush Life’
4. Olivia Dean – ‘Man I Need’
5. Bad Bunny – ‘DTMF’
6. Bruno Mars – ‘I Just Might’
7. Sombr – ‘Homewrecker’
8. Taylor Swift – ‘Opalite’
9. PinkPantheress – ‘Stateside’
10. Harry Styles – ‘Aperture’

On the albums front, Charli XCX celebrates her third Number One album with the soundtrack to Emerald Fennell’s new film, Wuthering Heights. This follows her previous chart-toppers ‘Crash’ (2022) and ‘Brat’ (2024), marking her eighth Top 40 album overall.

'Wuthering Heights' also tops the Official Vinyl Albums Chart, coinciding with the film's debut at the top of the UK box office.

This success displaces Olivia Dean’s debut album, ‘The Art Of Loving,’ to Number Two, while Fleetwood Mac’s greatest hits album, ‘50 Years – Don’t Stop,’ maintains a strong presence at Number Three.

Official UK Albums Chart, 20-26 February 2026

1. Charli XCX – ‘Wuthering Heights’
2. Olivia Dean – ‘The Art Of Loving’
3. Fleetwood Mac – ‘50 Years – Don’t Stop’
4. The Weeknd – ‘The Highlights’
5. Bad Bunny – ‘Debi Tirar Mas Fotos’
6. Michael Jackson – ‘The Essential’
7. Ed Sheeran – ‘+ – = Divide X – Tour Collection’
8. Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Man’s Best Friend’
9. Alex Warren – ‘You’ll Be Alright Kid (Chapter 1)’
10. Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Short N’ Sweet’

Fender is nominated for several BRIT Awards ahead of the ceremony in Manchester next week (February 28), including Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for his Mercury Prize-winning ‘People Watching.’

Meanwhile, Charli's new film The Moment has been released in cinemas, a music industry satire that NME has awarded three stars.

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