In an unprecedented feat, Beyoncé has claimed the top spots on both the UK Official Singles Chart and the UK Official Albums Chart this week, solidifying her status as a trailblazer in the music industry. In doing so she has managed to achieve a record-breaker with “Cowboy Carter” and has proven that she really is a queen by climbing back up to the top spot with “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM”.
Her latest album, “Cowboy Carter”, has soared to Number 1 on the UK Official Albums Chart, marking a monumental achievement as Beyoncé becomes the first black artist ever to achieve this milestone with a country album. This chart-topping success not only underscores Beyoncé’s immense talent but also highlights her profound impact on popular music across genres.
“Cowboy Carter” debuts at the summit of the album chart with an impressive 40,000 chart units, showcasing its widespread appeal and resonance with listeners considering country music rarely makes an impact here in the UK. This achievement is particularly significant as it represents Beyoncé’s first Number 1 album on the Official Country Albums Chart, a remarkable accomplishment that allows her to bring her dedication to showcasing the contributions of black artists to the country genre and American culture.
Simultaneously, Beyoncé’s single “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” continues its reign atop the UK Official Singles Chart for a remarkable fifth non-consecutive week. The track, which has also emerged as the most-streamed song in the UK this week with 5.5 million streams, further solidifies Beyoncé’s dominance across multiple music platforms.
This dual chart success marks Beyoncé’s second Official Chart double, a milestone she previously achieved over 20 years ago with her debut solo album “Dangerously In Love” and the iconic single “Crazy In Love” featuring Jay-Z. This also marks the first-ever time an artist has claimed a UK Official Chart double with a country album and a country single.
Queen Bey has brought country music to the world and it’s amazing to see the genre make an impact across the Atlantic, here in the UK. The first female country artist to manage to top the Official Albums Chart was country icon Shania Twain back in 1999 with “Come On Over”; yes, that does mean the Queen of Country, herself, Dolly Parton, hasn’t even accomplished such a feat during her 50+ career in the music industry—we need justice for Dolly Parton!
Three tracks from Beyoncé’s latest album “Cowboy Carter” have made waves on the UK Official Singles Chart, showcasing a career-best for the artist. Alongside “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM”, Beyoncé’s rendition of Dolly Parton’s classic “JOLENE” (featuring significant lyrical modifications that infuse her unique style) secured the Number 8 spot. Additionally, “II MOST WANTED”, a collaboration with Miley Cyrus, debuted strongly at Number 9. These chart successes contribute to Beyoncé’s remarkable tally of 24 UK Top 10 singles.
Beyond Beyoncé’s groundbreaking achievements, the latest UK Official Albums Chart and UK Official Singles Chart showcase a diverse array of talent and music. The varied genres that appear in both charts continue to prove that the UK has quite the dynamic taste in music, and with the likes of TikTok allowing indie artists to chart as well as giving any song the chance to go viral, just shows the unpredictability of the UK Charts.
Olivia Rodrigo’s album “GUTS” continues to resonate with audiences, climbing to Number 2 following the release of its “GUTS (spilled)” edition. This album has emerged as one of the biggest releases of 2024, reflecting Rodrigo’s compelling songwriting and vocal prowess. This new edition features five previously unheard tracks.
Meanwhile, Oxford rock outfit Ride earns their fourth UK Top 10 album with “Interplay”, debuting at Number 8, highlighting their enduring appeal and musical evolution over a career spanning 36 years. The album joins their tally of Top 10 releases, including 1992’s “Going Blank Again” which charted at Number 5, 1994’s “Carnival Of Light”, which also managed a Number 5 placement, and 2019’s “This Is Not A Safe Place” which placed at Number 7.
Canadian rockers Sum 41 also make waves on the charts with their eighth and final studio album, “Heaven x Hell”, which secures their highest-charting LP in eight years, placing at Number 26. The band, back in May 2023, announced that they would disband after this album and a worldwide tour.
K-pop star j-hope, known for being one-seventh of BTS, celebrates his first UK Top 40 album with his second studio album “HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1”, charting at Number 38, marking a significant milestone in his solo career. This is his sophomore album, following on from his debut “Jack In The Box”, which charted at Number 67 in 2022. This achievement reflects the global impact of K-pop and the expanding influence of BTS members beyond the group’s collective success.
Over on the UK Official Singles Chart, Hozier’s “Too Sweet” climbs to a new peak at Number 4, marking his highest-charting single in a decade, after his viral hit “Take Me To Church” peaked at Number 2, can this new song take this Irish singer-songwriter to the next level, and take the top spot?
Breakout British artist Artemas achieves his first-ever UK Top 10 single with “i like the way you kiss me”, a viral hit that showcases the power of social media in propelling emerging talent to mainstream success. Also making an impact, Irish DJ Duo, NewEra, has scored their first-ever UK Top 20, sneaking in at Number 20 with “Birds in the Sky”.
Further down the chart, rising TikTok star Mark Ambor makes his UK Top 40 debut with “Belong Together”, which manages to chart at Number 22. Claiming a new peak, The Blessed Madonna and Clementine Douglas’ collaboration, titled “Happier”, climbs a huge 16 places to Number 26, while Benson Boone continues to ride his success with follow-up single “Slow It Down” placing at Number 27.
Slowly rising to a new peak, “Green & Gold” by Rudimental and Skepsis featuring Charlotte Plank and Riko Dan, claims Number 29. While the Meghan Trainor and T-Pain team-up, titled “Been Like This”, barely makes it into the UK Top 40, rising 10 places to Number 40.
Overall, this week’s UK Official Albums Chart and UK Official Singles Chart reflect a dynamic and vibrant music scene, with Beyoncé’s historic achievements serving as a testament to the transformative power of music and the enduring influence of visionary artists. She has proved that country music can have an impact on the UK music charts, and even the world over. Now, can we finally have Dolly Parton claim a UK Number 1 album? That would literally put the world to right on the UK country music scene.
