Beyoncé is the first Black artist to take a country album to #1 in the U.K. and has the first country Official Chart double with “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” topping singles.
COWBOY CARTER (Columbia/Parkwood) topped the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart on 40k sales this week. Over on singles, “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” logs a fifth non-consecutive week at the top, tallying 5.5m streams over the last seven days. It’s one of three tracks from the album in today’s Top 10: “Jolene” follows at #8 and “II Most Wanted” with Miley Cyrus is #9.
Elsewhere on albums, GUTS (Geffen) by Olivia Rodrigo lifts one to #2 following the release of its GUTS (spilled) edition.
Oxford rock band Ride are #8 with their seventh record, Interplay (Wichita Recordings). Sum 41’s final set, Heaven :x: Hell (Rise Records), is their highest-charting album in eight years, landing at #26.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart, “Too Sweet” (Island) by Hozier jumps four to a new peak at #4.
DJ Artemas has his first U.K. Top 10 single with “i like the way you kiss me” (Parlophone) rising seven to #6. Irish DJ duo NewEra rise into the Top 20 with “Birds in the Sky” (Warner Records) at #20.
At the end of Q1, Noah Kahan has the bestselling single and album in the U.K. It’s the cherry on the cake for UMG, which counts nine out of the top 10 albums YTD.
“Stick Season” (Republic) is #1 on the singles Q1 Top 10 with over 850k U.K. sales in 2024 alone. It’s the most-streamed song of the year so far, with 99m streams since the beginning of January. Since its release, the track, which spent seven weeks at #1, has tallied over 1.4m chart units in total (it first charted at #69 in the U.K. in October last year).
Stick Season, Kahan’s third album tops the Q1 U.K. Top 10 with 123k 2024 sales. It’s the first of an impressive nine entries for UMG, which span releases from The Weeknd, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Eminem, Elton John, ABBA and Ariana Grande.
UMG also rules the singles Q1 Top 10 with four entries. The remaining three are “Murder on the Dancefloor” (Polydor) by Sophie Ellis-Bextor at #3; “yes, and?” (Republic) by Grande at #8; and “Cruel Summer” (EMI) by Swift at #10.
Sony and Warner have three singles each in the Top 10. Warner counts the final albums entry with 50 Years — Don’t Stop (Rhino) by Fleetwood Mac at #6.
Official Singles Chart 2024 to End of Q1
- “Stick Season” (Republic), Noah Kahan
- “Lose Control” (Atlantic), Teddy Swims
- “Murder on the Dancefloor” (Polydor), Sophie Ellis-Bextor
- “Beautiful Things” (Warner Records), Benson Boone
- “Lovin On Me” (Atlantic), Jack Harlow
- “Prada” (Ministry of Sound), Casso/Raye/D-Block Europe
- “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” (Columbia/Parkwood), Beyoncé
- “yes, and?” (Republic), Ariana Grande
- “Greedy” (Ministry of Sound), Tate McRae
- “Cruel Summer” (EMI), Taylor Swift
Official Albums Chart 2024 to End of Q1
- Stick Season (Republic), Noah Kahan
- The Highlights (Republic/XO), The Weeknd
- 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (EMI), Taylor Swift
- Guts (Interscope), Olivia Rodrigo
- Curtain Call: The Hits (Interscope), Eminem
- 50 Years: Don’t Stop (Rhino), Fleetwood Mac
- Diamonds (Mercury/UMR), Elton John
- Gold: Greatest Hits (Polydor), ABBA
- Eternal Sunshine (Republic), Ariana Grande
- Midnights (EMI), Taylor Swift
Dua Lipa’s media and management company, Radical22, has signed a global administration deal with Warner Chappell Music for its publishing arm.
Warner Chappell Music CEO Guy Moot and Lipa’s manager (and father) Dugi Lipa arranged the bespoke agreement. It follows the previously announced news of Lipa acquiring her publishing outright from Tap Publishing.
“It’s been a long road, but I am very happy to finally own my publishing thanks in large part to the dedication of my manager, Dugi’s work over the past two years,” Lipa said. “My music is my life’s work, and it’s important for me to be the person who decides what happens with it. The creation of Radical22 marked an exciting time for me personally and professionally, and I am looking forward to the work my team and I will do and to having a home base for my creative endeavors.”
In addition to Radical22 Publishing, Lipa has added Radical22 Productions to the company’s umbrella along with global style, culture and society editorial platform Service95, all of which are fully owned by the British artist.
Among the first of Radical22’s production projects is the recently announced Disney+ documentary series Camden. Produced by Lightbox in association with Day One Pictures and Radical22, in which Dua and Dugi both serve as executive producers, the series tells the story of how one small corner of North London shaped the lives and careers of many iconic music acts.
Beyoncé is set to claim the #1 slots on the U.K.’s Official Albums and Singles Charts on Friday, with COWBOY CARTER (Columbia/Parkwood) outselling the rest of the Top 5 combined at the halfway point.
Should it hold onto its midweek lead, COWBOY CARTER will become Bey’s fifth solo #1 in the U.K.
Oxford rock band Ride are tracking for a career best with their seventh record, Interplay (Wichita Recordings), set to debut at #2.
Sum 41 could score their highest-charting album in 23 years with their final release, Heaven :x: Hell (Rise Records), at #10 today. The sixth album from While She Sleeps, SELF HELL (Spinefarm), is #18.
BTS member j-hope is eyeing his first solo Top 40 album with HOPE ON THE STREET VOL. 1 (BIGHIT) at #20.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles midweeks, Beyoncé’s “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” has bounced back two places to #1. Friday would be its fifth non-consecutive week at the top.
Two more tracks from COWBOY CARTER could impact the Top 10: a cover of the Dolly Parton classic, “Jolene,” is #5, while the Miley Cyrus duet “II MOST WANTED” is #8.
The self-released “i like the way you kiss me” by DJ Artemas is set to lift six places to #7, while Irish DJ duo NewEra could fly into the Top 20 with “Birds in the Sky” (Warner Records) at #19.
Elbow have their fourth U.K. Official Albums #1 with AUDIO VERTIGO. Over on singles, Benson Boone spends a second week at the top.
Future and Metro Boomin’s WE DON’T TRUST YOU (Epic/Freebandz) is new at #2 on albums. In the absence of a physical release, the record secures its debut on streams and downloads alone.
Following the release of its deluxe GUTS (spilled) edition, Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS (Geffen) jumps 12 slots to #3. Glasgow Eyes (Fuzz Club) is The Jesus and Mary Chain’s highest-charting album in 37 years, landing at #7.
And Tyla has her first U.K. Top 20 entry as TYLA (FAX/Epic) debuts at #19.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart, Boone’s “Beautiful Things” (Warner Records) remains at #1. The track is the most-streamed song in the country, racking up 5.4m U.K. streams this week.
At #2, Teddy Swims’s “Lose Control” (Warner Records) returns to its previous peak.
This week’s highest new entry is “Like That” by Metro Boomin and Future, which debuts at #6. They have two more tracks in the Top 20: “Type Shit” at #18 and “Cinderella” at #20, both of which feature Travis Scott.
Hozier has his first Top 10 single in 10 years with “Too Sweet” (Rubyworks/UMG) landing at #8.
“Scared to Start” (Warner Records) by Michael Marcagi rises to #9, while Rodrigo’s latest single, “obsessed,” arrives at #10.
A new report provides further evidence that gender inequality remains a key issue in the U.K. music industry, with 51% of survey respondents experiencing gender discrimination and 33% sexual harassment while at work.
The Women Musicians Insight Report, put together by the Musicians’ Union and Women in CTRL, gathered responses from more than 2.5k women musicians. The data was taken from 2023’s Musicians Census.
Eighty-eight percent of women reported that their career had been restricted in at least one way, according to the findings. Experiencing or witnessing discrimination while working in music was reported by 87% of women, compared to 65% of men. While more than half of women reported experiencing gender discrimination, just 6% of men reported the same.
Disabled women are more likely to experience both disability and gender-based discrimination, while 38% of women from the Global Majority reported experiencing or witnessing racism.
Women reported an average annual income from music of £19.8k, compared to £21.7k for men. The gender pay gap is widest after £34k a year and in the highest income bracket, where women made up just 19% of those earning £70k a year or more from music.
Women are more likely to experience financial challenges than men, with 27% saying they don’t earn enough money to support themselves, compared to 21% of musicians overall.
In addition, while 47% of the census respondents were women aged 16-55, women’s representation drops significantly after the age of 54.
The findings echo those in the U.K. Government’s report, released in January, which described misogyny in music as “endemic.”
Bruce Springsteen is the first international songwriter to become a Fellow of the Ivors Academy in the British org's 80-year history. The award is the highest honor the academy bestows.
Springsteen has been recognized for his outstanding contribution to the craft of songwriting, across a career that spans 50 years, and his impact on the U.K.’s cultural landscape. He will receive the award at The Ivors ceremony in London on 5/23.
He is the 27th Fellow of the Academy, joining a roster of songwriter greats that includes Sir Paul McCartney, Kate Bush CBE, Joan Armatrading CBE and Sting, who received the award in 2023.
“In addition to recognizing my songwriting, the award stands as a tribute to the fans and friends who have supported me and my work for the last 50 years," said Springsteen. "This entire country has made me feel welcome every step of the way, and for this, I will always remain deeply appreciative.”
Tom Gray, chair of The Ivors Academy, added: “There is no one more fitting than Bruce Springsteen to be the first international songwriter inducted into our Fellowship. Songwriters are powerful storytellers, who capture our lives, loves and hardships. Bruce has always told the greatest stories. The Fellowship marks the esteem in which he is held by all those who share his craft.”
To commemorate Springsteen being named an Academy Fellow, a limited-edition vinyl of Best of Bruce Springsteen in Jersey Devil Red can be purchased from Amazon starting 4/19.
The new Communion ONE is being led by, from left, Managing Directors Daniel Ealam, Mazin Tappuni, Scott O’Neill and Partner Carlo Scarampi.
Two U.K. live music promoters, Communion Presents and FKP Scorpio, have merged to form Communion ONE. They have promoted shows for acts such as Ed Sheeran, Sam Fender and Lewis Capaldi.
The two companies will operate under one roof starting immediately. A board that includes Managing Directors Daniel Ealam, Mazin Tappuni and Scott O’Neill will lead the company.
Communion ONE will plug into FKP Scorpio’s European touring network, with offices in 11 countries and one of the largest festival offerings across Europe. FKP Scorpio sold 4m tickets across the region in 2023.
“Bringing our two brilliant teams together and combining our shared experience, resources and perspectives, is the most natural thing in the world," the MDs said in a joint statement. “In doing so, we believe that Communion ONE is creating an even more compelling proposition for our existing and future clients. We’ve all had amazing success so far, but in many ways, we’re only just getting started.”
The newly formed company will be producing a new three-night event series at Bristol’s 15k-capacity Queen Square beginning in 2025. It will continue to book tvg hospitality’s U.K. portfolio and its affiliate venues Lafayette, Omeara, The Social, and their new partnerships with Village Underground and EartH. Communion ONE also plans to expand its outdoor portfolio over the coming year.
