Okay… so this week I’ll make some headway on the backlog.  Really.

But first…

1.  Sam Smith – “Too Good At Goodbyes”

That’s two weeks.  Despite his numerous number ones, this is only the second time Sam Smith has managed a second week – the other was the Comic Relief re-issue of “Lay Me Down”, which was a special case.  The single now has a video, which is Very Sincere.

4.  Post Malone featuring 21 Savage – “Rockstar”

The lead single from his upcoming second album “Beerbongs and Bentleys”.  It’s basically stock bragging about his rockstar lifestyle, though the lyrics are at least at odds with the washed-out drifting of the actual music.  Chart-wise, this is a big step up for Post Malone: his only previous hit single was “Congratulations”, which made number 28 back in May, probably more because Quavo was on it.  21 Savage is an Atlanta rapper whose debut album did pretty well in America this year, but missed the UK album top 40.  His only other track to register on the UK singles chart was “Bank Account”, which made number 55.

“Havana” by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug climbs 10-7, and…

10.  Avicii featuring Rita Ora – “Lonely Together”

This has been climbing from the lower reaches for weeks – it’s moved 49-44-37-35-21 up to now – but the release of a video seems to have given it a kick.  Can’t say I’m wild about the video, which feels like a visual gimmick that they probably imagined having a lot more impact than it actually winds up with.  It’s now Avicii’s ninth top 10 hit, and Ora’s tenth.  Her own current single “Your Song” is a non-mover at 18.

“Questions” by Chris Brown climbs 13-12, because that’s just the sort of world we live in.  “Bestie” by Yungen featuring Yxng Bane is up 17-13 – it’s been glacially ascending the top 40 for eight weeks now.   “Hurtin’ Me” by Stefflon Don & French Montana climbs 28-20.

24.  Niall Horan – “Too Much To Ask”

His third solo single.  It’s instantly forgettable balladry.  Competent enough, but entirely bland.

“Silence” by Marshmello featuring Khalid climbs 34-29.

35.  Craig David – “Heartline”

Even if you don’t particularly like Craig David’s singles, there’s something quite heartwarming about knowing that he’s still here, even despite a lengthy stint banished to chart purgatory.  This one is the lead single from his next album, and it’s produced by Jonas Blue, hence the tropical house influence.

39.  Xxxtentacion – “Jocelyn Flores”

I already linked to this track when XXXTentacion’s album “17” charted a couple of weeks ago; at that point it was floating at 56 as an album track.  This is his singles chart debut.  He’s on trial in a couple of weeks for domestic abuse charges (which he denies), though this doesn’t seem to have done his career much harm so far.  (See above re number 12.)  Jocelyn Flores was a friend of his who committed suicide.  The immediate source of the sample is producer Potsu re-using his own track “I’m Closing My Eyes”, which in turn uses a vocal sample of the enigmatic Shiloh Dynasty, who posted a string of clips to Vine and Instagram (heavily sampled in Soundcloud circles) before seemingly vanishing off the face of the earth a year ago.

On the album chart:

• “Concrete & Gold” by The Foo Fighters at 1.  Their ninth studio album and the fourth number one – strangely, none of them were the greatest hits album, which only got to 4.  Not the 1996 debut either – that got to number 3.   No, the other Foo Fighters number one albums were 2002’s “One By One”, 2007’s “Echoes Silence Patience & Grace”, and 2011’s “Wasting Light”.  The quirks of the release schedule, I guess.  Single: “The Sky Is A Neighborhood”.
• “Savage (Songs From A Broken World)” by Gary Numan at 2.  Sounds cheerful.  It’s a crowd-funded concept album about a post-apocalyptic world.  Despite regular releases, Numan hasn’t made the albums top 10 since 1983, so this is a bit of a surprise.  Single: “When the World Comes Apart”.
• “Prophets of Rage” by Prophets of Rage at 6.  A supergroup comprising three members of Rage Against The Machine, two members of Public Enemy, and one from Cypress Hill.  you know what you’re getting with that, so you won’t be shocked to hear the single is called “Unfuck The World” and has a video directed by Michael Moore.
• “Process” by Sampha at 7.  This spent a single week on chart – also at number 7 – in February, but it re-enters now after winning the Mercury Prize.  Single: “(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano”.
• “Love Yourself – ‘Her'” by BTS at 14.  What?  K-Pop?  On the album chart?  It’s not even officially an album – it’s a mini-album that happens to meet the chart criteria.  Single “Best of Me” is a collaboration with Andrew Taggart of the Chainsmokers.
• “Favourite Pleasures” by Gun at 16.  The comeback album in 2015 missed the top 40, but here they are with their highest chart position since 1994.  The album chart really is favouring the legacy acts these days.  Title track.
• “The Laughing Apple” by Yusuf / Cat Stevens at 23.  That’s how he’s crediting himself these days.  It’s the 50th anniversary of his first album, and a deliberate return to his roots.  Single: “See What Love Did To Me”.