We’ve missed a couple of weeks, but not much has changed.

1. Dave & Central Cee – “Sprinter”

That’s six weeks, which is a record for Dave. As a result, this record has spent two weeks stuck at number 2…

2. Olivia Rodrigo – “Vampire”

This is the lead single from her second album, which was expected to be a surefire number 1 but… well, it’s been stuck behind a juggernaut. Nice melodramatic video.

6. Taylor Swift – “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version)”
15. Taylor Swift – “Enchanted (Taylor’s Version)”

Despite the “Taylor’s version” tag, “I Can See You” is actually one of the unreleased songs included on “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)”, which enters the album chart at number 1 – it was recorded for the original version but didn’t make the track listing. The original was a number 6 album in 2010; this version becomes her 10th number one.

“Enchanted” is a track from the original album, though it wasn’t a single, and charts for the first time here. It had a degree of virality a couple of years back, which doubtless helps.

The reason why there are only two Taylor Swift tracks from the album is that “Cruel Summer” – a track from her 2019 album being pushed as a single in response to viral interest – is at number 3 and climbing, maxing out her limit of three songs.

8. D-Block Europe & Clavish – “Pakistan”

This entered last week at number 10 and climbs to number 8. D-Block Europe’s chart record baffles me – their tracks all sound basically the same, but most of them hover around in the lower half of the top 40, and every so often one of them breaks from the pack, for no terribly obvious reason. It becomes their third top ten hit, following “Overseas” in 2021 and “Rocket Science” in 2022 – which also involved Clavish. Those two collabs remain Clavish’s only hit singles.

12. Gunna – “Fukumean”

This has climbed 22-18-12 while I’ve been away. Nothing if not subtle. Gunna’s had a few mid-table hits but this is his first significant solo hit. It doesn’t count as his biggest hit to date because he had a guest shot on Internet Money’s “Lemonade”, a number one hit in 2020.

24. D.O.D. – “So Much in Love”

First top 40 appearance for DJ Dan O’Donnell, who’s been around for over a decade. This entered at 38 last week after spending three weeks climbing from the lower reaches, so it’s got momentum.

28. Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice with Aqua – “Barbie World (From ‘Barbie – The Album’)”

Yes, really, that’s the title. This entered at 25 two weeks ago and it’s slowly falling. Aqua’s contribution is simply to get sampled – from a track that Mattel sued over at the time. I must admit I was assuming that the Barbie film would have enough of a foot in both camps to avoid having some of these lyrics in the official soundtrack album. I’m intrigued, but it does sound an awful lot like an exercise in brand incineration. Obviously it’s meant to, but…

32. Stormzy featuring Fredo – “Toxic Trait”

This entered at number 11 two weeks ago and, well, it’s swandiving.

33. Elton John & Dua Lipa – “Cold Heart”

This reached number back in 2021, and re-entered at number 30 two weeks ago. I assume it’s prompted in part by his Glastonbury set.

37. Abel Balder & ANOTR – “Relax My Eyes”

It’s pronounced “Another”. First hit for both, and persistence has very much paid off here – this has spent 14 weeks floating around the bottom half of the top 100 before finally scraping into the top 40.

39. Bou featuring Slay – “Closer”

More debuts. Bou is the producer, Slay is the rapper. And yes, that’s a sample from Robert Miles’ “Children”, which seems to be a heavily overused source right now.

This week’s climbers:

• “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift climbs 6-3.
• “(It Goes Like) NaNaNa” by Peggy Gou climbs 7-5.
• “Good Love” by Hannah Laing & RoRo climbs 8-7 (matching a peak from a couple of weeks ago, but we skipped that week).
• “Pakistan” by D-Block Europe & Clavish climbs 10-8, as already covered.
• “0800 Heaven” by Nathan Dawe, Joel Corry & Ella Henderson climbs 15-9. That’s Corry’s sixth top ten hit, Dawe’s third, and Henderson’s ninth.
• “Popular” by the Weeknd featuring Playboi Carti & Madonna climbs 17-11.
• “Fukumean” by Gunna climbs 18-12.
• “Little Things” by Jorja Smith climbs 14-13 (following two weeks at 15).
• “How Does It Feel” by Tom Grennan climbs 23-17.
• “Unhealthy” by Anne-Marie featuring Shania Twain climbs 21-19
• “So Much In Love” by D.O.D. climbs 38-24.
• “Talibans” by Byron Messia climbs 37-31, three weeks after its previous peak of 33.

Despite all that activity, there are only five records leaving the top 40 (from four new entries plus a re-entry at 40).

• “Sittin’ on Top of the World” by Burna Boy got two weeks peaking at 36.
• “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John had a brief re-entry while I was away, peaking at 34.
• “Waffle House” by the Jonas Brothers peaked at 22.
• “Heat Waves” by the Glass Animals finally goes away again.
• “Karma” by Taylor Swift reached 12, and might well still be around if it hadn’t been disqualified by the higher entries.

On the album chart:

1. Taylor Swift – “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)”

We’ve covered that already.

2. Wham! – “The Singles – Echoes from the Edge of Heaven”

Exactly what it sounds like – all of their singles, including the B-sides.

3. Gabriels – “Angels & Queens – Part 2”

And not a re-entry of Part 1, as the chart website has it. Part 1 reached number 25 in October, but they appeared with Elton John in his Glastonbury set since then. It’s their highest position, obviously.

5. PJ Harvey – “I Inside the Old Year Dying”

Yes, the album title is one word different from the single. Not a mistake. Her last studio album was “The Hope Six Demolition Project”, way back in 2016, which reached number 1.

6. D-Block Europe – “DBE World”

Their latest mixtape; I’ve already covered the single. It’s their seventh straight top ten album since 2019. I still don’t get it.

30. The Pigeon Detectives – “TV Show”

The Pigeon Detectives’ first two albums made the top 10 in 2007-8, but the follow-up got to 30 and 2013’s “We Met At Sea” just missed the top 40. Their 2017 album missed the top 100 altogether, so this is a step in the right direction.

36. The Dust Coda – “Loco Paradise”

Trad rock. Their 2021 album got to number 27.