Well, I didn’t see this coming.

1. Noah Kahan – “Stick Season” 

That’s three weeks at number one, and a total of 13 weeks in the top 10. Consecutive weeks, even during the Christmas deluge. This is a very big hit, but it’s been around for a while now, so you’d expect it to be easy prey for a big new release by now. Nope.

2. Ariana Grande – “Yes, And?”

This is the lead single from her next album. I must admit I expected her to take number 1 almost by default, particularly since her last album was in 2020. Apparently we’re doing Madonna homage now, and why not? It’s probably due for a revival. I’m not wild about the song, though – lyrically, it’s pretty hamfisted.

11. 21 Savage – “Redrum”
23. 21 Savage featuring Travis Scott & Metro Boomin – “Nee-Nah”
27. 21 Savage featuring Doja Cat – “N.H.I.E.”

Guess who’s got an album out? “American Dream” enters the album chart at 2, which is easily his highest position with a solo album – his previous peak for a solo-billed album was number 33. Mind you, he had a number 1 album with Drake in 2022, and a number 10 album with Metro Boomin in 2020. The latter was probably the better indication of his personal drawing power. As you might expect, 21 Savage’s single chart history is packed with guest appearances and collaborations with higher-profile artists like, well, Drake. His previous peak as a lead artist was number 29 in 2019 (with “A Lot”). “Redrum”, the official single, is certainly the best of these three. If you’re wondering why he’s made a video in London, he was actually born there, though he moved to the US at the age of 7.

19. D-Block Europe featuring Noizy – “Eagle”

Their third album “Rolling Stone” enters as their first number one. You know what you’re getting with D-Block Europe, but this is one of the better examples of the formula. Guest Noizy is an Albanian rapper, and some of his contribution is actually in Albanian, which has to be a first for the UK singles chart, right?

Surprisingly, they only get the one track into the singles chart. “Prada” is still hanging around in the top 10 – it’s at number 6 this week – but I suspect it’s appealing to a completely different audience at this point.

24. Flo Milli – “Never Lose Me”

She’s a rapper from Alabama, and this is his first hit. It’s been out since November and it’s doing well on TikTok, if you hadn’t guessed. I really like the production on this, though.

31. Tom Odell – “Black Friday”

This had two weeks peaking at number 21 back in October, but he seems to be re-promoting it, in advance of the parent album coming out next Friday.

This week’s climbers are… almost non-existent, actually.

• “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims climbs 6-5. The parent album climbs to 21 after entering at 24 last week, which is unusual.
• “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield climbs 24-18.

The seven tracks leaving the top 40:

• “Agora Hills” by Doja Cat peaked at 23 back before Christmas, and had a further three weeks this year.
• “Pink Friday Girls” by Nicki Minaj had two weeks, peaking at 30.
• “Everybody” by Nicki Minaj featuring Lil Uzi Vert had two weeks, peaking at 26.
• “Kool-Aid” by Bring Me The Horizon had a single week at 21.
• “FTCU” by Nicki Minaj had a single week at 40.
• “Strangers” by Lewis Capaldi had a single week at number 37, which is surprising.
• “Just Another Rainbow” by Liam Gallagher & John Squire drops from a single week at 16 straight out of the top 100.

The longest running track in the top 40 is still “Greedy” by Tate McRae with 18 weeks, and since it’s currently at number 7, that’s not changing any time soon.

On the album chart, D-Block Europe are number 1 and 21 Savage is number 2.

3. The Vaccines – “Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations”

Six albums, and they’ve yet to miss the top 5. They had a number 1 back in 2012 with their second album, “Come of Age”.

30. Bill Ryder-Jones – “Iechyd Da”

No, he’s not a Welsh language songwriter. Bill Ryder-Jones used to be the lead guitarist for the Coral, but this is his fifth solo album, and the first to make the top 40.