THE APEX TIMES
Sam Fender and Olivia Dean’s “Rein Me In” hits 15th week at No. 1, tying a U.K. British record
The duet’s run at the top spot on the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart now matches the longest chart leadership by a British act, according to Billboard’s chart reporting.
Sam Fender and Olivia Dean’s “Rein Me In” has reached a 15th week at No. 1 on the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart, tying the longest-running No. 1 by a British act in the chart’s history, Billboard reported on July 3. The song’s latest streak is described as non-consecutive, taking it to a joint record alongside Wet Wet Wet’s “Love Is All Around,” which previously achieved the same length at the top in 1995.
Billboard said the track now sits just behind two other songs on the Official Singles Chart all-time list for time at No. 1. Those records are attributed to Bryan Adams’ “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You,” at 16 weeks, and Frankie Laine’s “I Believe in Love,” at 18 weeks. Billboard also placed the current run in the context of modern U.K. chart history, noting that “Rein Me In” has now tied Drake’s 2015 “One Dance” for the longest No. 1 run of the 21st century at 15 weeks.
The article traced the song’s momentum back to its first arrival at the summit. Billboard said “Rein Me In” first hit No. 1 in February 2026, after earlier activity tied to Fender’s Mercury Prize-winning 2025 album, “People Watching.” It reported that the track was originally issued in February 2025 on that album, and that a version starring Dean was later released in June 2025, leading into the collaboration’s chart surge.
Billboard also reported that “Rein Me In” has been recognized at major industry awards during its chart run. The article said the song won song of the year at the 2026 BRIT Awards, and that it is Fender’s first chart-topper while it is Dean’s second U.K. No. 1, following her earlier hit “Man I Need.”
As its time at No. 1 continues to extend, Billboard said “Rein Me In” has also surpassed other prominent chart performances. It reported that in recent weeks the song overtook Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” as the longest-running No. 1 of the 2020s so far. Billboard also said “Rein Me In” was later tied with Drake’s “One Dance” for the 15-week benchmark across the 21st century, while “Ordinary” is used as the reference point for the 2020s ranking.
The same chart update positioned other high performers around the top of the list. Billboard reported that Olivia Rodrigo’s “Stupid Song” remains at No. 2, with “The Cure” at No. 4 and “Drop Dead” at No. 5, and that Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” completes the top five at No. 3.
Below the summit, Billboard said Prospa and Clonee’s “Free Your Mind” rose into the top 10 for the first time, reaching No. 10. The report also noted that “Dai Dai” from Shakira was boosted into the top 10 timeframe, attributed to World Cup fever in Billboard’s chart description.
For now, “Rein Me In” is poised to keep its place under the U.K. chart’s long-running milestones, with the next step depending on future Official Singles Chart updates. Billboard’s chart write-up framed this moment as a near-top-tier challenge, with the record for all-time British No. 1 duration now tied, while the all-time leadership belongs to songs with longer totals at the summit.
Why It Matters
- Long chart runs can reshape distribution and marketing priorities for labels and platforms, as No. 1 status often drives additional radio, playlist, and promotional allocation.
- The tie with a decades-old British record underscores how long-form audience persistence can still occur even in a singles market shaped by rapid turnover.
- The song’s award recognition during its chart climb highlights how release cycles and industry milestones are influencing one another in the U.K. mainstream market.
- With “Rein Me In” now tied for the 21st-century 15-week benchmark, subsequent chart weeks determine whether the U.K. all-time leadership gap narrows further, a key metric tracked by industry and trades.
Key Facts
- Sam Fender and Olivia Dean’s “Rein Me In” reached a 15th week at No. 1 on the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart on the July 3 reporting by Billboard.
- The 15-week run ties the longest U.K. No. 1 duration by a British act, matching Wet Wet Wet’s “Love Is All Around” (1995), Billboard reported.
- Billboard said “Rein Me In” trails the overall U.K. all-time No. 1 leaders by duration: Bryan Adams’ “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” (16 weeks) and Frankie Laine’s “I Believe in Love” (18 weeks).
- Billboard reported that “Rein Me In” first hit No. 1 in February 2026 and has maintained a 15-week non-consecutive total at the top.
- The article said the song first appeared on Fender’s 2025 album “People Watching,” and that a version featuring Dean was released in June 2025.
- Billboard reported that “Rein Me In” won song of the year at the 2026 BRIT Awards, and that it is Fender’s first chart-topper and Dean’s second, after “Man I Need.”