It was touch and go, but they have done it!
Universal Music UK’s Polydor Label Group is celebrating a moment in chart history as Sam Fender and Olivia Dean’s duet Rein Me In becomes the longest-running No.1 ever, with 19 weeks at the top of the singles chart.
Early sales flashes had Shakira & Burna Boy’s World Cup anthem Dai Dai narrowly ahead, but Rein Me In was able to go the distance and secure a new chart record thanks in part to a social media campaign urging fans to purchase downloads.
The record-breaking collaboration – which has been in the UK chart for over a year – has overtaken Frankie Laine’s I Believe, which spent 18 weeks at No.1 across three separate runs in 1953. The record had stood for 73 years, dating back to the first full year of the UK Official Singles Chart.
Released over a year ago, the duet between Sam Fender (Polydor) and Olivia Dean (Capitol UK) took 35 weeks from its first UK chart entry to reach No.1, breaking the record for the longest climb to the top when it first hit the summit in February 2026.
Rein Me In, a re-recorded duet of a song on Fender’s People Watching album, became his first UK No.1 single. It is the only song in UK chart history to climb back to No.1 four times during the same chart run.
“Built through a cross-label collaboration between Polydor Records and Capitol UK, the track reflects PLG’s wider ethos of long-term artist development and creative ambition,” said a statement.
Rein Me In won for Song Of The Year at the 2026 BRIT Awards.
The huge success of both Sam Fender and Olivia Dean on their respective album campaigns helped secure a big win at the Music Week Awards for both Polydor Label Group (Record Company) and Capitol Records UK (A&R Award).
Seeing Sam and Olivia, two homegrown stars, break the record is something we’re so proud of
Ben Mortimer
Ben Mortimer, president, Polydor Label Group, said: “This is a historic achievement. The accolades have continued to grow throughout this incredible journey, but to surpass a benchmark set by the great Frankie Laine more than 70 years ago is almost unimaginable. Seeing Sam and Olivia, two homegrown stars, break the record is something we’re so proud of.”
Jo Charrington, president, Capitol UK, added: “There is something completely undeniable about Sam and Olivia together on this record. They created a song that people have continued to return to week after week. To see that connection translate into the longest No.1 run in the history of the UK chart is a landmark achievement.”
Alongside its 19 weeks at No.1, Rein Me In has now spent 58 consecutive weeks in the UK Top 40, 31 consecutive weeks in the UK Top 10, and 41 weeks in total inside the UK Top 10. That makes it the longest consecutive Top 40 run in history, the longest Top 10 run since charts began, and the outright record holder for the most weeks in the UK Top 10 for any non-Christmas single.
To see that connection translate into the longest No.1 run in the history of the UK chart is a landmark achievement
Jo Charrington
Becca Monahan and Chris Austin, interim co-managing directors, Official Charts, said: “Congratulations to Sam Fender and Olivia Dean on an extraordinary, history-making achievement. For Rein Me In to break a record that has stood for 73 years is remarkable in itself, but it feels especially significant to see two homegrown British artists write a new chapter in Official Chart history together.
“Sam and Olivia are both exceptional talents, and the incredible connection Rein Me In has made with audiences speaks to the strength and ambition of British music today. At a time when UK artists are competing on a truly global stage, this is a fantastic moment to celebrate British creativity – and a record-breaking No.1 that will now sit proudly in the history books.”
Dr Jo Twist OBE, BPI chief executive, added: “Many congratulations to Sam and Olivia on their incredible achievement with Rein Me In becoming the most successful No.1 single in Official Charts history to cement its place as a modern classic.
“In an evolving world where we all consume music globally, it’s a truly remarkable feat for Rein Me In to resonate with fans in such a profound way. The British public have taken the song to their hearts, and we should all be proud and celebrate this special moment in our music heritage.”
The track’s momentum continues beyond the UK – it is Sam Fender’s first US Hot 100 hit (Dean, of course, has several).
Rein Me In remains at No.1 in Ireland, where it has spent 13 non-consecutive weeks at the summit and 57 weeks on the chart overall.
In Australia, it currently sits at No.3 after previously reaching No.1, with 36 weeks on the chart, while it is at No.3 in New Zealand following a No.2 peak and 31-week run.
The single has also spent 20 weeks on the Canadian Hot 100, currently at No.45 after peaking at No.37, and 18 weeks on the US Hot 100 (peaking at No.64).
Elsewhere, it is currently No.18 in the Netherlands, having peaked at No.5 across 22 weeks, and No.73 in Belgium following a No.34 peak and 26 weeks on the chart.
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