UK OCC Charts: Midweeks Thread 2022

[Blondini]

Wednesday Top 40 Update
Source: Music Week
Missing Data:

Singles

1 Wham! - Last Christmas (32,364)
2 Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas Is You (32,187)
3 Ed Sheeran & Elton John - Merry Christmas (28,117)
4 Raye feat. 070 Shake - Escapism (28,029)
5 Brenda Lee - Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

6-10
6 Stormzy - Firebabe (21,452)
7 Michael Bublé - It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
[8 Taylor Swift - Anti-Hero (20,173)]
9 The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York
10 Bobby Helms - Jingle Bell Rock

11-20
11 Ariana Grande - Santa Tell Me
12 Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas?
13 Kelly Clarkson - Underneath the Tree
17 Andy Williams - It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
18 Chris Rea - Driving Home for Christmas
19 Lizzo - Someday at Christmas

21-30
21 SZA - Kill Bill *
22 Elton John - Step Into Christmas
23 Wizzard - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday
24 Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmastime
25 Dean Martin - Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
27 SZA - Nobody Gets Me *
28 Leona Lewis - One More Sleep
30 The Ronettes - Sleigh Ride

31-40
31 Michael Bublé - Holly Jolly Christmas
33 José Feliciano - Feliz Navidad
35 Slade - Merry Xmas Everybody
36 John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band - Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
37 Sia - Snowman ^
38 SZA - Blind *
39 Sidemen (feat. Jme) - Christmas Drillings *
40 Justin Bieber - Mistletoe ^

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Albums

1 Sam Ryder - There's Nothing But Space, Man! (20,028) *
2 SZA - SOS (13,863) *
3 Taylor Swift - Midnights (10,659)
4 Michael Bublé - Christmas (8,038)
5 Andre Rieu & His Johann Strauss Orchestra - Silver Bells (6,966)

6-10
6 Harry Styles - Harry's House
9 Bruce Springsteen - Only The Strong Survive
10 Sam Fender - Seventeen Going Under ^

11-20
11 Sam Fender - Live From Finsbury Park *

21-30
21 A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie - Me vs. Myself *
30 Echo & the Bunnymen - Evergreen ^

31-40
32 Razorlight - RazorWhat? - The Best Of Razorlight *
33 The Beatles - Revolver
37 Idles - Brutalism *
39 Luke Evans - A Song For You ^

[Robbie]

Other than record shops (and they are few and far between from what I can see), is there anywhere on high streets and shopping centres that sells albums these days? The above sales are dreadful anyway but the lack of places to actually buy an album doesn't help either.

I live in a town with a population of almost 70,000 and there isn't a single shop - supermarkets included - that sells albums.

[Gambo]

^ Frankly Robbie given that very stark situation on the offline side of the album sales market, I'm surprised we're still shifting as much as around 300,000 physical albums each week. Presumably most sales come from online orders nowadays; that's something I'd seldom do - but then again, I've never been a huge albums buyer (I don't stream albums either), so I guess I'm not well-placed to comment on what happens now with LP purchasing. I suppose we should be thankful that people are at least still bothering to buy through Amazon et al, albeit in lower numbers, rather than abandoning the format altogether.

But it is a sad situation really, for those of us who can recall how central recorded music stores (and even other non-specialist chains who stocked music like supermarkets) were to people's consumer lives as recently as 10-15 years ago, and how at this time of year album sales would always rocket upwards owing to en-masse in-store purchases driven by gifting. The unit tallies given above could be from any old week in 2022, offering no indication that it's a middle week in December just ahead of Christmas (the only clue is the reliable reappearance of Buble in the Top 5).

[SholasBoy]

Yep, when I loved back home in a town over 100,000 we had Woolworths, virgin, hmv, andys records and Asda (I think some of the other supermarkets stocked albums too). Each one of those was well stocked with all the latest albums and singles. Then multiply that across every town and city in the UK. If a top 10 album today is selling 5000 copies or less, how many copies would it be worth stocking in a shop in a small town? Never mind the rest of the top 100. I think my local Asda now still has some catalogue albums available but that’s about it. It’s such a shame, I used to spend about 90% of my money on CDs.

[jszmiles]

In Poland it's opposite - all supermarkets still have CDs and Vinyl (there's no singles market here). Even in smaller towns like my hometown (220k citizens) all malls are still selling records.

[greek_boy]

In Poland it's opposite - all supermarkets still have CDs and Vinyl (there's no singles market here). Even in smaller towns like my hometown (220k citizens) all malls are still selling records.

Supermarkets are selling vinyls? Wow.

In the UK i remember seeing loads of DVDs and CDs on Poundland and I was very surprised (when i first visited the country)

I miss HMV in Oxford Street, it shouldn't have been closed

[jszmiles]

Supermarkets are selling vinyls? Wow.

If we call MediaMarkt (market with electronic stuff) a supermarket, yes. I've seen many of those in Germany as well. It's typical for this kind of supermarkets in Poland and Germany

[Blondini]

Other than record shops (and they are few and far between from what I can see), is there anywhere on high streets and shopping centres that sells albums these days? The above sales are dreadful anyway but the lack of places to actually buy an album doesn't help either.

I live in a town with a population of almost 70,000 and there isn't a single shop - supermarkets included - that sells albums.

Asda still has CDs but the choice is very limited. I think Tesco and Sainsburys stopped selling them. The latter may still have vinyl.

Here in Stockton we have the legendary Sound It Out records - subject of a documentary shown on the BBC. https://sounditoutrecords.co.uk/
They sell new vinyl and a selection of new CDs and are part of the panel used for the Record Store Chart.

[Robbie]

Asda still has CDs but the choice is very limited. I think Tesco and Sainsburys stopped selling them. The latter may still have vinyl.

Here in Stockton we have the legendary Sound It Out records - subject of a documentary shown on the BBC. https://sounditoutrecords.co.uk/
They sell new vinyl and a selection of new CDs and are part of the panel used for the Record Store Chart.

I've not seen any CDs in my local Asda for quite a while. Perhaps I've overlooked them as there weren't that many on display the last time I did see some.

[Blondini]

Official First Look Chart: Update
Source: OCC / Radio 1

1 LadBaby - Food Aid *
2 Wham! - Last Christmas
3 Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas Is You
4 Ed Sheeran & Elton John - Merry Christmas
5 Stormzy - Firebabe
6 Lizzo - Someday At Christmas
7 Raye feat. 070 Shake - Escapism
8 Brenda Lee - Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
9 The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale Of New York
10 Michael Bublé - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

11 Central Cee - Let Go *
12 The Kunts feat. Terry Edwards - F*ck The Tories *
13 Bobby Helms - Jingle Bell Rock
14 Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas?
15 Elton John - Step Into Christmas
16 Ariana Grande - Santa Tell Me
17 Shakin' Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone
18 Kelly Clarkson - Underneath The Tree
19 Taylor Swift - Anti-Hero
20 Chris Rea - Driving Home For Christmas

Further down, touted as early race contenders Sidemen, the YouTube group featuring KSI, rise seven to Number 34 with Christmas Drillings.

And finally, the highest Top 40 climber of the week so far is Eurovision hero and reigning king of the Official Albums Chart, Sam Ryder, Jingle Bells surges 35 places northbound to crash into the midweek Top 40 at Number 31, while further down Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson’s Oh Santa shoots 47 spots to Number 43, and BBC Sound Of 2022 nominee Priya Ragu leaps 45 places to Number 46 with Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.

https://www.officialcharts.com/chart...mariah__38127/

[Blondini]

^ i wonder why Maisie Peters hasn't shot up. Maybe the two other Amazon songs have been shared/promoted more as they're covers of loved songs?

[kingofskiffle]

SO should we all start streaming Last Christmas?

[huhu78]

I opened a vinyl shop two years ago and there are about 40 shops in the radius of 30 km plus the big electronic markets which have a little vinyl crate. So vinyl shops aren't that rare.

[kingofskiffle]

I opened a vinyl shop two years ago and there are about 40 shops in the radius of 30 km plus the big electronic markets which have a little vinyl crate. So vinyl shops aren't that rare.

No, and actually vinyl is making a comeback (compared to 2010 and 2000 sales levels of course here). I kind of liken the return of vinyl to the book market. If you want to just read it, maybe once, or casually flip through a book, an old paperback is fine. You want the good quality, where you get the tea, and the armchair and make an 'experience' out of the book, you get the hardback, leather bound with illustrations on good paper that costs a lot more version. To me vinyl is like that. Streaming is the sort of 'I don't care just put something on in the background' while vinyl is the 'evenings listen with the armchair and tea' sort of thing.

Of course both of those analogies might just be talking about how I approach books and music!

[SholasBoy]

Supermarkets are selling vinyls? Wow.

In the UK i remember seeing loads of DVDs and CDs on Poundland and I was very surprised (when i first visited the country)

I miss HMV in Oxford Street, it shouldn't have been closed

I have seen a few supermarkets here with vinyls.

I loved that HMV in Oxford St too, there was always so much more available for an R&B fan like me than the one we had in Grimsby.

[SholasBoy]

What a shame Kelly will miss the top 10 again, she’s peaked at No.13 nearly every year with that song.

[greek_boy]

SO should we all start streaming Last Christmas?

Yes please.

[greek_boy]

What a shame Kelly will miss the top 10 again, she’s peaked at No.13 nearly every year with that song.

I really want the song to reach Top 10. maybe next year

[greek_boy]

I have seen a few supermarkets here with vinyls.

I loved that HMV in Oxford St too, there was always so much more available for an R&B fan like me than the one we had in Grimsby.

which ones?

[SholasBoy]

which ones?

Asda and Sainsburys

[greek_boy]

Asda and Sainsburys

wow had no idea

[Blondini]

No, and actually vinyl is making a comeback (compared to 2010 and 2000 sales levels of course here). I kind of liken the return of vinyl to the book market. If you want to just read it, maybe once, or casually flip through a book, an old paperback is fine. You want the good quality, where you get the tea, and the armchair and make an 'experience' out of the book, you get the hardback, leather bound with illustrations on good paper that costs a lot more version. To me vinyl is like that. Streaming is the sort of 'I don't care just put something on in the background' while vinyl is the 'evenings listen with the armchair and tea' sort of thing.

Of course both of those analogies might just be talking about how I approach books and music!

A lot of people today buy vinyl and don't even bother playing it, they just play another format instead and keep the vinyl on a shelf like a cherished ornament. So in a way it's just as "background" as a streaming playlist. Hence all these Record Store Day collectibles of music you already own - they only sell for the plastic and the sleeve, not the music.

[Blondini]

https://www.officialcharts.com/chart...-album__38131/

19 December 2022
Taylor Swift, Cliff Richard, Michael Bublé, George Ezra & Sam Ryder in contention for the UK’s Christmas Number 1 album

Just 1400 chart units currently separate the Top 5
By Carl Smith
Five chart titans battle it out in the race for this week’s Official Christmas Number 1 album, with just 1,400 chart units separating the entire Top 5 at the midweek stage.

Taylor Swift currently leads the pack with Midnights, which could rebound back to the top spot following its two-week run at Number 1 last month. Should it hold on, it’ll tie with Taylor’s 2020 release folklore as her second LP to spend three weeks at the summit.


MORE: See how the Christmas Number 1 race is looking so far


But it’s by no means a done deal, as Cliff Richard currently sits just 600 chart units behind Taylor at Number 2. His festive collection Christmas With Cliff could lift 6 spots this week following the broadcast of his BBC Two special Cliff At Christmas last weekend. Christmas With Cliff narrowly missed out on the Number 1 spot earlier this month, when Stormzy pipped him to the post with This Is What I Mean.

Could the music legend topple Taylor by Friday and claim his eighth Number 1 LP?

Elsewhere in the Top 5, and soaring ahead on streams so far, is Michael Bublé’s yuletide staple Christmas (3). Having peaked at Number 1 back in 2011, there’s a strong chance it could return to the top this week as it sits around 900 chart units behind Number 1.


MORE: Everything you need to know about the 2022 Christmas Number 1 announcement


The Christmas Edition of George Ezra’s former chart-topper Gold Rush Kid sees it vault 16 places back into the Top 5 midweek (4), while last week’s Number 1, Sam Ryder’s There’s Nothing But Space, Man!, looks to be standing strong in its second week on chart (5).

Notable climbers at the midweek mark include Alfie Boe and Michael Ball with Together In Vegas (13), Queen’s timeless Greatest Hits collection (22), Luke Evans’ A Song For You (27), Wet Leg’s eponymous, Mercury Prize-nominated debut (30), and Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon (35).

And finally, the Spice Girls’ Spiceworld could lift back into the Top 40 for the first time in 24 years this week, following the release of a 25^th anniversary two-disc edition (29).
See the full Official Albums Chart Update here from 5.45pm.

[Blondini]

Official Singles / Albums Chart Update Top 100
Source: OCC
Missing Data:

Top 100 Singles

1 LadBaby - Food Aid (32,074) *
2 Wham! - Last Christmas (19,044)
3 Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas Is You (18,418)
4 Ed Sheeran & Elton John - Merry Christmas (17,493)
5 Stormzy - Firebabe (15,490)

6-10
8 Lizzo - Someday At Christmas

11-20
11 Central Cee - Let Go *
13 Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas?
16 Kelly Clarkson - Underneath The Tree
17 Andy Williams - It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
19 The Kunts - F*ck The Tories *
20 Elton John - Step Into Christmas

21-30
25 Dean Martin - Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
27 Michael Bublé - Holly Jolly Christmas
28 Sidemen (& Jme) - Christmas Drillings *
29 José Feliciano - Feliz Navidad
30 The Ronettes - Sleigh Ride

31-40
32 Sia - Snowman
33 Slade - Merry Xmas Everybody
34 John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band - Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
37 Justin Bieber - Mistletoe ^
38 Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) ^
39 Sam Ryder - Jingle Bells *
40 Coldplay - Christmas Lights ^

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Top 100 Albums

1 Taylor Swift - Midnights (5,885)
2 Cliff Richard - Christmas With Cliff (5,284)
3 Michael Bublé - Christmas (4,943)
4 George Ezra - Gold Rush Kid (4,753)
5 Sam Ryder - There's Nothing But Space, Man! (4,529)

6-10
6 Andrea, Matteo & Virginia Bocelli - A Family Christmas

11-20
11 Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
13 Michael Ball & Alfie Boe - Together in Vegas
18 Arctic Monkeys - The Car
19 ABBA - Gold: Greatest Hits

21-30
22 Queen - Greatest Hits
23 Lewis Capaldi - Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent
25 Olly Murs - Marry Me
26 Fleetwood Mac - 50 Years: Don't Stop
27 Luke Evans - A Song For You ^
28 The 1975 - Being Funny In A Foreign Language
29 Spice Girls - Spiceworld ^
30 Wet Leg - Wet Leg ^

31-40
31 The Beatles - Revolver
32 Oasis - (What's The Story) Morning Glory?
33 Nirvana - Nevermind ^
34 Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
35 Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon ^
37 Dermot Kennedy - Sonder
38 Foo Fighters - The Essential Foo Fighters ^
40 Amy Winehouse - Back To Black ^

Click on the above relevant links.

[Blondini]

Those figures for LadBaby are not great compared to previous years. Wouldn't be surprised if Wham! overtake through streams.

[kingofskiffle]

One hopes!