Image source, BBC/GettyImage caption, Rein Me In gives Olivia Dean her second number one single, and Fender his firstByPaul GlynnCulture reporterPublished20 February 2026 Sam Fender and Olivia Dean have made UK chart history after their slow-burning collaboration, Rein Me In, finally made it to number one after 35 weeks The song – Fender's first ever chart-topping single – finally reached the summit on Friday, breaking the record for the most consecutive weeks in the top 40 before reaching number one. The soulful pop-rock love song has been a mainstay on the singles chart since its release last June, previously peaking at number five three times. The previous record was held by Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud, which spent 19 consecutive weeks slowly charming the nation before topping the chart in 2014. Asked about why he thought it took so long to reach the top, Fender told BBC Radio 1: "I guess it's the internet, it travelled online and people come to it later, which is wonderful really because it's the music that's doing the talking."
Published: February 20, 2026 5:45 pm
Source: BBC — Read original