Sam Fender and duet partner Olivia Dean are closing in on a world record for the longest time spent at number one, just weeks after breaking a UK record. If Rein Me In remains at the top of the charts on Friday, they will have matched the tally set by Mariah Carey and need just one more week to surpass her.
From UK Record to World Record
On July 31, Sam and Olivia smashed a 73-year-old UK record held by Frankie Laine's I Believe. According to ChronicleLive, they needed just another month at the top to break the world record held by Mariah Carey, whose festive classic All I Want for Christmas has been at number one for 22 weeks in total since its original release in 1994.
In the latest midweek chart update for the UK top 40, Rein Me In was still leading the way, set to make it 22 weeks at the summit, around 5,000 sales ahead of Shakira and Burna Boy's Dai Dai, with HUGEL, Imael Angel and Ultra Naté's Movin' to the Sun in third.
The Journey of Rein Me In
When North Shields musician Sam first recorded Rein Me In on his own for his third album People Watching, he could never have imagined it would reach the heights it now has. After inviting Man I Need singer Olivia to join him on his 2025 stadium tour, the pair debuted the track as a duet. Audiences in London and Newcastle saw Sam and Olivia perform Rein Me In together, with the new version then released as a single.
While it broke the top 10 on its week of release, it is this year that has seen Rein Me In's popularity soar. It took home the coveted Song of the Year trophy at the 2026 Brit Awards and has now spent a grand total of 21 weeks at number one.
