Sam Fender Lands Biggest Opening Week Sales for British Solo Act in U.K. Since 2022
Written by djfrosty on February 28, 2025
Sam Fender has soared to the top of the U.K. Albums Chart with the biggest opening week for a British solo act since 2022 (Feb. 28). His third album, People Watching, took the No. 1 spot with 107,000 units across physicals and streaming.
People Watching is now Fender’s third No. 1 album in the U.K., following success for his 2019 debut Hypersonic Missiles and 2021’s Seventeen Going Under. By topping 100,000 sales in the LP’s opening week, he becomes the first British solo artist to achieve the feat since Harry Styles’ Harry’s House in 2022.
The Official Charts Company also confirms that Fender becomes one of only nine acts to top 100,000 sales in a week this decade, joining Taylor Swift, Adele, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles, Take That, ABBA and Arctic Monkeys. It’s also the fastest selling vinyl record for a British solo act this century.
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On Saturday night (March 1), Fender is nominated for two awards at the BRIT Awards in London in the artist of the year and alternative/rock act categories. He will also be performing at the ceremony at The O2 in London alongside Sabrina Carpenter, Teddy Swims, Lola Young and more.
Writing for Billboard U.K., Thomas Smith called People Watching an “instant British classic” and said it was “stacked with massive anthems and lyrical greatness.”
Tate McRae’s So Close to What gives the Canadian pop act her highest placing in the U.K. finishing at No. 2. Her previous two LPs, 2022’s I Used to Think I Could Fly and 2023’s Think Later, peaked at No. 7 and No. 5, respectively.
Sabrina Carpenter falls from the top spot to No. 3, while the rest of the top five is rounded out by Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR’s $ome $exy $ongs 4 U at No. 4 and Ed Sheeran’s +–=÷× (Tour Collection) compilation at No 5.