Music

First, the album version, then the cut featuring Jack Antonoff’s Bleachers. Now, Taylor Swift’s acoustic cut of “Anti-Hero” is keeping the pop superstar’s Midnights hit on high rotation.

Swift dropped “Anti-Hero (Acoustic Version)” last week, when Americans were tucking into their Thanksgiving turkey.

The impact can be felt across the Atlantic where, in the U.K., “Anti-Hero,” is on track for a sixth week at No. 1.

“Anti-Hero” completed a fifth week atop the Official Chart, published last Friday (Nov. 25), and it remains in pole position on the U.K.’s First Look chart, which ranks singles based on sales and streams from the first 48 hours.

“Anti-Hero” has led the chart every week since its release Oct. 21. A fresh version, featuring Bleachers, dropped on Nov. 7.

Meanwhile, Meghan Trainor’s “Made You Look” is showing strength and stamina in the U.K., where its challenging “Anti-Hero” for the chart crown.

Trainor’s doo-wop number is inching closer and lifts 3-2 on the chart blast, for what would be a chart peak.

If “Made You Look” unseats “Anti-Hero,” it would be Trainor’s third leader and first in seven years; her last was 2015’s Charlie Puth collaboration “Marvin Gaye.”

With England getting their World Cup campaign away to winning start, Baddiel, Skinner & The Lightning Seeds’ “Three Lions” looks set to kick another goal. The former chart leader is rolling towards the top 10, up 20-12 on the chart blast, and should enjoy a lift in the leadup to England’s final Group B fixture against Wales on Tuesday (Nov. 29).

A holiday-themed version of the track, “Three Lions (It’s Coming Home For Christmas),” could keep the song in the chart for the weeks ahead.

“Three Lions” would have company, with several Christmas classics making their annual march up the chart. Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (up 18-8 on the chart blast) and Wham’s “Last Christmas” (23-10) are set to return to the top 10. Not far behind is Ed Sheeran & Elton John’s “Merry Christmas,” which hit No. 1 last December and lifts 40-16 on the chart blast. 

All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Singles Chart is published Friday (Dec. 2).

Dermot Kennedy makes it two-from-two as Sonder (via Island) debuts at No. 1 on the U.K. albums survey.

The Irishman bows at the summit of the Official Albums Chart, published Nov. 25, and shifts a market-leading volume on vinyl.

Sonder equals the peak position of his 2019 debut, Without Fear, which saw the Dublin-born singer and songwriter became the first Irish act to top the U.K. chart with their debut album in over 20 years, the OCC reports.

The Christmas chimes are ringing in the top 5, as André Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra enter at No. 4 with Silver Bells (Decca), a Christmas classics collection. It’s the Dutch classical crossover artist’s 13th U.K. top 10 album entry.

Meanwhile, Queen enjoys a miracle return to the top 10. The legendary rock act’s 1989 LP The Miracle (Virgin) blasts to No. 6 on the latest list, thanks to an eight-disc reissue featuring previously-unreleased cuts, some with the late Freddie Mercury’s vocals. The Miracle led the U.K. chart following its original release in 1989.

Nickelback roll into the top 10 with Get Rollin’ (BMG), the Canadian rockers’ tenth studio album. It’s the band’s seventh top 10 appearance and first since 2017’s Feed The Machine went to No. 3.

Manchester rapper Meekz lands a career-best with his mixtape Respect The Come Up (Neighbourhood Recordings), new at No. 12, while U.S. heavy metal veterans Disturbed earn a fifth top 40 appearance with Divisive (Reprise), new at No. 17.

The late master David Bowie lands a 68^th U.K. top 40 with the Moonage Dream OST, the companion to Brett Morgen’s feature length documentary film of the same name. The posthumous recording is new at No. 20.

Christmas is less that one month away, and that mean another burst of energy for Michael Bublé’s festive collection. The multi-platinum Christmas (Reprise) set soars 50-26, and will likely continue in that trajectory for the weeks ahead.

Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” (via EMI) continues to beat-up the opposition in the U.K., where it enters its fifth week at No. 1.

“Anti-Hero,” the first track from Swift’s chart-topping tenth studio album, Midnights, dominates the latest Official U.K. Singles Chart, published Nov. 25, with a market-leading 5.2 million streams, the OCC reports.

It becomes the longest-reigning song by a solo female artist since Olivia Rodrigo spent five weeks at No. 1 in 2021 with “Good 4 U,” and it’s among the biggest No. 1 hits of 2022.

Just three songs have enjoyed longest stints at the U.K. summit this year: Encanto’s “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” (seven weeks), LF SYSTEM’s “Afraid To Feel” (eight weeks) and Harry Styles’ “As It Was” (10 weeks). 

Meanwhile, Meghan Trainor continues to climb on the latest tally with “Made You Look” (Epic), which makes its peak position of No. 3, up one position.

The highest new entry this week belongs to London rapper Clavish with “Rocket Science” (Polydor) featuring D-Block Europe. “Rocket Science” lifts off for a No. 9 debut, Clavish’s first appearance on the U.K. top 40, and D-Block Europe’s 27^th appearance (including two top 10s).

The Christmas tunes are coming. Just one week removed from its earliest-ever return to the top 40, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Columbia) is getting a move on, up 36-18. Good enough for the OCC’s “biggest gainer” honors.

Close behind are two holiday-themed chart-toppers in Wham’s “Last Christmas” (RCA), up 42-23, and Ed Sheeran and Elton John’s “Merry Christmas” (Atlantic), which reennters at No. 40.

Christmas isn’t the only major event on British minds right now.

The World Cup of soccer is in full swing, with England and Wales both active in the early rounds. Following England’s first-up demolition job on Iran, 6-2, David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and the Lightning Seeds’ “Three Lions” reenters the chart, at No. 20. The unofficial England football anthem and former leader gets a boost from a new cut, “Three Lions (It’s Coming Home For Christmas).”

Finally, British singer and songwriter Raye lands her 10^th top 40 single with “Escapism” (Human Re Sources), a collaboration with U.S. electronic artist 070 Shake, new at No. 31; while another collaboration, Meekz and Dave’s “Fresh Out The Bank” (Neighbourhood Recordings), cracks the top 40 on debut, at No. 35.