A year after it’s release in July 2021, the beautiful “Seventeen Going Under” by the immensely talented English singer-songwriter Sam Fender reaches the pinnacle of my Weekly Top 30. Somewhat of a sleeper hit, the song finally peaked at #3 on the UK Singles Chart this past January, when it also began getting airplay in the U.S. It eventually appeared on various Alternative song charts (where it recently peaked at #10 on the Billboard Triple A chart). Though I actually ranked it #44 on my Top 100 Songs of 2021 list, I felt compelled to add the song to my Weekly Top 30 in May, and it’s quickly climbed my chart ever since. Even though it’s now fallen off most charts, I love it more than ever, and it’s my current favorite song. Those gorgeous jangly guitars, exuberant trumpet and sax, cracking drumbeats and Fender’s arresting tenor vocals are all magnificent.

Written by Fender and released as the lead single from his brilliant and critically acclaimed second album Seventeen Going Under, the album in general, and song in particular, chronicle his life at 17 when his mother was afflicted with fibromyalgia and depressed because she could no longer work after 40 years of service as a nurse. Though she’d never missed a day of work, the Department for Work and Pensions harassed her with letters and treated her unjustly. Fender wanted to help her financially, even considering selling drugs to earn money, but she talked him out of it. In an interview with Rolling Stone, he commented: “That’s when my rose-tinted glasses fell off. 17 is when all the challenges begin: you’re not a baby, but you’re definitely not an adult.” With his striking tenor voice, strong Geordie accent, and heartthrob good looks, it’s hard to believe Fender was bullied for being overweight and unathletic as a child.

I think “Seventeen Going Under” is one of the most perfect songs I’ve heard in a long while, and in May, the song won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors. Fun fact: Sam Fender also plays Fender guitars.

And here’s Sam’s triumphant performance of the song last month at Glastonbury:

In other chart highlights, Arcade Fire‘s “Unconditional I (Lookout Kid) leaps 8 spots to #3, and YUNGBLUD‘s “The Funeral” jumps 6 spots to #17. Debuting at #s 29 & 30 are the beautiful “Until I Found You” by Nashville singer-songwriter Stephen Sanchez and “SUPERMODEL” by Italian band Måneskin.

1. SEVENTEEN GOING UNDER – Sam Fender (2)
2. TELL ME THE TRUTH – Two Feet (1)
3. UNCONDITIONAL I (LOOKOUT KID) – Arcade Fire (11)
4. BELIEVE – Caamp (6)
5. ABOUT DAMN TIME – Lizzo (7)
6. A LITTLE BIT OF LOVE – Weezer (8)
7. MY LOVE – Florence + the Machine (4)
8. AS IT WAS – Harry Styles (5)
9. 2am – Foals (10)
10. CHASING TRAINS – HULLAH (3)
11. WILD CHILD – The Black Keys (9)
12. SYNCHRONIZE – Milky Chance (13)
13. THE FOUNDATIONS OF DECAY – My Chemical Romance (15)
14. CLOSER – The Frontier (16)
15. LONELY – Sea Girls (17)
16. BLOODRUSH – The Amazons (12)
17. THE FUNERAL – YUNGBLUD (23)
18. IN THE MIRROR – The Interrupters (20)
19. WARNING SIGNS – Band of Horses (21)
20. BEDS ARE BURNING – AWOLNATION feat. Tim McIlrath (19)
21. MISTAKES – Sharon Van Etten (26)
22. DESPERATELY WANTING – Brian Lambert & Marc Schuster (24)
23. LIN MANUEL – Onism E (25)
24. THAT’S WHERE I AM – Maggie Rogers (14)
25. FAILURE TO COMPLY – MISSIO (27)
26. LOVE BRAND NEW – Bob Moses (18) 20th week on list
27. BROKEN RECORD – NAVE (30)
28. WILD – Spoon (21)
29. UNTIL I FOUND YOU – Stephen Sanchez (N)
30. SUPERMODEL – Måneskin (N)