
After several weeks of waiting in the wings, the gorgeous “Rein Me In” by English singer-songwriter Sam Fender and English singer-songwriter Olivia Dean (who won the Best New Artist Grammy earlier this year) ascends to the top of my chart. The song is a re-recorded duet version of the original from Fender’s third studio album People Watching. The original version of “Rein Me In” was released in June 2025 as the sixth single from the album and eventually became Fender’s first song to reach #1 on the UK Singles Chart in February 2026, as well as winning the Brit Award for Song of the Year. In addition to Fender and Dean’s great vocals, I love the beautiful piano, jangly guitar and blaring sax.
Fender debuted the new version during a show at London Stadium in June, bringing Dean on stage to perform it with him. Videos of that performance went viral, and the two performed it again nine days later at Fender’s St. James’ Park concert. Fender announced the official release of the new version on June 20th, stating that Dean “added a female perspective to ‘Rein Me In,’ and I think it’s all the better for it“. The original and duet versions ended up spending a combined 23 non-consecutive weeks at number one, making it the longest-running number-one single in UK music history. The song also topped the charts in Australia and Ireland and reached #2 in New Zealand. It became Fender’s first entry on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 45. “Rein Me In” is his second song to reach #1 on my chart, the first being his 2021 single “Seventeen Going Under”.
In other chart developments of note, The Neighbourhood move into second place with “Private”, while Cage the Elephant‘s “Beaches In Tennessee” and Phoebe Bridgers‘ “Lost Boys” enter the top 10. The sole debut this week, entering at #28, is the enthralling “Marianne”, the new single from the always wonderful Irish rock band Fontaines D.C. The song is the lead single from their forthcoming fifth album Dopamine Chamber, set for release October 16th.
- REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (3)
- PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (4)
- RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (1)
- DOORS – Noah Kahan (2)
- ONLINE – Western Jaguar (6)
- THE ENDLESS BORDER – Velvet Jesus (7)
- HEART STOP – The Revivalists (8)
- NO MORE REGRETS – almost monday (18)
- BEACHES IN TENNESSEE – Cage the Elephant (11)
- LOST BOYS – Phoebe Bridgers (12)
- REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom is Okay (5)
- SELF AWARE – Temper City (9)
- FREAKING OUT – Michigander (14)
- HOLD ME IN THE DARK – Myles Smith (15)
- WE MIGHT AS WELL BE STRANGERS – Weezer feat. Wednesday (17)
- I CAN TAKE THE SUN OUT OF THE SKY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (19)
- STONE OVER WATER – Death Cab for Cutie (20)
- PICKING DRAGON’S POCKETS – Modest Mouse (13)
- WE SHOULD TALK – Bleachers (18)
- I FEEL HOPE COMING – Alabama Shakes (23)
- LOVE ME NOT – Grace Potter (16)
- EVERGREEN – Young the Giant 24)
- EDGE OF THE EARTH – The Beaches (25)
- BEHIND THE LINES OF REASON – Hardwicke Circus (26)
- LOSER – Tame Impala (27)
- WINDOW – Foo Fighters (29)
- METASTASIZED – Bealby Point (30)
- MARIANNE – Fontaines D.C. (N)
- EXIT WOUND – Ships Have Sailed (21)
- MARATHONS – Sorry Ghost (22)