There are signs of improvement for UK talent in the Q3 chart rankings – but US artists continue to dominate.
It follows a difficult period for domestic talent at home and abroad – although British artists including Lola Young, Myles Smith, Charli XCX, Central Cee, Ed Sheeran, Sleep Token and Raye have made an impact. Overall, though, North American acts have been crowding out the Brits.
There was a No.1 singles drought for UK talent in 2024 as well as the absence from the top of the Spotify Wrapped rankings even for British users. The No.1 results for non-catalogue UK acts this year are not much better with only three domestic chart-toppers so far – Lola Young, Lewis Capaldi and Chrystal (with MK), although that could go up to four this week with Olivia Dean.
But the good news is growing buzz around Capitol-signed Dean, who has the highest-charting single on the Spotify Global Charts by a UK artist this year with Man I Need at No.5. Lola Young’s global smash Messy peaked at No.7 at the beginning of the year.
According to the latest results from the Official Charts Company, Sam Fender’s People Watching (Polydor) remains the biggest album released in 2025 (220,228 units) and ranks at No.6 overall in the UK year-to-date rankings behind pre-2025 titles.
In the year-to-date Top 10 albums, there are six UK acts (including Anglo-Americans Fleetwood Mac) – a slight improvement on previous quarters this year. In a psychological boost for homegrown music, it means that British talent can claim a majority of the Top 10 albums so far in 2025.
However, US star Sabrina Carpenter is on top with Short N’ Sweet (443,496 units in 2025). She is followed by Ed Sheeran’s + - =÷x (Tour Collection) at No.2 (316,415) and Oasis at No.3 with Time Flies – 1994-2009 (298,531) and No.7 with (What’s The Story?) Morning Glory (217,075). Catalogue by Elton John and Fleetwood Mac also made the year-to-date Top 10.
Despite a skewing towards catalogue, the figures for Q3 alone are even more encouraging with Oasis at No.1 with Time Flies – 1994-2009 , No.3 with (What’s The Story?) Morning Glory and No.8 with Definitely Maybe. The band’s streaming and sales have been boosted by their stadium tour during the quarter.
Oasis are joined by two Ed Sheeran albums, including new LP Play at No.10 for Q3 (77,026 units) , and the Fleetwood Mac collection.
“We know that domestic success can be cyclical in a highly competitive market shaped by global streaming,” said Dr Jo Twist OBE, BPI chief executive. “Obviously the return of Oasis has been a huge cultural phenomenon this summer and that’s been reflected in the charts, but we’ve also seen some outstanding new releases from UK artists, with Sam Fender’s People Watching BRIT-Certified Gold in its first week on sale, Sleep Token scoring a first No.1 album (and also doing so in the US), Central Cee’s debut LP topping the chart, and successful returns from Wet Leg, Wolf Alice, Ed Sheeran, Tom Grennan and Biffy Clyro.”
We know that domestic success can be cyclical in a highly competitive market shaped by global streaming
Dr Jo Twist
There have also been breakthroughs in 2025 for Lola Young, who charted at No.3 with new album I’m Only F**king Myself. Meanwhile, her global smash Messy is the No.2 single overall for the year to date (1,261,114 units in 2025) behind Alex Warren’s Ordinary (1,709,622 units).
There is more good news to come with Music Week cover star Olivia Dean chasing a strong No.1 opening with her The Art Of Loving album this week, as well as a potential surge to the summit for Man I Need to achieve the coveted chart double.
Dean has already made her mark with three entries in the Q3 Top 20 – Nice To Each Other at No.10 (332,770), Man I Need at No.13 (324,320) and Rein Me In with Sam Fender at No.17 (297,984).
However, Dean’s Nice To Each Other is the only UK-only entry in the Q3 Top 10 (British artist Chrystal does feature on US DJ MK’s hit Dior at No.4). More promisingly, there are Q3 Top 20 appearances by Ed Sheeran, Calvin Harris & Clementine Douglas, Lewis Capaldi and Fred Again.., Skepta & PlaqueBoyMax.
For the year-to-date singles rankings, only Lola Young’s Messy and Chrystal’s The Days (at No.8 overall) make the Top 10, while Myles Smith has two tracks in the Top 20.
The overall singles Top 10 for the year to date continues to be dominated by US talent including Alex Warren, Chappell Roan, Gracie Abrams, Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, Benson Boone, Ravyn Lenae and Billie Eilish. Korean/New Zealand artist Rosé also features alongside Bruno Mars.
Despite the continuing challenges for UK talent, the BPI’s chief exec remains optimistic as the industry enters the fourth quarter.
“Lola Young and Olivia Dean have broken through in spectacular fashion,” said Twist. “And with new albums by Florence + The Machine and The Last Dinner Party, among others, as well as important platforms like the Mercury Prize and National Album Day this month, there is much for our industry to feel encouraged by and for fans to get excited about in the final quarter of the year.”
Subscribers can read our Olivia Dean cover story here.
PHOTO: Simon Emmett
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