News
3 August 2026 – Sam Fender and Olivia Dean Set an Extraordinary UK Chart Record
By Editorial Team - August 3, 2026
Summary
Sam Fender and Olivia Dean make UK chart history as 'Rein Me In' achieves its 19th non-consecutive week at number one, surpassing Frankie Laine's 1953 record.
Key Facts
- Sam Fender and Olivia Dean's duet 'Rein Me In' spends 19 non-consecutive weeks at UK number one.
- Surpasses Frankie Laine's 1953 record of 18 weeks for 'I Believe'.
- Originally released on Fender's 2025 album People Watching before Dean joined for a new verse.
- Entities: Sam Fender, Olivia Dean, Rein Me In, Frankie Laine, People Watching, UK Singles Chart
- Tags: sam-fender, olivia-dean, rein-me-in, uk-charts, people-watching, indie-pop, singles
Sam Fender and Olivia Dean have made UK chart history after their collaborative version of 'Rein Me In' completed a nineteenth non-consecutive week at number one in alternative pop.
That run moves the song beyond the eighteen-week record established by Frankie Laine’s 'I Believe' in 1953. Originally appearing as a solo track on Fender’s 2025 album People Watching, the song was reworked after Dean joined him during his stadium performances and contributed a new verse. The duet then made an unusually slow journey to the summit, reaching number one in February 2026 after thirty-five weeks in the Top 40.
Rather than disappearing after its initial peak, it repeatedly returned to first place as new releases briefly interrupted its reign. The record is especially notable for an alternative singer-songwriter whose career was initially built through regional venues, independent-minded guitar music and word-of-mouth support. 'Rein Me In' has become proof that a restrained, emotionally direct song can still grow into a genuine cross-generational phenomenon.