Gracie Abrams is still at number one in a singles chart that already contains numerous festive songs. Kendrick Lamar gets his second number one album.

Gracie Abrams remains at the top of the singles chart. Kenfrick Lamar’s surprise release tops the albums chart.

Gracie Abrams spends a fourth week at the top of the singles chart with That’s So True. Four songs have spent longer at number one this year, four of them by Sabrina Carpenter. The other one is also wood-related - Noah Kahan’s Stick Season.

Gigi Perez spends a fifth week at number two with her Sailor Song. Rose and Bruno Mars are still at number three with Apt.

Just over a week ago it looked like we were heading into the part of the year when there are very few new entries into the singles chart. Then Kendrick Lamar released a previously unannounced album. That had the twin effect of providing an unexpectedly close race for the top of the albums chart, of which more later, and the appearance of three of his songs in the singles chart. Oh joy. Squabble Up is at number four, Luther, featuring Sza, is at five and TV Off (which features Lefty Gunshot) is at six. They are all various grades of terrible.

Belgian musician Stromae had a top forty hit with Alors On Danse in 2009. While he has released many singles since then, none of them have even reached the top 100. It is, therefore, something of a surprise to see him at number 21 with Ma Meilleure Ennemie, a song that features someone called Pomme. It comes from season 2 of Arcane League Of Legends, whatever that is.

As well as something from the soundtrack of something I’ve never heard of, there are also songs from Wicked which I have heard of but have no plans to see. Having heard What Is This Feeling? By Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, a new entry at number seventeen, I am now even less likely to bother. Cynthia Sheeler, who spent a week at number 75 last year, is the only other Cynthia to be credited on a chart hit. Ariana Grande also has a solo hit from the film with Popular at number thirteen while she and Erivo are at number seven with Defying Gravity.

The festive re-entries are now gathering pace. The most welcome, as ever, is Fairytale Of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl. Once again, this is likely to be the most popular twentieth century Christmas song that does not appear on the American-dominated Spotify playlists. It makes its winter 2024 top forty debut at number 34. Thanks to Jim Watts at Buzzjack for pointing out that this is the 33rd different top forty position the song has occupied. Sadly, one of the missing positions is number one. Mariah Carey climbs to number ten meaning that All I Want For Christmas Is You has also occupied 33 different top forty positions. That includes three weeks at the top.

The re-entries start at the very bottom of the chart with Shakin’ Stevens’ Merry Christmas Everyone at number forty. The similarly-titled Merry Christmas by Ed Sheeran and Elton John is at number 31, one place lower than Bobby Helms’ Jingle Bell Rock.

As well as the Bobby Helms song, the US-centric nature of those playlists is emphasised by the appearance of Andy Williams at number 39 with It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year and the rise of Brenda Lee’s Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree to number twenty.

The list goes on. Kelly Clarkson’s Underneath The Tree is at number 32 and Ariana Grande’s version of Santa Tell Me is at 27.

Before the surprise release of Kendrick Lamar’s album last Friday (22 November), Michale Kiwanuka was expected to finish comfortably clear at the top of the albums chart today (Friday). The midweek updates put him ahead of Lamar. However, much of that lead was accounted for by physical copies. Lamar’s album doesn’t get a physical release until early next year. By the end of the chart week yesterday Lamar’s superior stemming figures meant that he finished at the top of the pile. GNX is his second number one album in the UK following 2015’s To Pimp A Butterfly.

All of Michael Kiwanuka’s first three albums have been nominated for the Mercury Prize with the third of those, Kiwanuka, winning the award in 2020. That album reached number two. Album number four, Small Changes, has done the same. Kendrick Lamar may now have been struck off his Christmas card list.

Sabrina Carpenter’s Short ‘n’ Sweet is at number three in its fourteenth week in the top three. Linkin Park drop just three places to number four with From Zero. Charli XCX’s Brat returns to the top five at number five. That album has now spent twenty weeks in the top ten.

Father John Misty gets a fifth top twenty album with the splendidly-titled Mahashmashana at number twelve. No, I don’t know what a Mahashmashana is, or whether they come in different colours. Wizkid gets his highest charting album with his sixth release Morayo at number fourteen. Morayo is Wizkid’s mother’s middle name. Marilyn Manson is at number 38 with One Assassination Under God - Chapter One.