Future chart hit?

Ed Sheeran

Old Phone

2nd single from Play

Released: 1st May 2025

Label: Gingerbread Man Records / Atlantic Records UK

Video

Biography

In a scene from Apple Music’s Songwriter documentary about Ed Sheeran, the singer-songwriter straggles out into a garden in Malibu at dawn. Jet-lagged and carrying a cup of tea, he sits down at his laptop and begins writing a song about the moment right in front of him: the crisp air, the birdsong, the hot tea, the day ahead. Sheeran gets a full verse in, melody and all, and then pauses. “Songs are weird things,” he says. “How so?” an interviewer asks. “They just come and go,” Sheeran says, smiling. “And they never give you any warning.” For Sheeran, songs have come rather reliably since he started writing in his youth. Born in 1991 in Halifax, he started out gigging on the pub circuit before releasing his first studio album, +, in 2011. Sheeran kept up the mathematical theme on subsequent album titles as he became one of the most unstoppable singer-songwriters in music, forging a light, polished blend of folk, pop and hip-hop that feels bittersweet and redemptive, intimate yet universal. Whether on his own songs (“Sing”, “The A Team”, “Shape of You”, “Perfect”) or in collaboration with artists such as Taylor Swift, Chance the Rapper and Beyoncé, Sheeran strikes a chord that feels good-natured and genuine: he’s the hopeless romantic who isn’t afraid to be vulnerable and show you his heart. Perhaps even more important, Sheeran isn’t afraid to take chances. His 2021 smash “Bad Habits” dabbled in modern dance-pop, while in 2023, he performed an Apple Music Live session in London and released two albums: −, a vulnerable album about grief and depression; and Autumn Variations, featuring collaborations with Aaron Dessner of The National. - Apple Music

Top 100 Chart History

2011 03 The A Team -1- MILLION SELLER

2011 35 Hush Little Baby (Wretch 32 feat. Ed Sheeran)

2011 04 You Need Me, I Don't Need You -2- MILLIONAIRE

2011 09 Drunk -4- MILLIONAIRE

2011 05 Lego House -3- MILLIONAIRE

2011 81 Gold Rush -AT-

2011 84 Autumn Leaves -AT-

2012 25 Small Bump -5-

2012 34 Wish You Were Here (Ed Sheeran, Richard Jones, Nick Mason, Mike Rutherford & David Arnold) -AT-

2012 07 (All Along The) Watchtower (Devlin feat. Ed Sheeran)

2012 18 Give Me Love -6-

2012 07 Everything Has Changed (Taylor Swift feat. Ed Sheeran)

2013 13 I See Fire -OST- MILLIONAIRE

2014 18 One -IG-

2014 01 Sing -1- MILLIONAIRE

2014 08 Don't -2- MILLIONAIRE

2014 01 Thinking Out Loud -3- MILLION SELLER

2014 15 Photograph -5- MILLIONAIRE

2014 59 Afire Love -IG-

2014 49 I'm A Mess -AT-

2014 02 Bloodstream (Ed Sheeran & Rudimental) -4- MILLIONAIRE

2014 82 The Man -IG-

2014 62 Tenerife Sea -AT-

2014 46 All Of The Stars -OST-

2014 57 Nina -AT-

2014 71 Runaway -AT-

2014 85 Take It Back -AT-

2014 38 Make It Rain -OST-

2015 69 I Will Take You Home -B-SIDE-

2015 88 Dreams (Krept & Konan feat. Ed Sheeran)

2015 92 Dark Times (The Weeknd feat. Ed Sheeran)

2015 12 Lay It All On Me (Rudimental feat. Ed Sheeran)

2017 01 Shape Of You -1/2- MILLIONAIRE

2017 02 Castle On The Hill -1/2- MILLIONAIRE

2017 02 How Would You Feel (Paean) -IG-

2017 02 Galway Girl -3- MILLIONAIRE

2017 01 Perfect -4- MILLIONAIRE

2017 05 New Man -AT-

2017 06 Happier -5- MILLIONAIRE

2017 08 Dive -AT- MILLIONAIRE

2017 08 Supermarket Flowers -AT- MILLIONAIRE

2017 09 What Do I Know? -AT-

2017 12 Barcelona -AT-

2017 13 Nancy Mulligan -AT-

2017 14 Eraser -AT-

2017 15 Hearts Don't Break Around Here -AT-

2017 18 Bibia Be Ye Ye -AT-

2017 19 Save Myself -AT-

2017 52 Boa Me (Fuse ODG feat. Ed Sheeran & Mugeez)

2017 49 End Game (Taylor Swift feat. Ed Sheeran & Future)

2017 01 River (Eminem feat. Ed Sheeran) MILLIONAIRE

2019 01 I Don't Care (Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber) -1- MILLIONAIRE

2019 04 Cross Me (feat. Chance the Rapper & PnB Rock) -2-

2019 01 Beautiful People (feat. Khalid) -3- MILLIONAIRE

2019 01 Take Me Back To London (feat. Stormzy) -4- MILLIONAIRE

2019 04 South Of The Border (feat. Camila Cabello & Cardi B) -5- MILLIONAIRE

2019 01 Own It (Stormzy feat. Ed Sheeran & Burna Boy) MILLIONAIRE

2020 12 Those Kinda Nights (Eminem feat. Ed Sheeran)

2020 02 Afterglow -NAS-

2021 01 Bad Habits -1- MILLIONAIRE

2021 05 Visiting Hours -IG-

2021 01 Shivers -2- MILLIONAIRE

2021 04 Overpass Graffiti -3-

2021 02 Peru (Fireboy DML & Ed Sheeran) MILLIONAIRE

2021 01 Merry Christmas (Ed Sheeran & Elton John) -4-

2021 01 Sausage Rolls For Everyone (LadBaby feat. Ed Sheeran & Elton John)

2022 02 The Joker And The Queen (feat. Taylor Swift) -5-

2022 07 Bam Bam (Camila Cabello feat. Ed Sheeran)

2022 96 Sigue (J Balvin & Ed Sheeran)

2022 09 2step (feat. Lil Baby) -6-

2022 18 For My Hand (Burna Boy feat. Ed Sheeran)

2022 47 Are You Entertained (Russ & Ed Sheeran)

2022 06 My G (Aitch & Ed Sheeran)

2022 06 Celestial -OST-

2023 50 F64 -NAS-

2023 85 Who We Love (Sam Smith & Ed Sheeran)

2023 01 Eyes Closed -1-

2023 15 Boat -IG-

2023 16 Curtains -AT-

2023 29 Life Goes On -AT-

2023 27 American Town -1-

2023 49 Magical -AT-

2023 84 England -AT-

2024 55 Under The Tree -OST-

2025 03 Azizam -1-

2025 xx Old Phone -2-

14 x #1 | 30 x Top 5 | 42 x Top 10 | 57 x Top 20 | 63 x Top 40 | 85 x Top 100

Social Media

Ed Sheeran

Future chart hit?

Jorja Smith

The Way I Love You

Non-album single

Released: 1st May 2025

Label: FAMM

Video

Biography

Blending classical vocal artistry with beats inspired by modern R&B, reggae, and hip-hop, Jorja Smith has risen to become one of Britain’s most exciting soul singers since her debut single, the searching, Dizzee Rascal-sampling “Blue Lights,” came out in 2016. Born in England’s West Midlands in 1997, Smith began studying music at an early age while listening to reggae, dub, and soul music on her own, and her YouTube covers of hits by Alex Clare and Tinie Tempah garnered her notice from industry bigwigs. Smith’s second single, the glossy “Where Did I Go?”, was praised by Drake that July; a few months later, she released her debut EP, Project 11, and was named to the BBC’s Sound of 2017 long list. Drake invited Smith to tour with her and appear on his project More Life in 2017, and later that year she collaborated with American urbano star Kali Uchis on “Tyrant” and toured the world with Bruno Mars. Smith kicked off her 2018 with the BRIT Critics’ Choice Award, and soon after, she put out her debut full-length, Lost & Found, which showcased her defiantly honest songwriting, effortless genre-mixing, and supple voice on tracks like the soulful “Wandering Romance” and the downtempo “On Your Own.” - Apple Music

Top 100 Chart History

2017 24 Get It Together (Drake feat. Black Coffee & Jorja Smith)

2017 51 On My Mind (Jorja Smith & Preditah) -NAS-

2018 34 Let Me Down (feat. Stormzy) -NAS-

2018 62 I Am -OST-

2018 38 Blue Lights -1-

2018 75 February 3rd -3-

2018 77 Teenage Fantasy -2-

2019 73 Don't Watch Me Cry -4-

2019 62 Loose Ends (Loyle Carner & Jorja Smith)

2019 08 Be Honest (feat. Burna Boy) -NAS-

2020 89 By Any Means -OST-

2020 35 Come Over (feat. Popcaan) -NAS-

2021 46 Addicted -1-

2021 79 Gone -2-

2021 56 Bussdown (feat. Shaybo) -3-

2023 60 Try Me -1-

2023 11 Little Things -2-

2023 50 Feelings (feat. J Hus) -AT-

2023 16 Stay Another Day -NAS-

2024 98 In The Night (Childish Gambino feat. Jorja Smith & Amaarae)

2025 23 Crush (AJ Tracey feat. Jorja Smith)

2025 xx The Way I Love You -NAS-

0 x #1 | 0 x Top 5 | 1 x Top 10 | 3 x Top 20 | 8 x Top 40 | 21 x Top 100

Social Media

Jorja Smith

1 minute ago, Liam S said:

Now equally Espresso’s 7 weeks at #1 next target is Taste’s 10 weeks 🎉🥳

#justiceforespresso #justicefortaste both did it in much more competitive markets 🤣🤣

Alex Warren is the new Ed Sheeran. Thats the reason Azizam is not number 1. ;)

1 minute ago, Jason said:

Alex Warren is the new Ed Sheeran. Thats the reason Azizam is not number 1. ;)

Let's see if that still stands in 15 years 🤭

New peaks and new entries outside the top 40:

#57 Shallipopi - Laho (NEW)

#62 Jazzy & Kilimanjaro - No Bad Vibes (+4)

#66 PinkPantheress - Stateside (NEW)

#71 Atlxs - Passo Bem Solto (+1)

#72 Denon Reed & Cru2 - I Need To Know (NEW)

#78 Sam Fender - Tyrants (NEW)

#88 Lizzy McAlpine - Spring Into Summer (+2)

#94 Afusic ft. AliSoomroMusic - Pal Pal (NEW)

According to the OCC Ordinary had 6.7 million streams this week up from 6.4 last week so it has avoided ACR

26 minutes ago, Liam S said:

The CD’s are for next week

I actually just bought a CD copy on Wednesday!

Edited May 2, 20251 yr by Stephen Emmett

Ribs mustn't have been reset then...

5 hours ago, JosephBoone said:

Wonder if the Thursday release actually could have screwed this out of a top 10 placement, losing some curiosity plays a day early?

Shame it couldn't have made the top 10 as it's a great track, better than anything on Solar Power!

It's possible but I've never really seen any tangible proof to the case. I think labels get in on Thursday releases because it gives more attention rather than getting crowded by all the releases at once (I've even heard talk of Wednesday to go one step further), which can help spread a press cycle and potentially get higher on the Friday than otherwise. Impossible to prove one way or another, but labels are in the business of making money and they're not squandering that because 'oops we released it on the wrong day, what were we thinking?' like it sometimes gets posited.

Although if there is an argument for it being disadvantageous, it's that Lorde's two biggest markets are her home country & Australia, two countries where new releases are often prone to slow starts. We get caught up in US news cycles the day after and so it's very regular to see stuff climb on Saturday that's otherwise plummeting in the US/UK. With that in mind, it's been a huge success. Very few streams wasted on the Thursday (Spotify numbers are deceptive due to the time zones). It's allowed a strong start on Friday and she got a #1 in Aotearoa and top 10 in Australia, similar to "Green Light". Possible in that sense that the UK isn't being prioritised, but I do think there are two reasonable sides to this discussion.

23 minutes ago, Dircadirca said:

It's possible but I've never really seen any tangible proof to the case. I think labels get in on Thursday releases because it gives more attention rather than getting crowded by all the releases at once (I've even heard talk of Wednesday to go one step further), which can help spread a press cycle and potentially get higher on the Friday than otherwise. Impossible to prove one way or another, but labels are in the business of making money and they're not squandering that because 'oops we released it on the wrong day, what were we thinking?' like it sometimes gets posited.

Although if there is an argument for it being disadvantageous, it's that Lorde's two biggest markets are her home country & Australia, two countries where new releases are often prone to slow starts. We get caught up in US news cycles the day after and so it's very regular to see stuff climb on Saturday that's otherwise plummeting in the US/UK. With that in mind, it's been a huge success. Very few streams wasted on the Thursday (Spotify numbers are deceptive due to the time zones). It's allowed a strong start on Friday and she got a #1 in Aotearoa and top 10 in Australia, similar to "Green Light". Possible in that sense that the UK isn't being prioritised, but I do think there are two reasonable sides to this discussion.

Oh I'm not saying there aren't benefits to it, and usually I don't think it would make much of a difference, especially in an age where songs often peak after week 1 (which Lorde still could do). However, the gap wasn't very big, so perhaps in this instance, some curiosity streams from Thursday could have made the difference had the song been released on Friday instead. Equally, maybe it wouldn't have, we'll never know, but I don't think it's outside the realms of possibility that a couple of hundred sales difference could have been made up.

6 hours ago, JosephBoone said:

Oh I'm not saying there aren't benefits to it, and usually I don't think it would make much of a difference, especially in an age where songs often peak after week 1 (which Lorde still could do). However, the gap wasn't very big, so perhaps in this instance, some curiosity streams from Thursday could have made the difference had the song been released on Friday instead. Equally, maybe it wouldn't have, we'll never know, but I don't think it's outside the realms of possibility that a couple of hundred sales difference could have been made up.

Yeah fair, I get that it's close. It just also wouldn't surprise me that some of these Thursday releases moved to Friday might just be working with a lower ceiling overall due to getting crowded out by more releases (wouldn't take many people to do it), so the pipe dream release timing might be fraught anyhow.

Thursday releases are understandable and I can see the benefits from exposure point of view (headstart to the new week). What I don't understand is the Wednesday release for instance Kylie has done with several singles this decade - that is a proper split between two weeks and she is a digital-seller heavy act too.

Lorde lost 300,000 streams on Thursday, that's a lot

sure if released on Friday she would have gotten some of those

the streams needed to cover a 200-sale deficit are not much

In this particular case Lorde probably lost the #10 position because of the timing, but in general the potential loss can easily be gained if the song gets a proper hype during its first day of release (Thursday) ahead of playlisting (Friday).

I get why a Thu release can be a good thing but in this case the buzz was there

and also the Friday push (#1 on every NMF playlist) too

in the US she lost 1 million streams I think

Well, it's a gamble of a sort (whereas Wednesday release is pure stupidity).

On 02/05/2025 at 17:09, Bjork said:

1000% sure it would have been top 10 if released on a Friday instead of Thursday, bad labels

If it’s gonna be top 10 it’ll get there in the end!

What? Tons of songs peak in week 1, it's already dropping like a stone sadly

And the biggest hits are still hits no matter where they chart in week one!

It’s currently 48 on Spotify and 26 on Apple!