21st September 2025

It's a fisst number one for Vance Joy as his irresistible Divine Feelings hold off a sudden burst of joy I got back for Die With A Smile, it originally peaked at 10 and hung around 7 months, and is still in the UK and US charts, so long that I've now caught my second-wind on it to hit a new peak of 2, what a timeless ballad, love it. That means Saint Etienne have still never climbed higher than 3 in my chart, as Brand New Me matches You're In A Bad Way and others singles. Good Neighbours make it a 4th top 10 with perhaps their best track to date in People Need People.

Happy Together climbs fast, for The Turtles, their 3rd top 20 appearance with the classic, and Mile Cyrus brings in 2 fifths of Fleetwood Mac for a great new ballad, Secrets, at 33. Richard Ashcroft makes it a second sample-heavy charter, this time Mason William's Classical gas instrumental classic from 1968 - which went top 5 for me in 1968, as did Elenore by The Turtles. Talking fo revamps, Scotty Mcreerie brings in Hootie & the Blowfish to rewrite Hold My Hand 30 years on from making my charts. I bought the album. Yes that one from 1995-ish huge in the USA, flop in the UK! New at 78.

Kasabian grab a second on the chart, and the return of the week comes from Anne Murray. The Canadian songbird became a fave of mine with Snowbird in 1970, I was obsessed, and it became the first of 2 chart-toppers at either end of the 70's, with lots more chart entries in between than she had in the UK. 80 years old now, and retired for 20 years, the affable, grounded singer has been persuaded to tinker with some good tracks that were never released originally - result, a new album and her first chart entries from me after a gap of 45 years, and a chart span of 55 years! Mick Fleetwood, also new this week, can beat that though - 57 years since Albatross made my chart, and that well may be a record for new material! Lindsey Buckingham has a mere 49 years.

1    2    1    3    DIVINE FEELINGS    -    Vance Joy    327000

2    NEW    2    1    DIE WITH A SMILE    -    Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars    115000

3    4    3    3    BRAND NEW ME    -    Saint Etienne & Confidence Man    137750

4    1    1    8    THE SUBWAY    -    Chappell Roan    470000

5    3    1    15    TOKYO RAIN    -    Loaded Honey    1323000

6    29    6    3    PEOPLE NEED PEOPLE    -    Good Neighbours    80300

7    6    1    9    12 TO 12    -    sombr    535150

8    7    1    15    OVER    -    Loaded Honey    1013750

9    5    1    3    ELENORE    -    The Turtles    275000

10    8    1    10    WALK OF FAME    -    Miley Cyrus featuring Brittany Howard    967200

11    9    4    10    FIVE MORE SECONDS    -    Seafret featuring KT Tunstall    393250

12    12    12    6    THE HIVES FOREVER FOREVER THE HIVES    -    The Hives    124600

13    45    13    3    HAPPY TOGETHER    -    The Turtles    47100

14    10    10    10    BETTE DAVIS EYES    -    Kim Carnes    201350

15    13    13    4    SELF CONTROL    -    Laura Branigan    93600

16    17    16    4    AT NIGHT    -    Shakedown    78200

17    18    17    6    G.O.A.T. (SKY25 MIX)    -    Kasabian    113000

18    11    3    11    HARD TO BE HAPPY    -    Rob Thomas    506400

19    15    8    8    SPIES    -    Robbie Williams    186250

20    21    20    8    DON’T LOOK DOWN    -    Gary Barlow featuring Becky Hill    104750

21    19    7    9    RAG DOLL    -    The Four Seasons    331750

22    30    22    5    SPACE    -    Ella Eyre    59100

23    16    10    10    JUPITER    -    almost monday featuring Jordana    289050

24    38    24    6    FORT KNOX    -    Sigrid    74350

25    35    25    6    THE FIRST TIME    -    Damiano David    84600

26    14    14    8    REALLY LOVE    -    Loaded Honey    163100

27    31    27    6    SINGAPORE (DEFINITIVE VERSION)    -    Girls Aloud    77100

28    22    3    17    ZOMBIE LADY    -    Damiano David featuring Dove Cameron    609600

29    32    29    7    ANXIETY    -    Doechii    104550

30    20    20    13    HEY HI HELLO    -    Alison Goldfrapp    136200

31    26    11    9    C’MON MARIANNE    -    The Four Seasons    221400

32    40    32    3    SHE’D RATHER BE WITH ME    -    The Turtles    47100

33    NEW    33    1    SECRETS    -    Miley Cyrus featuring Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood    17700

34    24    24    7    BEAUTIFUL ODYSSEY    -    YouNotUs x Cascada    95000

35    27    1    19    DON’T SPEAK    -    Loaded Honey    888800

36    36    36    8    ELECTRIC FLOWER    -    Miles Kane    93950

37    28    5    18    GLAD    -    Saint Etienne    531450

38    23    15    11    NO TIME TO TALK    -    Jonas Brothers    208400

39    51    39    7    HIGHER    -    Michael Buble    65650

40    37    37    9    CHEERS TO ME    -    Self Esteem    94500

41    50    41    9    SAVE ME    -    Olly Murs    68600

42    49    42    4    MACHINE    -    Rob Thomas    35750

43    48    43    5    FOUND U/ME    -    Good Neighbours    51350

44    39    1    15    GOD ONLY KNOWS    -    The Beach Boys    974150

45    58    45    6    SUMMER HOLIDAY    -    Cliff Richard & The Shadows    46100

46    43    1    19    RUN WITH U    -    Mamagama    1051600

47    44    2    25    END OF THE WORLD    -    Miley Cyrus    804900

48    25    6    13    LET IT BE FOR LOVE    -    Armin van Buuren featuring JAI RYU    320650

49    34    17    10    HAIRCUT    -    Reverend And The Makers featuring Vicky McClure    148350

50    66    50    3    BACK TO FRIENDS    -    sombr    21800

51    63    51    2    TALK TO ME    -    Damiano David featuring Tyla and Nile Rodgers    20950

52    42    10    17    LET’S RIDE AWAY    -    Avicii featuring Elle King    294300

53    54    53    7    ONLY DANCER    -    Louise    56850

54    33    22    11    I’LL BE BACK    -    The BossHoss featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger    141000

55    56    55    5    I CAN’T LOSE    -    Jonas Brothers    38000

56    64    56    3    ALL ABOUT ME    -    Jalen Ngonda    20300

57    59    57    5    WHAT I WANT    -    Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae    34500

58    65    58    3    THE DEAD DANCE    -    Lady Gaga    20600

59    60    59    5    DANCING WITH MYSELF    -    Royel Otis    34900

60    53    1    28    SUNSET BLVD    -    Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco    1345700

61    57    20    15    MANCHILD    -    Sabrina Carpenter    211700

62    62    62    2    TEARS    -    Sabrina Carpenter    14800

63    41    10    11    BROKEN GAME    -    Finn Forster    234950

64    68    64    3    I BELIEVE IN YOU    -    Ladytron    16300

65    73    65    3    MAN ON A MISSION    -    The Black Keys    15600

66    76    66    2    EAT ME ALIVE    -    Artemas    11600

67    47    16    10    POISON VINE    -    Cast featuring P.P. Arnold    167700

68    70    68    4    DOLCE VITA    -    Sophie Ellis-Bextor    20400

69    77    69    3    LOSER    -    Tame Impala    13000

70    46    22    10    SHOOK    -    Sugababes    131000

71    80    71    2    HELLO STRANGER    -    Loaded Honey    9800

72    NEW    72    1    LOVIN’ YOU    -    Richard Ashcroft featuring Mason Williams    5600

73    83    73    2    ONE LAST TIME    -    Blue    8800

74    71    71    4    EURO-COUNTRY    -    CMAT    19600

75    81    75    3    DREAM TEAM    -    Of Monsters And Men    10800

76    78    76    5    ME WITHOUT YOU    -    Will Young    20800

77    82    77    2    DANCING HEART    -    Saint Etienne    8200

78    NEW    78    1    BOTTLE ROCKETS (HOLD MY HAND)    -    Scotty McCreery featuring Hootie & The Blowfish    4400

79    67    67    7    A LITTLE MORE UNDERSTANDING    -    Bryan Adams    33400

80    84    80    2    STAY ON ME    -    Sophie Ellis-Bextor    7200

81    75    75    4    TAKE ME TO THE PILOT    -    Saint Etienne    17200

82    NEW    82    1    HIPPIE SUNSHINE    -    Kasabian    3600

83    NEW    83    1    REST EASY (IN MY LOVE)    -    Anne Murray    3400

84    61    61    5    GOLDEN    -    HUNTR/X (EJAE, Audreu Nuna and REI AMI) KPop Demon Hunters    26300

85    NEW    85    1    STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART    -    Anne Murray    3000

DROP OUTS

    72    72    3    OH VERY YOUNG    -    Cat Stevens featuring Suzanne Lynch    12600

    52    32    9    IN IT WITH YOU    -    Craig David featuring JoJo    94050

    55    18    14    BLOODLINE    -    Alex Warren featuring Jelly Roll    203300

    69    29    12    ON MY MIND    -    Alex Warren & ROSE    128500

    74    68    5    ROMEO    -    Charlotte OC    26200

    79    3    25    RAGDOLL    -    The Lottery Winners featuring Chad Kroeger    526000

    85    85    1    SOCIETY    -    The Weeknd    3000

Vance Joy for #1 😁

Great to see new peak positions for Gary Barlow, Sigrid, Damiano David, Doechii, Olly Murs, Rob Thomas, Sombr and Lady Gaga 😁

New debuts for Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Richard Ashcroft and Scotty McCreery 😁

Wow, great set of moves this week, John! Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars shooting in straight at #2 with Die With A Smile is huge, what a collab! Even though also bit late. Miley debuting with Fleetwood Mac legends on Secrets is such a cool surprise too. Loving the climbs for Sigrid’s Fort Knox and Damiano’s tracks, both solo and with Tyla & Nile Rodgers — he’s really having a moment! Also nice to see Sophie Ellis-Bextor holding strong with two songs in the Top 100, and Gaga’s The Dead Dance still pushing up. Fantastic chart as always!

lol @ Gaga & Bruno coming back 😂 it really is timeless though

good to see Chappell and sombr still holding on! Also really surprised at the Scotty McCreery sneak, I thought he was only relevant in the U.S. 😂

Hey John,

Sombr climbing!! Back To Friends is amazing!! ❤️

Die With Smile 😯

Good N.1!! 😇

Great #1. Nice classics from Laura Brannigan and Kim Carnes in your chart. "Die With A Smile" comes as a surprise ;).

Hi John. Hope you've had a good week and that you have a lovely time in Spain (if the airport strike doesn't prevent this from happening of course). Here's my faves this week:

1    2    1    3    DIVINE FEELINGS    -    Vance Joy    327000 this has grown on me considerably over the last week. Absolutely sounds like a hit - needs tiktok or to go viral to make it happen though

2    NEW    2    1    DIE WITH A SMILE    -    Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars    115000 in years to come I'll probably look back on this with kinder eyes, but I've heard it far too much sadly

3    4    3    3    BRAND NEW ME    -    Saint Etienne & Confidence Man    137750 ❤️ ooh peaking higher here than in my chart!

4    1    1    8    THE SUBWAY    -    Chappell Roan    470000

5    3    1    15    TOKYO RAIN    -    Loaded Honey    1323000

7    6    1    9    12 TO 12    -    sombr    535150

8    7    1    15    OVER    -    Loaded Honey    1013750

9    5    1    3    ELENORE    -    The Turtles    275000

10    8    1    10    WALK OF FAME    -    Miley Cyrus featuring Brittany Howard    967200

13    45    13    3    HAPPY TOGETHER    -    The Turtles    47100

14    10    10    10    BETTE DAVIS EYES    -    Kim Carnes    201350

15    13    13    4    SELF CONTROL    -    Laura Branigan    93600

16    17    16    4    AT NIGHT    -    Shakedown    78200

18    11    3    11    HARD TO BE HAPPY    -    Rob Thomas    506400

21    19    7    9    RAG DOLL    -    The Four Seasons    331750

24    38    24    6    FORT KNOX    -    Sigrid    74350

25    35    25    6    THE FIRST TIME    -    Damiano David    84600

26    14    14    8    REALLY LOVE    -    Loaded Honey    163100

27    31    27    6    SINGAPORE (DEFINITIVE VERSION)    -    Girls Aloud    77100

28    22    3    17    ZOMBIE LADY    -    Damiano David featuring Dove Cameron    609600

29    32    29    7    ANXIETY    -    Doechii    104550

31    26    11    9    C’MON MARIANNE    -    The Four Seasons    221400

32    40    32    3    SHE’D RATHER BE WITH ME    -    The Turtles    47100

33    NEW    33    1    SECRETS    -    Miley Cyrus featuring Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood    17700 for me this has been her strongest era. Such a shame this hasn't been reflected in the official charts

34    24    24    7    BEAUTIFUL ODYSSEY    -    YouNotUs x Cascada    95000

35    27    1    19    DON’T SPEAK    -    Loaded Honey    888800

37    28    5    18    GLAD    -    Saint Etienne    531450

38    23    15    11    NO TIME TO TALK    -    Jonas Brothers    208400

40    37    37    9    CHEERS TO ME    -    Self Esteem    94500

41    50    41    9    SAVE ME    -    Olly Murs    68600

42    49    42    4    MACHINE    -    Rob Thomas    35750

44    39    1    15    GOD ONLY KNOWS    -    The Beach Boys    974150

45    58    45    6    SUMMER HOLIDAY    -    Cliff Richard & The Shadows    46100

46    43    1    19    RUN WITH U    -    Mamagama    1051600

47    44    2    25    END OF THE WORLD    -    Miley Cyrus    804900

48    25    6    13    LET IT BE FOR LOVE    -    Armin van Buuren featuring JAI RYU    320650

49    34    17    10    HAIRCUT    -    Reverend And The Makers featuring Vicky McClure    148350

50    66    50    3    BACK TO FRIENDS    -    sombr    21800

51    63    51    2    TALK TO ME    -    Damiano David featuring Tyla and Nile Rodgers    20950

52    42    10    17    LET’S RIDE AWAY    -    Avicii featuring Elle King    294300

53    54    53    7    ONLY DANCER    -    Louise    56850

54    33    22    11    I’LL BE BACK    -    The BossHoss featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger    141000

55    56    55    5    I CAN’T LOSE    -    Jonas Brothers    38000

58    65    58    3    THE DEAD DANCE    -    Lady Gaga    20600

59    60    59    5    DANCING WITH MYSELF    -    Royel Otis    34900

60    53    1    28    SUNSET BLVD    -    Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco    1345700

61    57    20    15    MANCHILD    -    Sabrina Carpenter    211700

62    62    62    2    TEARS    -    Sabrina Carpenter    14800

66    76    66    2    EAT ME ALIVE    -    Artemas    11600

68    70    68    4    DOLCE VITA    -    Sophie Ellis-Bextor    20400

69    77    69    3    LOSER    -    Tame Impala    13000

70    46    22    10    SHOOK    -    Sugababes    131000

74    71    71    4    EURO-COUNTRY    -    CMAT    19600

77    82    77    2    DANCING HEART    -    Saint Etienne    8200

79    67    67    7    A LITTLE MORE UNDERSTANDING    -    Bryan Adams    33400

80    84    80    2    STAY ON ME    -    Sophie Ellis-Bextor    7200

81    75    75    4    TAKE ME TO THE PILOT    -    Saint Etienne    17200

Fantastic chart as always ❤️

On 27/09/2025 at 14:56, SSP said:

Vance Joy for #1 😁

Great to see new peak positions for Gary Barlow, Sigrid, Damiano David, Doechii, Olly Murs, Rob Thomas, Sombr and Lady Gaga 😁

New debuts for Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Richard Ashcroft and Scotty McCreery 😁

Hi SSP!🙂

Thanks for the picks! Glad you like Vance Joy!

cheers 😎

On 27/09/2025 at 21:19, Sergej said:

Wow, great set of moves this week, John! Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars shooting in straight at #2 with Die With A Smile is huge, what a collab! Even though also bit late. Miley debuting with Fleetwood Mac legends on Secrets is such a cool surprise too. Loving the climbs for Sigrid’s Fort Knox and Damiano’s tracks, both solo and with Tyla & Nile Rodgers — he’s really having a moment! Also nice to see Sophie Ellis-Bextor holding strong with two songs in the Top 100, and Gaga’s The Dead Dance still pushing up. Fantastic chart as always!

Hey Sergej! 🙂

Thanks for the picks, Die With A Smile is getting its second wind a year on, I just love singing along to it in the car pretending I can sing all the right notes 😄Glad you rate MIley & Mac, what a shame its not a hit! Nile Rodgers can do no wrong for me, always!

cheers! 😎

On 27/09/2025 at 22:24, Cody Piastri said:

lol @ Gaga & Bruno coming back 😂 it really is timeless though

good to see Chappell and sombr still holding on! Also really surprised at the Scotty McCreery sneak, I thought he was only relevant in the U.S. 😂

Hi Cody! 🙂Yes I couldnt help myself re-loving Bruno & Gaga, it's got legs 😄Scotty McCreery grabbed my attention mainly for the classic melody lift! I do like it though 🙂

Thanks for the comments! 😎

On 28/09/2025 at 02:10, seltinpixmile said:

Hey John,

Sombr climbing!! Back To Friends is amazing!! ❤️

Die With Smile 😯

Good N.1!! 😇

Hey Seltin 🙂, thanks for the picks, I;'m getting into sombr a bit late but got there!

cheers! 😎

On 28/09/2025 at 11:30, DaTilt said:

Great #1. Nice classics from Laura Brannigan and Kim Carnes in your chart. "Die With A Smile" comes as a surprise ;).

Hi Da Tilt! Thanks for dropping in and commenting, glad Vance Joy is getting some love! 🥰Die With A Smile was a surprise to me, I started it again and fell in love with it back again 😄

cheers! 😎

On 28/09/2025 at 14:28, AH Gold said:

Hi John. Hope you've had a good week and that you have a lovely time in Spain (if the airport strike doesn't prevent this from happening of course). Here's my faves this week:

1    2    1    3    DIVINE FEELINGS    -    Vance Joy    327000 this has grown on me considerably over the last week. Absolutely sounds like a hit - needs tiktok or to go viral to make it happen though

2    NEW    2    1    DIE WITH A SMILE    -    Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars    115000 in years to come I'll probably look back on this with kinder eyes, but I've heard it far too much sadly

3    4    3    3    BRAND NEW ME    -    Saint Etienne & Confidence Man    137750 ❤️ ooh peaking higher here than in my chart!

4    1    1    8    THE SUBWAY    -    Chappell Roan    470000

5    3    1    15    TOKYO RAIN    -    Loaded Honey    1323000

7    6    1    9    12 TO 12    -    sombr    535150

8    7    1    15    OVER    -    Loaded Honey    1013750

9    5    1    3    ELENORE    -    The Turtles    275000

10    8    1    10    WALK OF FAME    -    Miley Cyrus featuring Brittany Howard    967200

13    45    13    3    HAPPY TOGETHER    -    The Turtles    47100

14    10    10    10    BETTE DAVIS EYES    -    Kim Carnes    201350

15    13    13    4    SELF CONTROL    -    Laura Branigan    93600

16    17    16    4    AT NIGHT    -    Shakedown    78200

18    11    3    11    HARD TO BE HAPPY    -    Rob Thomas    506400

21    19    7    9    RAG DOLL    -    The Four Seasons    331750

24    38    24    6    FORT KNOX    -    Sigrid    74350

25    35    25    6    THE FIRST TIME    -    Damiano David    84600

26    14    14    8    REALLY LOVE    -    Loaded Honey    163100

27    31    27    6    SINGAPORE (DEFINITIVE VERSION)    -    Girls Aloud    77100

28    22    3    17    ZOMBIE LADY    -    Damiano David featuring Dove Cameron    609600

29    32    29    7    ANXIETY    -    Doechii    104550

31    26    11    9    C’MON MARIANNE    -    The Four Seasons    221400

32    40    32    3    SHE’D RATHER BE WITH ME    -    The Turtles    47100

33    NEW    33    1    SECRETS    -    Miley Cyrus featuring Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood    17700 for me this has been her strongest era. Such a shame this hasn't been reflected in the official charts

34    24    24    7    BEAUTIFUL ODYSSEY    -    YouNotUs x Cascada    95000

35    27    1    19    DON’T SPEAK    -    Loaded Honey    888800

37    28    5    18    GLAD    -    Saint Etienne    531450

38    23    15    11    NO TIME TO TALK    -    Jonas Brothers    208400

40    37    37    9    CHEERS TO ME    -    Self Esteem    94500

41    50    41    9    SAVE ME    -    Olly Murs    68600

42    49    42    4    MACHINE    -    Rob Thomas    35750

44    39    1    15    GOD ONLY KNOWS    -    The Beach Boys    974150

45    58    45    6    SUMMER HOLIDAY    -    Cliff Richard & The Shadows    46100

46    43    1    19    RUN WITH U    -    Mamagama    1051600

47    44    2    25    END OF THE WORLD    -    Miley Cyrus    804900

48    25    6    13    LET IT BE FOR LOVE    -    Armin van Buuren featuring JAI RYU    320650

49    34    17    10    HAIRCUT    -    Reverend And The Makers featuring Vicky McClure    148350

50    66    50    3    BACK TO FRIENDS    -    sombr    21800

51    63    51    2    TALK TO ME    -    Damiano David featuring Tyla and Nile Rodgers    20950

52    42    10    17    LET’S RIDE AWAY    -    Avicii featuring Elle King    294300

53    54    53    7    ONLY DANCER    -    Louise    56850

54    33    22    11    I’LL BE BACK    -    The BossHoss featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger    141000

55    56    55    5    I CAN’T LOSE    -    Jonas Brothers    38000

58    65    58    3    THE DEAD DANCE    -    Lady Gaga    20600

59    60    59    5    DANCING WITH MYSELF    -    Royel Otis    34900

60    53    1    28    SUNSET BLVD    -    Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco    1345700

61    57    20    15    MANCHILD    -    Sabrina Carpenter    211700

62    62    62    2    TEARS    -    Sabrina Carpenter    14800

66    76    66    2    EAT ME ALIVE    -    Artemas    11600

68    70    68    4    DOLCE VITA    -    Sophie Ellis-Bextor    20400

69    77    69    3    LOSER    -    Tame Impala    13000

70    46    22    10    SHOOK    -    Sugababes    131000

74    71    71    4    EURO-COUNTRY    -    CMAT    19600

77    82    77    2    DANCING HEART    -    Saint Etienne    8200

79    67    67    7    A LITTLE MORE UNDERSTANDING    -    Bryan Adams    33400

80    84    80    2    STAY ON ME    -    Sophie Ellis-Bextor    7200

81    75    75    4    TAKE ME TO THE PILOT    -    Saint Etienne    17200

Fantastic chart as always ❤️

Hi AH!🙂

Thanks for the hols wishes, the strike is called off Stop Press, agreement reached hooray so off in a few hours, just cramming earlky charts in before I go😄Ooh I'd love Vance Joy to get a hit again, that would be fun! Oops sorry I realise the radio torture of Die With A Smile is way too soon for you! I imagine I'm Bruno Mars singing it though I sound more like Frank Bruno trying hard to sound like Gaga. Yes MIley is fab this year, I think the album needed a monster single and some buzz ahead of release, it just sort of dropped and it was assumed it would do well after Flowers - but she's never guaranteed a hit, sadly. She's brilliant.

Thanks as ever for the long picks and comments! 😎