HiyaLuv!

No, nobody's bothered about it because it's not being pushed as a single! I've never known someone be so consistently wrong about things yet so confident they're right. You might as well be ChatGPT!

Correct, unless you're Hadji who takes Wikipedia as gospel. Also Wikipedia doesn't take into account the differences between countries, I don't know if WDYGH was pushed to radio in the US or anywhere else but I certainly didn't hear it 56 billion times a week across Radios 1 and 2. There's no way they would have snubbed if it was a 'real' UK single!

Yeah but Wikipedia talks shite and a lot of people who edit it don't know the difference between real and promotional singles and the differences between markets. It may be listed as a single but have you seen or heard it promoted like a real single at all? Also there have been lots of post-album singles released to radio that aren't recognised as singles at all by Wikipedia. My definition of a single in 2026 is something that gets lots of promotion and airplay. Sometimes you just have to use your common sense! Take this for example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_Revisited "...it was the fourth single taken from their album Resistance Is Futile". Was it fook! It was a taster track released to streaming before the album, no Radio 2, 6 or X playlisting, no video, no physical release, no nothing. These are pseudo-singles. NOT A SINGLE.

It's on my Alternative Now 123 playlist to make sure I never forget it anyway! #justice4lean

Booo at Rosalia being gone already and Charlotte Day Wilson getting no higher than the C-list either. Good to see Fcukers finally make it.

No idea what logic you're using to decide what is and isn't a single here. I've certainly not heard I'm Always On Stage played or promoted as a real single anywhere. I certainly don't count promotional singles as proper singles.

THIS WEEK'S TOP 40 01 (02) Fisher: Rain (40-10-7-2-1) 02 (01) Calvin Harris x Kasabian: Release The Pressure (17-2-1-2-1-2) 03 (03) Milky x Mall Grab: Just The Way You Are (27-4-2-1-3-3) 04 (12) Bella Kay: iloveitiloveitiloveit (21-12-4) 05 (08) sombr: Homewrecker (23-8-6-8-5) 06 (04) Josh Baker, Silva Bumpa & Paige Cavell: Feel This Way (31-11-3-4-4-6) 07 (13) James Blake: Death of Love (29-21-18-13-7) 08 (18) Charlotte Day Wilson & Saya Gray: Lean (37-18-8) 09 (07) Mitski: WHERE'S MY PHONE? (20-8-5-5-7-9) 10 (RE) Rosalía ft. Björk & Yves Tumor: Berghain (37-23-33-30-xx-10) 11 (27) Alex Warren: Fever Dream (27-11) 12 (06) Robyn: Talk To Me (26-23-5-5-4-5-6-9-6-12) 13 (09) Danny L Harle & Dua Lipa: Two Hearts (34-14-9-13) 14 (11) Ewan McVIcar: Share The House (32-13-11-14) 15 (05) Fred again.. & Jamie T: LightsBurnDimmer (21-7-3-5-15) 16 (10) J. Cole: Two Six (30-9-8-10-16) 17 (NE) Sonny Fodera ft. Chrystal: My Loving (17) 18 (NE) Madonna: Into The Groove (18) 19 (15) Zara Larsson: Midnight Sun (40-31-23-18-36-xx-40-21-24-11-9-10-14-19-15-19) 20 (14) Arctic Monkeys: Opening Night (7-1-1-1-4-15-14-20) 21 (NE) Ella Langley: Choosin' Texas (21) 22 (38) Lana Del Rey: White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter (38-22) 23 (NE) Dominic Fike: White Keys (23) 24 (19) Sleaford Mods ft. Aldous Harding: Elitist G.O.A.T. (39-30-23-19-24) 25 (NE) Sean Paul ft. Keyshia Cole: (When You Gonna) Give It Up To Me? (25) 26 (21) Harry Styles: Aperture (29-3-2-3-11-27-21-26) 27 (20) Holly Humberstone: To Love Somebody (38-16-20-27) 28 (16) Charli xcx: Always Everywhere (18-11-16-28) 29 (17) Arlo Parks: 2SIDED (37-19-13-15-17-17-29) 30 (40) Freya Skye: Silent Treatment (40-30) 31 (NE) Turnstile: DREAMING (31) 32 (RE) Ladytron: A Death in London (38-x-32) 33 (26) Jessie Ware: Ride (35-26-33) 34 (NE) Harry Styles: American Girls (34) 35 (23) Foo Fighters: Your Favourite Toy (40-28-23-35) 36 (29) MK & Illyus Barrientos: Never Let You Go (27-39-29-36) 37 (NE) MUNA: Dancing On The Wall (37) 38 (NE) Elmiene: Reclusive (38) 39 (32) Zach Bryan: Plastic Cigarette (22-31-32-39) 40 (30) Pulp: Begging For Change (31-26-30-40) OUT 22 (10) Leigh-Anne ft. Valiant & Rvssian: Most Wanted (30-12-12-10-22) 24 (34) KI/KI: 5AM (34-24) 25 (30) Fcukers: L.U.C.K.Y. (15-6-7-17-30-25) 28 (12) EsDeeKid: Omens (17-13-12-28) 31 (22) Don Toliver: Body (31-16-22-31) 33 (20) Louis Tomlinson: Imposter (39-13-20-24-20-33) 34 (RE) Sam Fender ft. Olivia Dean: Rein Me In (27-13-7-3-5-10-18-xx-34) 35 (24) Jada Kingdom: Ntn But Pumpum (35-24-35) 36 (25) Flo Milli: Flo Jackson (37-25-36) 37 (36) Bruce Springsteen: Streets of Minneapolis (36-37) 39 (32) Joji: LOVE YOU LESS (32-39)

Cheers, was gonna make it myself but I can't be bothered tbh! There are still about 20 songs I like here, but yes it does look a bit thin in terms of actual hits. "The defining sound of early 2026, JP Cooper & Gabrielle!"

Someone needs to rein Rein Me In in. It came out as a single in JUNE! I wouldn't even put it in his top 20 songs.

Can't normally stand his stuff but this is quite uptempo, it has Rolling in the Deep vibes.

He should be Radio 2-only by now with the rest of the beige interchangeable heartbroken solo guys who aren't getting another hit. EDIT: Oh, actually this has got to the dizzy heights of #82. Not a bad result these days.

I just made my own as always. Something tells me Sleaford Mods wouldn't get on the official one in a million years, but I had my fun. Now I really hope Bella Kay gets to #1 pretty soon, always gotta kick off with a chart-topper I actually like when possible. I've even let Alex Warren on it! CD1 1. Bella Kay: iloveitiloveitiloveit 2. Harry Styles: Aperture 3. Milky x Mall Grab: Just The Way You Are 4. HAVEN. ft. Kaitlin Aragon: I RAN 5. Jazzy & Spriitzz: Can't Deny It 6. Calvin Harris x Kasabian: Release The Pressure 7. Sub Focus: Elevate 8. Robyn: Talk To Me 9. JADE: Church 10. Charli xcx: Chains of Love 11. James Blake: Death of Love 12. Charlotte Day Wilson & Saya Gray: Lean 13. Tate McRae: NOBODY'S GIRL 14. Ayra Starr & Rema: Who's Dat Girl? 15. Doechii ft. SZA: girl, get up. 16. Yeat: COMË N GO 17. J Hus ft. Skepta: Outside 18. EsDeeKid: Century 19. J. Cole. Two Six 20. A$AP Rocky: Punk Rocky 21. Gorillaz ft. Omar Souleyman & Yasiin Bey: Damascus 22. Rosalía ft. Björk & Yves Tumor: Berghain 23. Zara Larsson: Midnight Sun 24. Fcukers: L.U.C.K.Y. 25. Fred again.. & Jamie T: Lights Burn Dimmer CD2 1. Taylor Swift: Opalite 2. sombr: Homewrecker 3. Alex Warren: Fever Dream 4. Dominic Fike: White Keys 5. Bruno Mars: I Just Might 6. Bushbaby: Pumpin Jumpin 7. Josh Baker, Silva Bumpa & Paige Cavell: Feel This Way 8. FISHER: Rain 9. Ewan McVicar: Share The House 10. Danny L Harle & Dua Lipa: Two Hearts 11. Jessie Ware: I Could Get Used To This 12. Hayley Williams: Good Ol' Days 13. The Last Dinner Party: Count The Ways 14. Mitski: Where's My Phone? 15. Wet Leg: pokemon 16. Wolf Alice: White Horses 17. Sam Fender: The Treadmill 18. Turnstile: I CARE 19. South Arcade: Blood Run Warm 20. James Marriott: California Rain 21. The Wombats: Holy Sugar 22. Sleaford Mods ft. Aldous Harding: Elitist G.O.A.T. 23. Arctic Monkeys: Opening Night

You want loads of new entries, you come back next week! Seems the Alternative Now 123 effect has kicked in as I've been listening to it lots but at least I've done mine unlike the official people. If there isn't an official one for winter/spring 2026, I might have to call it 'Alternative Now 122.5' like I had to do for missing albums in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990 and 1991 and that would be ludicrous. Apologies for the bad AI artwork, I needed something to look at as a placeholder so I based it around my recent trip into the south Sheffield hills where I brought all these songs to life by people watching, being out in the fresh air and not sitting on this fecking stool. Music always sounds better out of the house. Time to let Think About Us rest I think but man that was a good run, only equalled by Wet Dream by Wet Leg (18 weeks) which had two stints because it was "re-issued"/sent to radio again. There is no need for a song to be on a chart for any longer than that, eventually you just think "it's made its point!". And Rein Me In is back again for obvious reasons, sorry. Anyway, here's the chart. THIS WEEK'S TOP 40 01 (02) Calvin Harris x Kasabian: Release The Pressure (17-2-1-2-1) 02 (07) Fisher: Rain (40-10-7-2) 03 (01) Milky x Mall Grab: Just The Way You Are (27-4-2-1-3) 04 (04) Josh Baker, Silva Bumpa & Paige Cavell: Feel This Way (31-11-3-4-4) 05 (03) Fred again.. & Jamie T: LightsBurnDimmer (21-7-3-5) 06 (09) Robyn: Talk To Me (26-23-5-5-4-5-6-9-6) 07 (05) Mitski: WHERE'S MY PHONE? (20-8-5-5-7) 08 (06) sombr: Homewrecker (23-8-6-8) 09 (14) Danny L Harle & Dua Lipa: Two Hearts (34-14-9) 10 (08) J. Cole: Two Six (30-9-8-10) 11 (13) Ewan McVIcar: Share The House (32-13-11) 12 (21) Bella Kay: iloveitiloveitiloveit (21-12) 13 (18) James Blake: Death of Love (29-21-18-13) 14 (15) Arctic Monkeys: Opening Night (7-1-1-1-4-15-14) 15 (19) Zara Larsson: Midnight Sun (40-31-23-18-36-xx-40-21-24-11-9-10-14-19-15) 16 (11) Charli xcx: Always Everywhere (18-11-16) 17 (17) Arlo Parks: 2SIDED (37-19-13-15-17-17) 18 (37) Charlotte Day Wilson & Saya Gray: Lean (37-18) 19 (23) Sleaford Mods ft. Aldous Harding: Elitist G.O.A.T. (39-30-23-19) 20 (16) Holly Humberstone: To Love Somebody (38-16-20) 21 (27) Harry Styles: Aperture (29-3-2-3-11-27-21) 22 (10) Leigh-Anne ft. Valiant & Rvssian: Most Wanted (30-12-12-10-22) 23 (28) Foo Fighters: Your Favourite Toy (40-28-23) 24 (34) KI/KI: 5AM (34-24) 25 (30) Fcukers: L.U.C.K.Y. (15-6-7-17-30-25) 26 (35) Jessie Ware: Ride (35-26) 27 (NE) Alex Warren: Fever Dream (27) 28 (12) EsDeeKid: Omens (17-13-12-28) 29 (39) MK & Illyus Barrientos: Never Let You Go (27-39-29) 30 (26) Pulp: Begging For Change (31-26-30) 31 (22) Don Toliver: Body (31-16-22-31) 32 (31) Zach Bryan: Plastic Cigarette (22-31-32) 33 (20) Louis Tomlinson: Imposter (39-13-20-24-20-33) 34 (RE) Sam Fender ft. Olivia Dean: Rein Me In (27-13-7-3-5-10-18-xx-34) 35 (24) Jada Kingdom: Ntn But Pumpum (35-24-35) 36 (25) Flo Milli: Flo Jackson (37-25-36) 37 (36) Bruce Springsteen: Streets of Minneapolis (36-37) 38 (NE) Lana Del Rey: White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter (38) 39 (32) Joji: LOVE YOU LESS (32-39) 40 (NE) Freya Skye: Silent Treatment (40) OUT 29 (NE) Dominic Fike: babydoll (29) 33 (NE) Kate Bush: Wuthering Heights (33) 38 (NE) Ladytron: A Death in London (38) 40 (20) Sonny Fodera, D.O.D & Poppy Baskcomb: Think About Us (23-14-16-3-9-12-7-5-10-7-14-22-13-21-11-9-20-40) And you can listen to it all mixed really badly on Spotify if you wish right here. Also I interviewed OJ Borg off of Radio 2.

Yeah this is good. I'm gonna get ahead of the R1 curve and start streaming it incessantly. And then someone who has nothing to do with it can apologise on my behalf.

I am so ready for Bella Kay to be #1. It's not exactly aimed at 43-year-old men but it sounds great in the spring sunshine and iloveitiloveitiloveit.

Lots of things that don't chart are big 'hits' with the listeners. There are songs that don't get anywhere near the Top 40 or even the Top 100 and I don't even notice because Radio 1 like them so much!

They played Losing It tonnes as a recurrent so I presumed he had. I love Rain, it's everything I want from a big melodic dance tune. Anyway, that certainly blows my theory that only A-list songs become recurrents out of the water.

I heard Orange County on there this morning/lunchtime! I know not all the plays get 'logged'. It was definitely on though.

Yeah I heard Satisfaction Skank again today when I was out and about in Thorne 'meeting' Greg James for five seconds. Feels like it definitely could be on the playlist already and they forgot to make it official, heard it loads now. I shouted 'DOUBLE! BIKE!' referring to his tandem, he laughed and shouted back 'WA-HEY!'. Think Matt and Mollie's Track of the Week is Sue Me by Audrey Hobert, unless she's only Future Artist of the Month and not both!

Can it be a recurrent if it was never on the playlist in the first place (in this form anyway)? Great to see a 62-year-old and some octogenarians getting so much airtime in any case!

Sam and Danni played Satisfaction Skank about an hour ago, I reckon it's definitely getting on!

Shame Norman Cook pretty much lost all appetite to do much new music, he's an absolute icon from political indie with the Housemartins 40 years ago to stadium-filling house! Think he massively prefers just performing now by the sounds of it.

I firmly predict this will happen in the run-up to the festival. And it's not like he's put anything else out they can play recently!

Just a hobby but I'd like to do more!

I know it's the other side but can I celebrate the fact I interviewed OJ Borg? Feel free to move it to a more suitable place although I do talk about the fact the R1 - R2 gap has kind of closed.