Ed Sheeran has denied Union J their first number one single, climbing back to the top of the Official UK singles chart with Thinking Out Loud. The single, which saw a huge boost in sales following Ben Haenow's performance on last weekend's The X Factor, returns to number one five weeks after initially reaching the spot in November. The track also beat its own record for the most online streams in a week, soaring past 1,672,000 plays in just seven days.
Despite leading the pack for most of last week, Union J were just pipped to the post at the last hurdle as their single You Got It All enters at number two this week. But, we're sure the boys won't be too dismayed as their ballad earns the boys their highest charting single to date and a promising start for their new album You Got It All – The Album which is released in the UK today.
Last week's number one These Days by Take That slips two places to three this week as the band win their sixth UK number one album with III. The album was named the most pre-ordered record in Amazon history and also marks the band's first release as a three-piece.
Taylor Swift's Blank Space is holding steady at number four followed by Olly Murs' Wrapped Up which completes this week's top five. Bristol dance duo Blonde smash into the top 10 at number seven this week with their single I Love You featuring Melissa Steel ahead of Ella Henderson who shoots up to number 16 following her breathtaking performance on last weekend's the X Factor with Yours.
Ed Sheeran returns to number one with Thinking Out Loud (WENN)
Mariah's All I Want For Christmas Is You begins its annual climb, re-charting at number 17 this week, while Christmas classics The Pogues' Fairytale of New York and Wham's Last Christmas are at number 18 and 39 respectively. Ed Sheeran also debuts at number 38 in this week's top 40 with his cover of Make It Rain, originally sung by Foy Vance. Ed recorded the track for US series Sons Of Anarchy and leaped up iTunes within hours of the show's airing.
This week sees new releases from Oliver Heldens, Bring Me The Horizon and Fifth Harmony, who have sky-rocketed up iTunes following their performance on last night's The X Factor. Their single Bo$$ currently sits at number seven on the digital tally and looks likely to give the girls their first UK top 10 single.
But Heldens looks set to be this week's highest new entry as his single Last All Night is in place to give the DJ his second number one following his summer chart-topper Gecko (Overdrive). He's currently trailing X Factor contestant Fleur East whose performance of the new single from Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, Uptown Funk, is currently at number one on iTunes. However, sadly for Fleur the track will not qualify on this weekend's Official Chart but will surely be a welcomed confidence boost ahead of this weekend's final.
