Sam Fender Olivia Dean Rein Me In Breaks 73-Year UK No 1 Record 2026

Sam Fender and Olivia Dean's Rein Me In has broken a 73-year record to become the longest-running UK No 1 single in history, achieving an unprecedented 19 weeks at the summit. This remarkable feat surpasses the previous record held by Frankie Laine's 'I Believe' since 1953, marking a milestone in British music chart history.

How Rein Me In Beat the 73-Year Record

The UK singles chart has seen many long-running No 1s over the decades, but none have matched the staying power of Rein Me In. Frankie Laine's 'I Believe' spent 18 weeks at No 1 in 1953, a record that seemed unbreakable. Bryan Adams' '(Everything I Do) I Do It For You' came close with 16 weeks in 1991, followed by Wet Wet Wet's 'Love is All Around' with 15 weeks in 1994. More recently, Drake's 'One Dance' (2016) and Ed Sheeran's 'Shape of You' (2017) each achieved 15 and 14 weeks respectively.

However, Fender and Dean have now clocked up 19 weeks, made even more impressive by chart rules introduced in recent years to prevent such long runs. The achievement reflects the song's massive popularity and the dedication of fans who have streamed and purchased it consistently.

The Story Behind Rein Me In

Fender wrote Rein Me In for his album 'People Watching', released in February 2025. Unlike the album's title track, which reached No 4 and stayed in the Top 100 for 43 weeks, 'Rein Me In' is a gentler, folk-inspired ballad with a slower, rollicking rhythm. The song's beautiful melody belies a bleak story of someone spiraling into alcohol and drug use, with the lyric "working myself up to a nice warm bliss" capturing the tragic irony.

On hearing the news, Fender said he was "completely lost for words. Thank you so much to Olivia Dean and the fans for making this song the juggernaut that it is."

Chart Comparison: Longest-Running UK No 1 Singles

Key Takeaways from This Record-Breaking Achievement

• Rein Me In has achieved 19 weeks at UK No 1, breaking a 73-year-old record.
• The song's success is notable despite new chart rules designed to limit long runs.
• Fender and Dean's collaboration blends folk and pop, appealing to a broad audience.
• This record highlights the changing dynamics of music consumption and chart performance.

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