March 10th 17: The Ultimate Ed Sheeran Week

As Ed Sheeran's third album : (Divide) storms to #1 this week also the singles list is highly contained with songs from it. In his home country Britain he serves with nine of the top 10 songs and launches all 16 songs off his album inside the top 20. It is of course not one but a lot of records-just read James Masterton's chart commentary.

In Germany Ed Sheeran is not as big although he is setting some bench marks also. Leading the list still Shape Of You spends a ninth week there. This continuity also makes the start of 2017 as calm and steady as 2013 was. To remember you: Shape Of You is only the second #1 song of this current year.
Single #2 Castle On The Hill returns 9–3 while Galway Girl rushes in at #8 as the third top 10 entry. Last artist doing so was Justin Bieber in November 2015 although a little less successful as he "only" occupied #4, #7 and #8. So Ed Sheeran is the best performing male artist of a single week in terms of top 10 chart positions beaten out only by Lena who in March 2010 had three simultaneous hits at #1, #3 and #4.

Inside the top 20 there are six songs from the Ed Sheeran album. This presence is stronger than the one by King of Pop Michael Jackson right after his death in July 2009 when he had four simultaneous hits inside the top 20.
And finally all 16 songs of the album can enter as single tracks also–the lowest at #56. So he beats out the result of Bonez MC Raf Camora set in September past year with 15 out of 15 tracks from one album.

The big impact made by Ed Sheeran pushes British music to a new height. 12 songs involving British acts inside the top 20 is a very strong presence. The full Top 100 see 32 songs with British participation. It is much but well–the mid 80s had results like up to 45% of the back than top75.


Yes, there are a few other stories left. First of all Kygo & Selena Gomez reach #2 with their collabo It Ain't Me. The song now matches Kygo's past top hit Stole The Show which stopped at #2 in June 2015.
Jax Jones Ft. Raye also storms up the list landing at #12 with You Don't Know Me in its fourth chart week.

Did we talk about records above. Well–here is something close to: This week is the first one since 3rd April 1989 with a Top20 completely missing a German act. Back than there were the Jeremy Days rising to #21 with Brand New Toy shortly missing the top 20. The highest German production now is Stay by ZEDD (featuring Alessia Cara) rising 21 places to #24. To find a low performance like this one has to go two weeks more backwards: On March 20th 1989 best performing German act was Sandra with We'll Be Together dropping down to #24.
Highest song in German is Ohne mein Team by Bonez MC RAF Camora feat. Maxwell sliding five places to #22. It is the lowest appearance of German tracks since 16 years. On 2nd of July 2001 the highest song in German came in at #35 in the face of Dickes B by Seeed feat. Black Kappa.

With Die immer lacht by Stereoact feat. Kerstin Ott leaving the list this week after 62 weeks the longest running hit now is Hulapalu by Andreas Gabalier which still ranks at #60 in its 63rd chart week.