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Sam Fender and Olivia Dean have smashed a chart record held by Wet Wet Wet as their song Rein Me In becomes the longest-running No.1 single by a British act.
After a record-breaking 16-week run in the top spot, it has now surpassed the band's song Love Is All Around (1994), which previously held the record.
It is currently level with Bryan Adams' (Everything I Do) I Do It For You which holds the all-time record at 17 weeks, but it could well break it this Friday.
Sam released the track more than a year ago on his solo album and he says watching its success has been 'ridiculous' and an 'excuse to party'.
He jokingly added: 'Take that, Marti Pellow!'
He also credited Olivia, saying: 'Olivia putting the alternative narrative on it made the song really universal – that opened the floodgates. There's two sides to the story. And, it's a toe tapper! It's officially a banger!'
Sam Fender and Olivia Dean have smashed a chart record held by Wet Wet Wet as their song Rein Me In becomes the longest-running No.1 single by a British act (picured 2026 at the Brits)
Wet Wet Wet lead singer Marti Pelow [pictured in 1989)
Becca Monahan and Chris Austin, Interim Co-Managing Directors, Official Charts, comment: 'Few chart records have stood the test of time quite like this one.
'For Rein Me In to overtake Wet Wet Wet's iconic Love Is All Around and become the longest-running Number 1 single by a British artist is a fantastic achievement.
'Sam Fender and Olivia Dean have captured the nation's imagination with a song that has connected on an enormous scale, and 16 weeks at Number 1 reflects that impact. It's a historic achievement for two exceptional British talents, and we are thrilled to celebrate this milestone with them.'
Honouring Sam and Olivia's success, Wet Wet Wet said: 'Huge congratulations to Sam Fender and Olivia Dean. It's great to see amazing British artists continuing to produce songs that connect with so many people.
'We've always been incredibly proud of what Love Is All Around achieved, and to hold that record for more than 30 years is something we never imagined when we first recorded the song.
'It's been a huge part of our story ever since and we have the privilege of performing it to audiences on tour, seeing thousands of people sing every word back to us night after night.'
Mick Jagger recently revealed he is a massive Sam Fender fan, calling his People Watching album 'stunning'.
The Rolling Stones frontman told NME that he's been listening to the young singer's tunes recently, and particularly enjoyed People Watching - which includes Rein Me In, Sam's smash hit with Olivia Dean.
He said: 'I've had my Sam Fender moments lately, because I like a lot of his stuff. That People Watching album was stunning. Yeah, I thought that album was excellent.'
He was particularly keen on the song Crumbling Empire from People Watching, calling the track 'lyrically interesting'.
Pictured: Marti Pellow, Tommy Cunningham, Neil Mitchell, and Graeme Clark of pop band Wet Wet Wet in 2004)
Sam released the track more than a year ago on his solo album and he says watching its success has been 'ridiculous' and an 'excuse to party'
Mick even went back to listen to Sam's second album - Seventeen Going Under - noting that 'there's some good stuff on that album'.
He added: 'It's always the same when you hear songs for the first time. It's just the general vibe and then the grooves. It's rock music, you know, but his songs have good choruses – which is part of the game.
'I think a lot of the lyrics are really interesting too and reflective of his experience growing up.'
Mick also praised Sam for 'not only doing working class songs', adding that he's clearly 'very pop orientated'.
When NME suggested to the rocker that Sam could be a good guest for a future Rolling Stones show, Mick replied: 'Yeah, he might be really good for that!'
His comments about Sam come after Mick recently opened up to GQ magazine about other artists that have been inspiring him.
He said: 'I did a track with Burna Boy. That was hilarious. 'Cause I'm a real afrobeats person. And I've always liked Burna Boy.
'David Bowie was a great example of someone who only wanted to listen to what was going on now. But it's such a lot of work to do that. It's so much work. Loads of it is rubbish. So, I don't ignore what's going on, but I'm not a slave to what's going on.'
Mick also said he's a fan of the rock band Geese, as he continued: 'Geese, everyone's talking about them. They're very experimental, Geese, really.
'I mean, for a rock band. I quite like it. I heard all the talk about it, and as soon as the record, [Getting Killed] came out, I was expecting it to be more indie. I wasn't expecting it to be quite that out there, but I admire that.'
English (US) ·