Adele’s ‘Hello’ Dials-Up U.K. Chart Record
"Hello" sold 333,000 combined units, including a record 7.32 million streams.
It’s official: Adele’s comeback single “Hello” is a record-setter in the U.K.
The song notched-up combined first-week sales of 333,000, a “staggering” performance, notes the Official Charts Company, which makes it the biggest No. 1 single in three years, since James Arthur’s X Factor winner’s single “Impossible” shifted 490,000 units in December 2012.
The opening figure comprises 259,000 downloads plus a whopping 7.32 million streams. “Hello” hasn’t just broken the old streaming mark; it hammered it by almost double. Until now, the record was held by Justin Bieber’s “What Do You Mean,” with 3.87 million plays achieved in a week last month.
Adele’s ‘Hello’ On Track to Become U.K.’s Fastest-Selling Single of 2015
If X Factor/Pop Idol winners’ singles, major charity campaign records and Christmas No. 1s were excluded from the mix, “Hello” would be the second biggest No. 1 of the millennium, beaten only by Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me,” which managed 345,000 sales in a week back in 2001.
It augurs well for Adele’s third album, 25, which is due Nov. 20 through XL Recordings. Adele’s most recent album, 21, from 2011, is recognized by the OCC as the best-selling album of the millennium in the U.K.
“The success of ‘Hello’ this week underlines what an extraordinary artist Adele is — a once in a generation artist, who appeals to kids, teenagers, mums, dads, aunts, uncles, grandmas and grandads,” comments Martin Talbot, CEO of the Official Charts Company. “To make such an impact, across both streams and sales, is the sign of a truly universally popular artist.”
“Hello” gives Adele her second U.K. No. 1 after “Someone Like You” reached the top in 2011.
Adele, 5 Seconds of Summer Rule Australia’s Charts
Bieber will feel unlucky his new song “Sorry” (Def Jam) came up against the force of nature that is “Hello.” “Sorry” opened in second place on the Official U.K Singles Chart, after shifting an impressive 102,000 combined opening week sales, a result which included a 4.48 million streams, good enough to eclipse his own streaming record. The U.K. top 5 is rounded out by Drake’s “Hotline Bling” (Cash Money/Republic), Sam Smith’s James Bond theme “Writing’s On the Wall” (Capitol) and the Weeknd’s “The Hills” (Republic/XO)
Meanwhile, Aussie pop-punk four-piece 5 Seconds of Summer has scored its first No. 1 on the U.K. albums chart with its sophomore set Sounds Good Feels Good (Capitol). 5SOS’ new effort opened at the top spot after outselling its nearest rival — Bryan Adams’ Get Up (Polydor) — by more than two copies to one.
The U.K.’s singles and albums charts are compiled by the OCC, based on sales of downloads, CDs, vinyl and audio streams. The new charts are published late Friday local time.
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