"Rein Me In" breaks 73-year UK chart record
Sam Fender and Olivia Dean's duet "Rein Me In" logged its 19th non-consecutive week at No. 1 on the Official UK Singles Chart on July 31, 2026, surpassing the 73-year-old record held by Frankie Laine's "I Believe," which spent 18 weeks at the summit in 1953. The Official Charts confirmed the track as the longest-running No. 1 in the chart's history. Fender commented on BBC Radio 1's Official Chart show with Jack Saunders, "I'm completely lost for words. Thank you so much to Olivia Dean and the fans for making this song the juggernaut that it is." The previous British record belonged to Wet Wet Wet's "Love Is All Around," which spent 15 weeks at No. 1 in 1994. The duet also held off competition that week from Shakira and Burna Boy's official World Cup song "Dai Dai," which remained at No. 2.
BRIT Awards 2026 ceremony
"Rein Me In" had earlier been named Song of the Year at the 2026 BRIT Awards, held February 28, 2026, at Manchester's Co-Op Live — the first time the ceremony was staged outside London in its 46-year history. Olivia Dean won four awards that night, including Album of the Year for "The Art Of Loving." Wolf Alice took Best British Group for a second time, Noel Gallagher was named Songwriter of the Year, PinkPantheress received Producer of the Year, and Ozzy Osbourne was posthumously honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Jack Whitehall hosted.
Wolf Alice's post-BRIT activities
Wolf Alice released a cover of The Roches' "Hammond Song," featuring Julia Cumming of Sunflower Bean and Bria Salmena, as the second single from "The Clearing: B-Sides," a 7" release due August 21, 2026 — exactly one year after the parent album "The Clearing." "The Clearing" reached No. 1 in the UK and earned a fourth consecutive Mercury Prize shortlist nomination. At the BRITs, Wolf Alice performed "The Sofa" alongside Harry Styles, Olivia Dean, and Rosalía, with Björk appearing as a surprise guest. Their upcoming London show at Finsbury Park, described as their biggest headline date, will feature The Last Dinner Party, Lykke Li, Rachel Chinouriri, Keo, and Florence Road.
Manchester's BRIT Awards Art Trail
More than 20 local artists transformed Manchester's Northern Quarter and Ancoats into an open-air gallery ahead of the ceremony, with murals, window installations and other displays curated by artist Stanley Chow. The trail framed the city's first hosting of the BRITs as a showcase of North West creative talent and a platform for community engagement.
What's next
Wolf Alice's "The Clearing: B-Sides" 7" release is scheduled for August 21, 2026. The band's 2026 touring continues with Kendal Calling on August 2, Sziget Festival in Budapest on August 11, and several opening slots on Olivia Rodrigo's "The Unraveled Tour" beginning September 25 in Hartford, Connecticut.
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