British duo breaks 73-year UK singles chart record
Olivia Dean and Sam Fender debuted their record-breaking single in the United States, highlighting the shifting commercial lifecycle of modern music exports.
British musicians Olivia Dean and Sam Fender performed their collaborative track ‘Rein Me In’ at the Lollapalooza festival in Chicago on Saturday. The appearance marked the first time the song has been played live in the United States, drawing a large crowd to the T-Mobile stage.
The performance followed a historic commercial milestone in their home market. The track has now spent 19 weeks at the top of the UK Official Singles Chart, breaking a 73-year-old record previously held by Frankie Laine.
Laine’s song ‘I Believe’ spent 18 weeks at number one across three separate runs in 1953, an era defined by physical single sales. By contrast, ‘Rein Me In’ took 35 weeks to reach the peak position after its initial release, illustrating the prolonged commercial tail of modern digital consumption.
Dean used her headline slot to reflect on the impact of her latest album, ‘The Art of Loving’. She told the crowd the project has completely changed her life, describing the process as deeply healing.
“The whole point of this album is about me trying to figure out what life really means to me,” she said. Before bringing out Fender, she celebrated the Guinness World Record achievement, noting it only felt right to play the track in America with the man himself.
The collaboration originally appeared on Fender’s ‘People Watching’ project and was released last summer. The duo first performed it live together at Fender’s shows in London and Newcastle before officially releasing the joint version.
While the track marks Fender’s first chart-topping single, it is Dean’s second following her previous hit ‘Man I Need’. The pair already secured Song Of The Year at the BRITs 2026 for the collaboration.
Both artists have seen significant institutional recognition this year alongside their commercial success. Fender won Songwriter Of The Year at the Ivor Novellos, with Elton John presenting the prize and describing him as one of the greatest lyricists Britain has ever produced.
Dean cleared up at the BRITs in February, winning Album Of The Year. She also secured the Best New Artist statue at the BET Awards last month, underlining the continued global demand for British musical exports.
During her set, Dean played a mix of original material and covers, including Curtis Mayfield’s ‘Move On Up’. She performed tracks such as ‘Nice to Each Other’, ‘Messy’, and ‘The Hardest Part’, capping a dominant year for both artists on the international stage.
