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Ariana Grande, Take That and Drake enjoy record-breaking years in UK charts

Ariana Grande, Drake and Take That were among the stars to celebrate record-breaking years in the UK charts (Ian West/PA)
Ariana Grande, Drake and Take That were among the stars to celebrate record-breaking years in the UK charts (Ian West/PA)

Ariana Grande, Drake and Take That were among the stars to celebrate record-breaking years in the UK charts.

Data released by the Official Charts Company revealed the artists who enjoyed the most success in 2018.

Grande achieved the record for the most streams in a week ever, for her hit single Thank U, Next, which she released in November.

The song – one of only four tracks to debut at number one this year – achieved the streaming record in its fifth week at the top of the charts.

Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande enjoyed a record-breaking year in the UK charts thanks to her single, Thank U, Next (PA/PA Wire)

It was streamed 14.9 million times over seven days, with 7.9 million of those coming via the music video.

Thank U, Next, took the record from Ed Sheeran’s Shape Of You, which racked up 14.2 million streams in a single week in 2017.

Take That had the fastest selling artist album of the year, with their reimagined greatest hits collection, Odyssey, reaching 106,000 combined sales.

It is the band’s eighth UK number one album and their first since 2014’s III.

Canadian rapper Drake enjoyed another hugely successful 12 months, starting in February when his single God’s Plan went straight to number one.

Drake
Canadian rapper Drake scored three UK number one singles in 2018 (Mike Egerton/PA)

It was followed by a second top spot in April with Nice For What before Drake completed the hat-trick of UK number ones with In My Feelings in July.

In doing so, it meant Drake had more number one singles than any other act this year. On top of his number ones, he also had five other singles in the UK top 40.

Jess Glynne was another artist who had a year to remember, racing ahead of Cheryl for the most number one singles by a British solo female.

At the beginning of the year they were tied, but by March, Glynne had edged in front thanks to the song These Days, which she collaborated on alongside Rudimental, Macklemore and Dan Caplen.

In June, she raced further ahead when I’ll Be There, the first release from her second album Always In Between, topped the charts.

Jess Glynne
Jess Glynne holds the record for the most UK number one singles by a British female (Ian West/PA)

Glynne now has seven UK number one singles. She told OfficialCharts.com: “I’m speechless! I find it incredibly insane that I hold a record for the most number ones for a British female. It’s insane to think I’ve achieved that so early in my career. It’s not just me on all those songs – I have to thank everybody I’ve collaborated with.”

The Official Charts Company named George Ezra’s Shotgun as the song of the summer. Data from UK sales and streams from June 1 to August 31 revealed it was the biggest track of the season.

It was Ezra’s first UK number one single, reaching the peak in July.

Elsewhere, The Greatest Showman soundtrack achieved the most weeks at number one in the album charts, with an impressive 23 weeks at the top.

George Ezra
George Ezra’s Shotgun was named song of the summer by the Official Charts Company (Matt Crossick/PA)

Little Mix became the first girl band to score five top five studio albums in the UK, thanks to their fifth record, LM5, in November. Arctic Monkeys had the fast-selling vinyl album in 25 years, thanks to their May release of Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino.

Dave & Fredo were the only British acts to debut at number one in 2018, with their single Funky Friday in October.

And Kylie Minogue celebrated 30 years in music with another number one album. The Australian singer, who turned 50 in May, celebrated her sixth UK chart-topping record with Golden in April.

Her debut album, Kylie, topped the chart in 1988.