Ed Sheeran and Sir Elton John’s festive collaboration Merry Christmas has gone straight to the top of the UK singles chart.
The track claimed 76,700 chart sales in its first week, including 7.6 million streams, according to the Official Charts Company.
It marks Sheeran’s third number one single of 2021 and his 12th in total.
Sir Elton, meanwhile, notches up his second number one single this year – after Cold Heart with Dua Lipa (PNAU Remix) – and his ninth in total.
Sheeran now matches boy band Take That’s record of number ones and only five acts in UK chart history have more – Madonna (13), Sir Cliff Richard (14), Westlife (14), The Beatles (17) and Elvis Presley (21).
UK profits from the single, which features sleigh bells, festive lyrics and a music video with a cast of famous friends, will go to Sheeran’s Suffolk Music Foundation and the Elton John Aids Foundation.
Earlier on Friday, it was announced that the duo had teamed up with social media star LadBaby to create a new version of that track called Sausage Rolls For Everyone.
If the track secures the Christmas number one, it will be LadBaby’s fourth consecutive time.
Easy On Me by Adele sits at number two, while Last Christmas by Wham! is at three and All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey is at four.
Fifth place goes to 17-year-old American singer Gayle with her song Abcdefu.
On the albums chart, Adele’s 30 holds at number one for a third week.