breakthrough acts powered ahead in 2025 THE BIG STORY
Show stoppers: How superstars and From Olivia Dean and Alex Warren to Sleep Token and Sam Fender, this
year delivered some stunning chart results. Here, Music Week investigates trends including K-pop, rock and the dominance of Taylor Swiſt…
— BY ANDRE PAINE — F
rom a British chart revival to the rise of K-pop, the past year has seen even greater success among the biggest acts and several artists on the rise. Here, we take a closer look at the chart trends of 2025…
GO (SIX) FIGURE
The leader of the pack in 2025 was the same as 2024: Taylor Swift ended the year with the biggest-selling album. Following its release in October, The Life Of A Showgirl had amassed 578,489 units (Official Charts Company) by late November. Swift’s 12th studio album opened with consumption in the UK of 423,444 units, beating her own week one result (270,091 units) for 2024’s The Tortured Poets Department. The vinyl version of the album moved 125,592 units in a week, with Swift breaking records for vinyl and streaming. “We shouldn’t underestimate the continuing appeal of the physical album, particularly among a younger generation of fans,” said Dr Jo Twist OBE, BPI CEO.
While Swift stands apart, she represents a continuing trend for six-figure opening sales in the 2020s. Sam Fender’s Mercury Prize-winning People Watching also managed to join the 100,000 club this year with opening sales of 107,124. It follows two six-figure openings in 2024 (Taylor Swift and Coldplay), two in 2023 (Take That, Taylor Swift), three in 2022 (Taylor Swift, Arctic Monkeys, Harry Styles), and four in 2021 (ABBA, Coldplay, Adele, Ed Sheeran). But there were none in 2020, one in 2019 (Ed Sheeran) and one in 2018 (Take That). “I don’t think there’s any doubt that more artists will hit six-figure week one sales again,” said Key Production COO Neil Gibbons. “Demand for physical formats has strengthened and diversified. Across generations, fans are buying multiple formats. And we’re seeing that beyond vinyl. Even CD pressings are up 15% year-on-year for us.”
BRITISH REVIVAL
This year saw the continuing success of US stars including Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Gracie Abrams, Kendrick Lamar and Alex Warren, who earned the biggest single of the year with Ordinary. But there was also a marked revival for British talent in 2025. After just two UK non-catalogue No.1 singles in 2024 (Chase & Status and Stormzy on Backbone; Charli XCX & Billie Eilish with Guess), there were four in 2025 – Lola Young’s Messy, Dior by MK feat. UK artist Chrystal, Survive by Lewis Capaldi and Man I Need by Olivia Dean.
06 | Music Week
For Lola Young, Central Cee and Olivia Dean in particular, that domestic success was replicated on the US charts. “I’m delighted that it’s been a notably stronger year for British artists, and what’s really pleasing is that this has been in part powered by the next generation of artists breaking through,” said BPI CEO Dr Jo Twist OBE. Sam Fender’s achievement with People Watching – the biggest domestic album released in 2025 – was all the more impressive in that he is credited as the sole writer. “Sam writes songs that capture the heart and make you feel – we can all relate to the lyrics and feelings of people, places, love and loss,” said Kenny McGoff, head of creative, UK & GSA, Kobalt. “To be able to deliver in that special way makes Sam – the person he is and what he stands for – the national treasure we need and love.”
McGoff saluted Fender, his band, manager Owain Davies, Polydor A&R head Richard O’Donovan, and Kobalt’s sync team.
ROCK CLIMBING Heavy music was a key part of the British revival in 2025, although it was arguably building on strong foundations from the likes of Bring Me The Horizon and more. Ryan Richards, CEO, Future History Management, was a central figure in the rock resurgence this year. He steered Sleep Token to No.1 with Even In Arcadia in both the UK and US. “For us, the key has always been letting the art lead,” Richards
told Music Week. “Sleep Token haven’t built their world through traditional media or personality-led activity – it’s all been about creating something immersive that people feel part of. The intention behind the music, the visuals, and the live experience all works together and invites a global audience in without ever compromising who they are.”
As a result, the UK band racked up big streaming numbers globally.
“Breaking internationally is not easy for UK acts at the moment, particularly in the rock space, so seeing this project connect so strongly across the US and Europe has been incredibly satisfying,” said Richards. “Scoring No.1 albums in both the US and UK felt like a major moment not just for the band, but for heavy music more broadly. It shows that if you build something authentic and distinctive, the audience will follow.”
Welsh rock band Those Damn Crows – also managed by Future History – made their mark at the albums summit this year, too. “Those Damn Crows’ No.1 was another sign that rock is genuinely having a moment again,”
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