The song "Rein Me In" by Sam Fender and Olivia Dean has set a new benchmark in UK music history, spending 19 non-consecutive weeks at the number one spot on the singles chart. This accomplishment surpasses a record that had stood for 73 years, cementing the duet's place in the annals of chart performance.
The track's journey to this historic achievement was a gradual one. "Rein Me In" first appeared on the charts in June 2025, but it wasn't until February 2026, just a week before it was recognized as song of the year at the Brit Awards, that it reached the coveted number one position.
Following its initial ascent to the top, the song experienced brief interruptions to its reign. It was momentarily displaced by Harry Styles' "American Girls" for a single week and has since seen only fleeting challenges from Olivia Rodrigo's "Drop Dead" and Ariana Grande's "Hate That I Made You Love Me."
Ben Mortimer, who heads Fender's label Polydor, lauded the achievement as "historic" and a testament to the talent of "two homegrown stars" – Fender from Newcastle and Dean from London.
Fender himself, in an interview with Radio 1, attributed the song's unlikely climb to the "internet," noting its organic spread and later adoption by listeners. He expressed pleasure that "the music that's doing the talking."
The song's widespread appeal has been significantly amplified by its popularity on TikTok. The platform has seen "Rein Me In" used across a diverse range of content, from romantic declarations to holiday montages and even sports highlights. A notable moment in the song's viral trajectory occurred after Fender and Dean performed it during a joint show at London Stadium in June 2025. Dean later reciprocated the collaboration with a performance at Newcastle United's St James' Park, Fender's home ground.
While streams from TikTok do not directly contribute to official chart rankings, the platform's influence on music consumption, particularly for songs with resonant lyrics, has been a subject of considerable discussion.