They used to rule the airwaves, but since 2000, only 10 groups have made it to number one - and streaming algorithms mean that trend is here to stay. Next week, one of those oft-celebrated music anniversaries comes around again. It’ll be a staggering 29 years since the summer of Britpop, as Blur and Oasis fought it out for number one in the singles charts.
Heady days for rock indeed, and not just because between them, the two bands sold a frankly incredible 490,000 singles in just seven days. And yet today, the entire notion of a band going in with a bullet at number one - or even number 40 - is frankly absurd. Consider this; the Manic Street Preachers were number one in January 2000.
Since then, only 10 bands - and we’re defining them strictly as your typical rock or indie line-up, rather than a pop group - have reached the top of the charts. Re-entries and remastered novelties aside (hello, The Beatles), the last original number one by a band was Spectrum (Say My Name) by Florence & The Machine, 12 years ago. In fact, the last indie rock song to rocket to number one out of nowhere was Arctic Monkeys ’ debut single I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor , in 2005.
Compare that to the similarly brilliant Chaise Longue , Wet Leg’s Grammy Award-winning debut single from 2021. Peak chart position? 76..