Indeed, life in plastic seems to be genuinely fantastic! As we embarked on a journey to Barbieland with Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster movie “Barbie,” it appears that Barbie herself had her sights set on conquering the UK’s Official Singles Chart.
Barbie: The Album has achieved a remarkable feat by topping the Official Compilations Chart this week, and three tracks from the album have soared into the Top 5 simultaneously, making it the first film soundtrack in UK chart history to accomplish such a feat. These three songs are Billie Eilish‘s introspective “What Was I Made For” at number 3, Dua Lipa‘s infectious “Dance The Night” at number 4, and Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice, and Aqua‘s catchy “Barbie World” at number 5.
“What Was I Made For” climbed seven places from last week, experiencing a significant 71% increase in chart units since its debut at number 10. Likewise, “Dance The Night” jumped eleven places into the Top 10 for the first time, with an impressive 86% surge in chart units, marking Dua Lipa’s 13th Top 10 single.
For Aqua, “Barbie World” has granted them their first UK Top 5 hit in 25 years since “Turn Back Time” in 1998. The song saw a phenomenal 115% week-on-week rise in popularity, becoming Ice Spice‘s first, Nicki Minaj‘s 15th, and Aqua‘s sixth Official Top 10 entry.
Notably, the first film soundtrack to achieve three simultaneous Top 10s was “Saturday Night Fever” in 1978, while “Grease” accomplished the same feat in the same year. Disney‘s “Encanto” also made history by becoming the first animated film soundtrack to secure three simultaneous Top 10s last year.
The success of Barbie: The Album extends beyond the Top 5, with a total of six entries across the wider Official Singles Chart today. Charli XCX‘s “Speed Drive” re-entered the chart at number 19, marking her 14th Top 40 hit with an impressive 285% week-on-week uplift. Ryan Gosling achieved his first-ever Official UK Top 40 entry with the poignant ballad “I’m Just Ken” at number 25, and Lizzo’s lively track “Pink” debuted at number 39.
Additionally, Aqua’s influential “Barbie Girl,” which is not technically part of the Barbie soundtrack but directly sampled in “Barbie World,” re-entered the Top 40 after 25 years with a week-on-week surge of 91%. The song had previously topped the Official Singles Chart upon its release in 1997, holding the number 1 spot for four consecutive weeks and becoming one of the best-selling singles in the history of the Official Chart. Barbie-mania is undoubtedly making a significant impact on the UK music scene!
