It is also the second time in UK single chart where different versions hold the highest two spots (the first being Singing the Blues). The addition of downloads to the UK charts meant that singles might reach primary with no bodily copy being released. The first single to realize this was Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” in early 2006.

Since 2014, audio streaming has been included in the calculation of chart position, so it’s now attainable for a single to reach number one without selling any copies (if it were only obtainable on streaming services). In the week ending 24 September 2015, “What Do You Mean?” by Justin Bieber turned the first number one with over half of its chart sales made up of streaming factors, with sales of 30,000 and 36,000 factors from three.6 million streams. Spice Girls turned the primary British music act and woman group to have their first … Read More