TikTok Sea Shanty star Nathan Evans on course for Official Singles Chart Top 10 with debut single Wellerman
TikTok star Nathan Evans is heading for the highest new entry on this week’s Official Singles Chart with his Sea Shanty debut single Wellerman.
The 26-year-old from Airdrie, Scotland has quit his job as a postman after his kick-starting of a new viral craze of sea shantying on TikTok (dubbed ShantyTok) saw him sign a record deal with Polydor Records.
Wellerman is a cover of Bristol group The Longest Johns’ 2018 song, itself reaching the Official Top 40 just last week, debuting at Number 37. Now Nathan has released his own take on the shanty with help from producers 220 Kid and Billen Ted, which sits at Number 4 on the Official Chart: First Look.
MORE: Official Top 40 biggest songs of 2020
Wellerman is the most downloaded song of the week so far, two days into the tracking week.
The Official Chart: First Look, which airs on BBC Radio 1 today between 6pm – 7pm, offers a first glance of the Top 20 ahead of Friday’s Official Singles Chart Top 100. The chart is based on preliminary sales and early streaming reports.
Leading today’s First Look is Olivia Rodrigo, in pole position for a third week at Number 1 with Drivers License.
17-year-old Australian rapper The Kid Laroi is set for his highest chart position to date as Without You scales three places to Number 2.
MORE: Official Top 40 biggest albums of 2020
Irish DJ Shane Codd is on track to rebound three slots with Get Out My Head (7), while there are new peaks on the cards Tiesto’s The Business (14) and Doja Cat’s Streets (19).
Just outside the Top 20 after 48 hours at Number 21 is London rapper Fredo with Back To Basics, a track taken from his upcoming album Money Can’t Buy Happiness.
The Official Singles Chart is revealed here on OfficialCharts.com every Friday at 5.45pm. Listen to the Top 40 countdown live on BBC Radio 1's Official Chart show with Scott Mills every Friday from 4pm.
This week's Official Chart: First Look Top 20 (January 24, 2021)
| LW | CURRENT | TITLE | ARTIST |
| 1 | 1 | DRIVERS LICENSE | OLIVIA RODRIGO |
| 5 | 2 | WITHOUT YOU | THE KID LAROI |
| 4 | 3 | SWEET MELODY | LITTLE MIX |
| NEW | 4 | WELLERMAN | NATHAN EVANS/220 KID/BILLEN TED |
| 2 | 5 | DON'T PLAY | ANNE-MARIE/KSI/DIGITAL FARM ANIMALS |
| 7 | 6 | AFTERGLOW | ED SHEERAN |
| 10 | 7 | GET OUT MY HEAD | SHANE CODD |
| 6 | 8 | PARADISE | MEDUZA FT. DERMOT KENNEDY |
| 8 | 9 | ANYONE | JUSTIN BIEBER |
| 9 | 10 | WHOOPTY | CJ |
| 3 | 11 | 34+35 | ARIANA GRANDE |
| 11 | 12 | LEVITATING | DUA LIPA |
| 13 | 13 | PRISONER | MILEY CYRUS FT. DUA LIPA |
| 16 | 14 | THE BUSINESS | TIESTO |
| 12 | 15 | YOU BROKE ME FIRST | TATE MCRAE |
| 14 | 16 | GOOD DAYS | SZA |
| 15 | 17 | GOOSEBUMPS | HVME |
| 17 | 18 | WILLOW | TAYLOR SWIFT |
| 20 | 19 | STREETS | DOJA CAT |
| 18 | 20 | REALLY LOVE | KSI/CRAIG DAVID/DIGITAL FARM ANIMALS |
©2021 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.
Image: ITV/Shutterstock
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JB
Jack Brooks
I actually like the Sea Shanty song, wouldn't mind if it went to #1 next.
Shadowcat222
Hello everyone, I like Drivers licence but don't love it though^^ Sweet melody still in the top 3 its a really good news and Shane codd is climbing, so cool!
⁉️
We really getting sea shanties in the charts? Not complaining, I’m kinda a fan of it.
Glad Goosebumps and Streets are climbing and Don’t Play is falling though.
I’m annoyed about Without You and The Business climbing, Levitating, 34+35 and Godd Days falling, and Driver’s License still at Number 1 (something I’ll have to accept for a while :|).
GS
without you will be number 1 when drivers licence falls off
⁉️
Pretty sure Without You is on course for ACR first, and I don’t see anything beating Driver’s License until it goes on ACR itself.
Piran
That drop for '34+35' though. :/
⁉️
A bit annoying, but I thought it would fall a lot further.
Piran
It's roughly going to be in the same place as it was in the previous chart! :P
Piran
I'm impressed that 'Wellerman' actually got enough sales & TikTok success to debut in the Top 5! :O
It probably will fall by Friday, but hey, it's still nice to see something different this high up in the charts in 2021, haha.
JB
Jack Brooks
Generally I find the viral TikTok hits to be pretty hit and miss but i'm all for the Sea Shanty revival of 2021! 😂
Piran
For as much as I'm not really a fan of TikTok as an app, I have to say that most of the songs to become big because of it are awesome, haha. :)
GS
So glad to see streets climbing!! Good days and goosebumps has to go top 10 soon because they both deserve it. Disappointed that paradise fell! AND PLEASE GET THAT STUPID JUSTIN BIEBER SONG OUT OF HERE!
Piran
Any week with 'Drivers License' at #1 will always be somewhat positive for me, haha. :)