Times Like These: BBC Radio 1’s Stay Home Live Lounge charity single claims Number 1

The all-star cover of Foo Fighters' Times Like These is the first BBC song to reach Number 1 in 23 years.
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BBC Radio 1’s Stay Home Live Lounge Allstars claim Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart after a seriously close battle for this week’s top spot.

The rendition of Foo Fighters’ Times Like These, featuring a cast of big names including Dua Lipa, Chris Martin and Bastille, lifts from 5 to Number 1 with 66,000 chart sales this week – 78% of which were downloads. 

The track was locked in a close battle all week with The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights, which finishes at Number 2, 3,000 chart sales behind the Radio 1 Live Lounge Allstars.

Times Like These premiered last Thursday on Radio 1, with the music video unveiled on BBC One’s Big Night In that evening. The track and video were recorded by all the musicians featured in lockdown, produced by Fraser T. Smith. Proceeds from sales and streams of the track will be split equally between Children in Need and Comic Relief to provide essential support to people across the UK who will be significantly impacted by the coronavirus crisis.

MORE: Every Official UK Number 1 single ever


Fraser T. Smith, who produced Times Like These

Speaking to OfficialCharts.com, Fraser T. Smith said: “To have produced this Number 1 with the Live Lounge Allstars means the world to me. Every artist stepped up to make this a truly soulful version of the Foo Fighters classic, and I want to thank the incredible Radio 1 team, DJ’s who have supported it, and everyone who’s downloaded and streamed this song to raise so much money for all the charities, in the fight against Covid-19.”

Dua Lipa told BBC Radio 1: “I was really emotional when I saw the final video with all the artists and hearing everybody come together. I’m so happy that we could come together to try to support a better cause.”

Chris Price, Head of Music, BBC Radio 1 & 1Xtra, added: “It’s wonderful to see the Stay Home Live Lounge connecting with so many people; that is has reached number one is testament to the power music has to bring people together in such challenging times. Thank you to Fraser T Smith, Foo Fighters and every single artist who threw themselves so generously into this extraordinary collaboration.”

MORE: The Official Top 40 biggest songs of 2020 so far

Times Like These replaces Captain Tom Moore and Michael Ball’s You’ll Never Walk Alone at the summit, which raised money for the NHS. The last time a charity single replaced another charity single at Number 1 was six years ago, when Children In Need single Wake Me Up by Gareth Malone’s All Star Choir was knocked off the top by Band Aid 30’s Do They Know It’s Christmas? in November 2014. Look back over every UK Number 1 charity single here.

While seven Children In Need singles have reached Number 1 over the years, Times Like These is the first single by the BBC itself to reach Number 1 since Perfect Day in 1997.

It also becomes the first Foo Fighters song to reach Number 1 in the UK – their previous best was Number 4 with Best Of You in 2005. Times Like These originally peaked at Number 12 in 2003. View Foo Fighters' Official Chart history in full here.

Celebrating the news Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl said: “Humbled, with so much love for all my fellow artists and listeners. Please remember to support and donate to Comic Relief and Children In Need.”

Elsewhere on this week’s Official Singles Chart, YouTuber/boxer/rapper KSI scores his fourth Top 40 and highest charting single to date at Number 6 with Houdini ft. Swarmz & Tion Wayne, and The Scotts – a brand-new pairing of Travis Scott and Kid Cudi - is new at Number 11.

The 1975 claim their tenth and highest charting single to date at Number 14 with If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know), and posthumous Juice Wrld single Righteous opens at Number 26.

Further down, 220 Kid & Gracey’s Don’t Need Love jumps 11 places to 38, and Kings & Queens by US singer Ava Max lifts three places to 39, marking her third Top 40 hit.

View this week's Top 100 Official Singles Chart here

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BleeUK

0

yeah 66K overall units/51K of which was downloads is very low for a song that charity, everyone at home and a lot of radio promo for the week, never made the Top 50 Audio Streaming Charts This Week, so i was expecting at least 140K+ this week, will a song ever reach 140K Units a week now with streaming points not sure !!

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BleeUK

1

it may of got number one this week, but 66K overall units/51K of which was downloads is very low for a song that charity, and a lot of radio promo for the week, i was expecting times like these to break 150K+ downloads or like it was before (I know everyone mainly is streaming now days), but audio streaming data charts only check in at #57 of the week for Times Like These should of got Top 10 easy with the promo, so it a average number really, keep download and streaming and Captain Tom & Michael Ball last week You never Walk Alone was 81K overall sales and should of been at least 200K+, it just is average sales at the moment.

S

Samurai

1

Big W KSI

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🧡 oliviasnoodles 🍜

3

YES. TIMES LIKE THESE AT #1. You deserved it, all 30-something of you! Also, ta-ta, Blinding Lights!

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Fintendo

2

Well done BBC, you beat a 22 week old song with no promo, after repeated promotion through everyone at BBC and all the artists respective fanbase! Sorry if I sound salty, it's good for charity, but it was way too biased. Looking forward to the charts in the next few weeks with lots of new entries!

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Piran

3

YES!!! WE DID IT!!! :D

I say "we", because while all 24 artists here have made something absolutely beautiful, the British public have played their part in downloading or streaming this song & every person doing so has helped the vulnerable people of country when they need it the most.

Seeing a song recorded in this way is absolutely incredible, Covid-19 can't stop the music industry from making something wonderful!

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Brandon Mwinga

1

Hie everyone Piran ;coolocelot! How are guys definitely in support with your statement glad it made to number 1 no suprises! Which means The Weeknd is looking to regain the number 1 haha lol wouldn't mind though it's one of the best songs this year

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Rob Parkinson

0

I think something absolutely beautiful is a bit of an overstatement there Piran. Its the tired old let's all sing a song that is well known and make money for charity. Can't blame the artists really as if asked to sing to help raise money for charity I doubt anybody would turn it down unless they really didn't have time or something else going on. I would to see the day when a producer or one of the artists says hey let's write a new track for charity and they do and it becomes massive but I guess they are too scared that the track wouldn't be liked or wouldn't want to waste a track they could actually make a great deal of cash themselves from. I mean in 3 months nobody will remember the track anyway until the next time it happens and another article shows all the charity singles which made no.1. Sorry to waffle great idea to raise cash for charity but the track itself is far from absolutely beautiful, the original on the other hand is a masterpiece and shame it wasn't as successful in its day and good that Dave is on this version

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Piran

-1

Sorry Rob, but I have to disagree with you there.

To me, Radio 1 definitely picked the right song, as the lyrics couldn't reflect the current circumstances better. I explained why the song works as well as it does on the page that has the full chart!

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Piran

1

Eh, it looks like 'Toosie Slide' will be #1 next week instead, thanks to the release of Drake's new mixtape! :/

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Brandon Mwinga

1

mmm it's a battle but Blinding Lights looks like it will return maybe next week pretty intense

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Piran

1

Looking at those Spotify numbers, 'Toosie Slide' will definitely be #1 this coming Friday, but unfortunately, I think 'Blinding Lights' & 'Roses' are both going to be placed on ACR by then, so I'm not seeing any competition sadly. :(