Chart Music August 2025

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Several months ago I dipped my toes into the murky waters of the music charts – a place to which I don’t venture all that often, if truth be told. I managed to find quite a few that I liked and it seems a good idea to take another dip. I’ve chosen six songs to play you, three of which currently feature in the Singles Chart and four of which are in the Albums listings. Don’t worry, I haven’t lost the ability for simple maths – one song is in both, as a single and on two albums. All will become clear, never fear. I should point out that these are the UK Charts of which I speak, and no doubt things will be different elsewhere, but I’m basing this on the latest from the UK’s Official Charts Company, whose lists are published every Friday at 5.45pm.

Regular readers will know that I am a big fan of Lewis Capaldi, whose struggles with mental health issues I have documented before. He took time away after a breakdown live on stage at Glastonbury in 2023, and it was great to see him make a successful return there at this year’s event. To date he has released just one new song, which of course went straight into the Singles Chart at #1 – his sixth song to achieve that. It is a statement of what he had gone through and came out on the right side:

Survive is currently at #19 on an eight week stay, and I for one am very pleased to see him back making music. He has announced plans for a new album and to tour again, but no dates have yet been set. Watch this space!

I mentioned that one of today’s tunes is currently in both charts. It is this one:

That was, of course, Fleetwood Mac with The Chain. The version I played was from the live album, The Dance, which was released in August 1997, but studio versions of the song are currently at #79 in the Singles Chart, and at #6 in the Albums Chart as part of the compilation 50 Years – Don’t Stop, and at #15 on its original album, Rumours (just the 1,111 weeks so far!).

Roughly a third of the Albums Chart is comprised of compilations, and I thought I’d play you a few from these, as the music is more likely to be to my taste than Korean pop kids. One of these is a recent release, which is a new entry at #29 in this week’s chart. It comes from a band I played a few Tuesdays ago, and gives me the perfect excuse to play my favourite of their songs:

That was OneRepublic with Counting Stars, originally released in March 2013 on their third album, Native, and now included in their imaginatively titled compilation The Collection. I’m not alone in liking that one: the video has well over 4.2 billion views!

The first time I did this look at the charts I found myself becoming a fan of an artist that was new to me, though she had actually been around for five years. That’s me, always down with the kids! Her debut album is still high in the charts, as is its mega hit single, but she has recently released a new single, hopefully a sign that a second album is on the way. This is Chappell Roan with The Subway, currently at #4 in the Singles Chart, having been #1:

It may not be another Pink Pony Club, but I think it is rather nice – and the Tube was never like that in my commuting days!

One of the things that always strikes me about the album charts is the length of time albums stay there. This next song is one of those. The album in question is Greatest Hits: God’s Favorite Band, by Green Day, and this is one of the new tracks that were included on it:

Ordinary World finds the band in their more reflective mode, in a lovely duet between Billie Joe Armstrong and Miranda Lambert. The album has had a weird chart life. It was first released in November 2017, when it reached #22 in its first week. It has since spent a total of 328 weeks on the chart, including currently at #54 in an unbroken run of 122 weeks, but has never got higher than that, and has only spent eight of those weeks in the top forty. That longevity has, however, helped it to more than 600,000 sales here and Double Platinum status.

I’m closing today with another of my favourites, both the song and the video:

The Killers first released Read My Mind on Sam’s Town, their second album, in September 2006, and it actually outsold the US here: 1.5m in the UK against 1.3m in the US. One of my daughters saw them in concert at the Royal Albert Hall a little later and said they were fantastic – sadly I never saw them. The song has featured on all four of their compilation albums including the most recent, Rebel Diamonds, which came out in December 2023 and reached #1 here in the UK. It has spent a total of 72 weeks in our Albums Chart, and is currently hanging on in there at #95 – but this was a fun way to round off today’s tunes!

So, that’s my second look at the UK charts. I may have cheated a little by including some tracks from compilations, but when they are more to my taste than most of the current stuff who can blame me? I hope you found something in here to enjoy – they were fun for me to put together.

See you again for Song Lyric Sunday? Hope so 👍

 

36 thoughts on “Chart Music August 2025”

  2. Pingback: My August | Take It Easy

  3. Its funny I was talking to my son a few weeks ago and said I wouldn’t have a clue what music was in the charts now as all I hear sometimes is Korean pop stars or rap I would rather not listen too so a big thanks for breaking it down into something listenable , Clive all good choices and I am a big fan of Lewis , the Killers and Fleetwood Mac…I hope you have a great weekend, Clive xxx

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    • I’m with you on this. Most current pop music leaves me cold but it’s fun to take the occasional look. That’s how I found Chappell Roan, who I really like. And the Album Charts are always good for some compilations!

      I’m glad you like Lewis too, and enjoyed these. You have a great weekend too xxx

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    • Never heard of Lewis Capaldi? Where have you been? Both of his albums have made the US top twenty, his single Someone You Loved was a US #1 and sold 10m copies there! I’m pleased you liked this one, and recommend you follow it up – there are loads of videos on YouTube!

      The Killers are past their heyday but made some great records. Again, I recommend both of their first two albums.

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      • I get that, and there were quite a few ‘who?’ moments when I was researching this. But not knowing a ten million seller takes dedication in avoiding the charts 🤣

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      • I’m a dedicated man! No, I do know some names….like Beyonce and the huge ones…I couldn’t tell you a song by her. This started in the 80s when I shut out the top 40 as much as possible. Plus I’ve pretty much just listen to my collection and hunting for new/old songs. I do run across new ones on spotify and YouTube when looking for other songs.

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      • I did the same in the mid 70s when disco and punk spoiled everything! I have found a lot of the music I love from a radio show by a longstanding DJ here, who I’ve been listening to since around 1970, and nowadays YouTube’s algorithm works well for recommendations.

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      • Yes…YouTube does well in recommending music to me. I usually find a band and that band leads me to another and so on…plus blogging. I find many like that Primal Scream song from you.

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  5. I have heard all of these songs before and give each a thumbs up. Much like you, I’m a big Capaldi fan, so his comeback is particularly heartwarming. The Chain is one of my favorite Fleetwood Mac hits. The lyrics are compelling, given the band’s many ups and downs and the twists in their relationships.

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    • I’m glad you liked them all, Pete, and it’s good that you even knew the Chappell Roan one!

      I too am pleased to see Lewis making a return, and with such a good song.

      The Chain is iconic, if only for some of the glares Stevie gave Lindsey in that video!

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  6. I like that mix of old(er) and new songs. I don’t think I have heard Chappell Roan’s Subway already. But it is another good one of hers. Also the song of the Killers is new to me but since I like their style, this song is easy to like too. What I love a lot is Survive and it is wonderful that you added the song go your list today.

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    • It was a good mix for me too, Erika. I’ve very much taken to Chappell Roan over the past few months and really like her music. The Killers one has been a favourite of mine for nearly twenty years: I bought the Sam’s Town album the day it came out!

      I’ll always find time for Lewis Capaldi – I think he is remarkable. Glad you liked these 😊

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  7. I have grown to like Lewis Calpaldi’s music (thanks to your introduction) and Survive is brilliant. I shall look forward to hearing more from the new album.
    Good selection today Clive, not all known to me but I don’t follow the charts as much as I used to as I don’t listen to the radio very much.

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    • That one was originally on an album without Miranda but they re-recorded it with her for the ‘best of’ release. I think it worked well. And The Chain is iconic: for many years the theme and incidental music for Formula One tv coverage here.

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  9. It should be no surprise that most of these are new/newish for me. It was great to hear Miranda Lambert singing with Green Day; they have a lovely blend.
    I’ve always liked the Killers and especially enjoy watching Brandon Flowers perform. He is extremely emotive with incredibly expressive eyes which tell the story. I haven’t searched for any info on him and I’m wondering if he’s ever done any acting.
    Reading about Lewis Capaldi and watching his video was very moving. Each one of us has a thread keeping us connected to ‘reality’ and when that thread gets stretched to the max, it snaps. I’ve been there, thankfully for a very brief time; still, it was the most dreadful place in which to exist. I have great empathy for anyone feeling overwhelmed. If’s wonderful seeing and hearing Lewis Capaldi back in action.
    Thanks for the beautiful set today, Clive.
    Last day of babysitting. 🙃🙂

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    • I’d guess that you knew some as I went for some older ones. That Green Day one is lovely, isn’t it. As you say, their voices blend well.

      As far as I can tell Brandon has only done music videos, but he always does them well.

      I’ve written about Lewis several times. My blog started out of my spell of depression so I also empathise with him, and what he has achieved is admirable.

      I’m glad you enjoyed these, Nancy, and enjoy your day😊

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  10. I saw The Killers at the BottleRock music festival in wine country – Napa California. They were indeed terrific and Brandon Flowers is a dynamic lead singer…interesting how compilations are so popular: music is timeless and the great sounds never fade! The current stuff is pretty bad and I listen to it with my wife in the car because she features many of them on her TV show….but hard to hear anything that will be listened to even a year from now…obviously the Chappells of the world are above that to a degree…

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    • You and my daughter were both very lucky! I tend to listen to very little of today’s music, unless it is by people I’ve followed for years! Chappell Roan stands out for me among the crowd.

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