You thought there was something that would knock Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars from the top of the Official UK Singles chart this week? Boy, were you ever wrong. Nothing can move "Uptown Funk" from Number One and so at Number One is where it stays. This is now the single's fourth week in a row at the top of the British charts and its fifth in total. Four weeks is the longest consecutive run at the top of the charts since "Rather Be" by Clean Bandit also spent a lunar month at the summit in February last year.

Not even they managed a fifth at the top though, making "Uptown Funk" the first single to reach a total of five weeks since Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" back in the summer of 2013. Six weeks at the top hasn't been achieved since 2011 and "We Found Love" by Rihanna and Calvin Harris.

The becalming of the singles chart extends to the Number 2 single as well as "Wish You Were Mine" by Philip George also sees its sales hold up in a most impressive manner to spent a third straight week locked in place in the runners up slot. Once more this is something we haven't seen for some considerable time. Technically the last single to occupy the runners up slot for three weeks in a row was "Wake Me Up" by Avicii back in August 2013. I say "technically" as that was a single which had previously topped the charts. Presuming that a Number One hit single is not in Philip George's destiny then "Wish You Were Mine" will be the longest running "unsuccessful" Number 2 hit single since "Locked Out Of Heaven" had three (non-consecutive) weeks in the runners up slot at the end of 2012.

"She Doesn't Mind" by Sean Paul was the last to spend three weeks in a row at a Number 2 peak, earlier that same year.

A Top 10 peak is achieved this week by Hozier's "Take Me To Church" which rises 5-3 whilst "Stay With Me" by Sam Smith climbs 13-10 this week to finally reclaim the Top 10 placing it last achieved on the chart of November 22nd when the single debuted at Number 9.

Sia's last single "Chandelier" debuted at Number 6 in July 2014. 29 weeks later it is still selling, rising to Number 19 this week to become a Top 20 hit single for the first time in 22 weeks having never once dipped lower than Number 40 since its release. The occasion is the arrival this week of a much-delayed follow-up as "Elastic Heart" rockets to Number 13 following the large amount of attention paid to its typically controviersial video. The single is available in two distinct versions, both combined for chart purposes. Sales are divided between the solo version which features on her own 1000 Forms Of Fear and a rendition featuring additional vocals by The Weeknd as heard on the Hunger Games: Catching Fire soundtrack.

Watch "Elastic Heart"

 

Also new to the Top 20 after being released for purchase on Tuesday is "The Nights" by Avicii. His first chart single since "Addicted To You" peaked at Number 14 in March 2014,  the single is yet another track which has been held back from UK audiences despite being promoted and available in other territories since the end of last year. Entering the charts at Number 16 this week it is however hard to believe many people found it worth the wait. The single is a more or less total retread of 2013 monster smash "Wake Me Up" right down to its folk-rock verses and uplifting EDM breakdown. The same song only a semitone higher if you will. The video is at least inspirational and diverting, but musically it is hard not to see the superstar producer as being stuck in something of a formulaic rut.

Watch "The Nights"

Over on the Official UK Album chart the new year excuse-me waltz between the three big male stars of the moment continues. Ed Sheeran, George Ezra and Sam Smith have all taken turns at Number One since the turn of the year, a situation which does not change for now either. This week it is George Ezra's turn once again as Wanted On Voyage reclaims the Number One position it surrendered to Sam Smith last week. The only person making significant upward progress? Hozier, who mirrors his singles chart surge with a similar raise in the level of interest for his self-titled album which rises 10-5.

Things will pick up next week, I promise. Even if we are relying on Meghan Trainor to shake things up.