Rihanna Challenges Taylor Swift For U.K. Singles Chart Crown

Rihanna ended her years-long music drought last week with the release of “Lift Me Up.” When the next U.K. chart is published, the pop superstar could be rewarded with a crown.

The Barbadian singer is flying with “Lift Me Up,” which will appear in the upcoming Marvel film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Based on sales and streaming data from the first 48 hours in the chart cycle, “Life Me Up” is the No. 2-ranked song. The leader in the early stages is Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero,” which bowed at No. 1 last Friday (Oct. 28) for TayTay’s second U.K. chart leader.

According to the Official Charts Company, the race to No. 1 is “incredibly close,” with former leader “Unholy,” by Sam Smith and Kim Petras, at No. 3 on the First Look survey.

Heading into the second half of the week, less than 300 chart sales separate the top three.

If “Lift Me Up” does indeed lift to the top it would be Rihanna’s 10th U.K. No. 1, and first since 2017’s “Wild Thoughts,” with DJ Khaled and Bryson Tiller. It will, almost certainly, give RiRi her 31st U.K. top 10 appearance.

Elsewhere on the chart blast, several tracks eye new peaks inside the U.K. top 10 — Oliver Tree and Robin Schulz’s “Miss You,” and Stormzy’s “Hide & Seek” (No. 6), while Venbee & Goddard are chasing a first appearance in the top flight with “Messy In Heaven” (No. 10).

SZA’s own comeback track, “Shirt,” could wear a top 20 debut. It’s on target for a No. 15 start.

Finally, Meghan Trainor “Made You Look” is the biggest gainer on the chart blast, the OCC reports, up 28-18.

All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Singles Chart is published this Friday.