David Byrne's cover of "Drivers License" by Olivia Rodrigo launches at No. 1 on two U.K. charts, earning the rock superstar his first champion. DUBLIN, IRELAND - APRIL 30: Olivia Rodrigo performs live at the 3 Arena on April 30, 2024 in Dublin. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Getty Images for LIVE Nation)
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After breaking out as lead vocalist and guitarist of the band Talking Heads, David Byrne has enjoyed a decades-long solo career, one that has seen him score hits and win some of the biggest prizes in entertainment. Byrne is hugely respected among musicians, and he himself loves keeping up with what’s happening in music today.
Earlier in 2026, Byrne released a cover of Olivia Rodrigo’s breakout single “Drivers License,” paying homage to the tune as it turned five. The reworking was made available as a digital download and via vinyl, and the short wax offering also includes a duet between he and Rodrigo of Byrne’s “Burning Down the House,” which they recorded at the Governors Ball music festival.
Byrne’s take on “Drivers License” debuts on multiple charts in the United Kingdom this week, earning the rock legend his biggest hit on every list on which it appears.
Byrne scores his first No. 1 on two U.K. tallies, as “Drivers License” revs its engines and shoots straight to the top. The track opens at the summit on both the Official Vinyl Singles and Official Physical Singles charts.
Byrne scores his first top 10 on the Official Vinyl Singles chart with his second entry. Back in 2023, “Lazy,” a collaboration with X-Press 2, peaked down at No. 34.
On the Official Physical Singles rundown, Byrne doubles his top 10s count. “Lazy” nearly conquered that roster back in 2002, when it climbed as high as No. 2. Several years later, Byrne, alongside the band Dirty Projectors, took “Naughty Pine / So Far Around the Bend” to No. 71.
On both rosters where “Drivers License” debuts, Byrne blocks different tracks from launching at No. 1. On the Official Physical Singles chart, Guns N’ Roses is forced to settle for second place with “Nothin’.” Over on the Official Vinyl Singles ranking, “You Gotta Understand” by Carmy Love and PM Warson is new at No. 2, while the aforementioned “Nothing” arrives at No. 3.
Byrne almost makes it a clean sweep, but narrowly fails to do so, as “Drivers License” misses the top spot on a third rundown. His take on Rodrigo’s first global smash kicks off its time at No. 2 on the Official Singles Sales chart, which takes into account purchases on physical formats like CD, cassette, and vinyl, as well as digital downloads. Yet again, BTS rules with “Swim,” the lead single from its comeback album Arirang.
Similar to his showing on the Official Vinyl Singles chart, Byrne reaches the top 10 for the first time in his solo career and scores a second placement. “Lazy” opened at No. 79 in early May 2023 and has not been seen since.
The version of “Drivers License” that appears at No. 1 on several charts in the U.K. may have originated with Rodrigo, but she does not earn credit on the track. The Grammy winner does, however, see another collaboration with a rock superstar become a bestseller again.
“Friday I’m in Love,” which Rodrigo performed with The Cure frontman Robert Smith, is back on the Official Physical Singles tally at No. 78. That track already led the charge months ago. At the same time, her solo cut “Vampire” surges back into the top 40 and settles at No. 33.
ForbesOlivia Rodrigo’s First Two Albums Surge As She Announces A New Project此内容由惯性聚合(RSS阅读器)自动聚合整理，仅供阅读参考。 原文来自 — 版权归原作者所有。