Ever since the North Shields singer ignited his career in 2017, he has been on a never ending path of making history. In 2019, Fender’s energetic debut album Hypersonic Missiles reached the Number 1 spot, with a comfortable 41,000 sales, earning itself the title of fastest-selling vinyl of 2019. Fast forward six years, Fender has far exceeded the ‘comfortable’ mark as he surpassed a great 100,000 sales in just 7 days. He has become the ninth artist in UK history to sell more than 100,000 units in the first week, his name is amongst Arctic Monkeys, Taylor Swift, ABBA and many more renowned talents.
In recent years the music industry has witnessed a revival in hard media, and Sam Fender is no exception to this as he tops the record for the fastest-selling vinyl album by a British act this century, selling 43,000 physical records. His sophomore album Seventeen Going Under similarly sold 34,000 physical copies.
The album, which is a perfect blend of nostalgia, political commentary and experimentation, is a story of many chapters. Fender has further broadened his songwriting scope as he explores topics such as love and loss, dementia and heartbreak. The record is unapologetically socially conscious and has resonated with many fans, as reflected in the impressive chart figures. People Watching joins his previous two albums, Seventeen Going Under and Hypersonic Missiles, as Number 1 certified.
With three Number 1 albums now under his belt, it is intriguing to see what Fender will choose to do next. People Watching was certainly a reassurance of his talents, yet we wait in anticipation as to what the future looks like for this Geordie star and whether this Number 1 streak is due to continue.