Emeli Sandé - Next to Me on MUZU.TV.
Emeli Sandé has smashed one of the UK's oldest chart records. Our Version of Events, the Scottish singer's debut album, has been in the chart's top 10 for 63 consecutive weeks: the longest stretch in British music history.
The Beatles' Please Please Me had held the title of the most consecutive weeks in the top 10 by a debut album, a 62-week record it held for 50 years. "It feels quite surreal to even have your name mentioned in the same sentence as The Beatles," Sandé told Reuters television, saying she considers them "the greatest band of all time".
Our Version of Events was released on 13 February 2012, debuting at number one. Whitney Houston had just died, John Terry had been removed as England's captain, and Lance Armstrong was still officially innocent. Sandé's album has since returned several times to the top spot, most recently in December, and this week is at number five. Our Version of Events was the UK's bestselling album of 2012 and could repeat the feat in 2013: it has sold almost 500,000 copies since January.
Despite Sandé's accomplishments in the UK, she has been unable to duplicate Adele's worldwide success. Her current single, Next to Me, is only at No 46 in the US charts – and she's never been higher. In the US, Sandé may still be best known for having co-written an obscure Rihanna song, Half of Me. "The United States … is a brand new challenge," Sandé said. "You have to understand the market, the people, you really have to take into account how massive the place is … It's chapter two of this whole big thing."
Sandé has been nominated for this year's Scottish album of the year award. alongside records by Django Django, Calvin Harris, Meursault and the Twilight Sad. Our Version of Events was previously awarded album of the year at the Mobo and Brit awards.
