Ariana Grande Tops First Ever Combined U.K. Singles Chart

Ariana Grande has earned a place in the pop music history books by becoming the first ever artist to have a No. 1 U.K. single based on combined sales and streaming. 

Grande's “Problem” FT Iggy Azalea achieved chart sales of 113,000 copies, comprising 106,000 sales and 712,000 streams, according to sales measuring body the Official Charts Company (OCC), which compiles the British singles chart.

According to OCC criteria, a stream must be played for 30 seconds or more to register with 100 streams equivalent to 1 download sale. 

The incorporation of audio streams into the Official U.K. Singles Chart begun last week with the first Top 40 to include streaming data unveiled yesterday, Sunday 6 July. 

“Problem” is Grande’s first song to top the U.K. charts.  

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"Landing her first Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart is an incredible achievement and another benchmark in the continued global success of “Problem,” commented the singer’s manager, Scooter Braun. 

“Thanks to the loyal U.K. fans whose incredible support has made this possible. This is your Number 1, too," Braun went on to say. 

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Elsewhere in the singles chart, former U.K. “X-Factor” star Ella Henderson held firm at No. 2 with her debut single and former No. 1 “Ghost,” which has been streamed over a million times in the past 7 days.  

On average, streaming accounted for just over 20% of this week’s Top 40, said the OCC.  

Ed Sheeran's “X,” pronounced as ‘multiply,’ remained top of the albums chart for a second consecutive week and has become the U.K.’s fastest-selling album of 2014 so far, selling 275,000 units. 

Sheeran also claimed the most streamed track of the week with more than 1.32 million plays of his track “Sing” - which occupied the No. 4 spot.