Sam Fender secures a record-breaking opening week, with People Watching netting the North Shields native a hat-trick of chart-topping albums.

English singer-songwriter Sam Fender spends the bulk of his third studio album putting his observations about others to anthemic pop rock. The concept is simple.

Most notably, Fender adds that he’s “desperate” to record a punk album. “I’m buzzing! I’m just singing at you!” he tells the interviewer, going so far as to belt out a Tom Petty-esque track as a preview.

Sam Fender storms ahead in the race for this week’s Official Number 1 album with People Watching, already securing the biggest opening week of 2025 after just three days.

Devastating observations about the trials of everyday life are part of what the English singer-songwriter is all about

While discourse on many topics grows toxic and polarised, it’s the voices who speak plainly about the reality of everyday lives that provide some sanity and make us feel heard. Enter Sam Fender, whose straight talking and pride of his working-class roots has seen him emerge as a figurehead for the younger generation,

After a long, patient wait by fans, the time has finally come for Sam Fender to release his third album. Put out to the world on Friday, February 21 ‘People Watching’ brings an end to the ‘Seventeen Going Under’ period of Fender’s career - a hugely impressive time which saw the star go from performing at the old Academy in Newcastle to selling out consecutive nights at St James Park.