PEOPLE WATCHING
bySAM FENDER
People Watching, released 15 November 2024 is the lead single and title track from Sam Fender's third album People Watching, due in February 2025.
Speaking about the single, Fender explained that it was written about his close friend and mentor Annie Orwin, who for 17 years starred in Byker Grove - a coming of age drama centring on a Newcastle youth centre which ran from 1989-2006.
"People Watching is about somebody that was like a surrogate mother to me and passed away last November. I was by her side at the end, slept on a chair next to her. It’s about what was going through my head, to and from that place and home."
Adding: "It’s kind of ironic because she was the one that gave me the confidence to go on stage, and used to be like ‘why haven’t you mentioned my name in your acceptance speech’. But now an entire song (and album) connects to her. I hope she’s looking down saying ‘about time kid’.”
People Watching entered the Official Singles Chart at Number 4 on 22 November 2024, earning Sam Fender his highest chart debut to date.
In April 2025, Official Charts announced that People Watching was one of the UK's biggest songs of 2025 so far.
Music video
Chart history of PEOPLE WATCHING
OfficialSingles Chart
Chart facts
- Peak position4
- LabelPOLYDOR
- Catalogue numberGBUV72401938
- First Chart Date
Weeks on chart
- 0No1
- 1Top 10
- 9Top 20
- 17Top 40
- 36Top 75
- 43Top 100
Chart run
25 weeks - 28/11/2024 to 15/05/2025
- View 28/11/2024 chart
- View 05/12/2024 chart
- View 12/12/2024 chart
- View 19/12/2024 chart
- View 26/12/2024 chart
- View 02/01/2025 chart
- View 09/01/2025 chart
- View 16/01/2025 chart
- View 23/01/2025 chart
- View 30/01/2025 chart
- View 06/02/2025 chart
- View 13/02/2025 chart
- View 20/02/2025 chart
- View 27/02/2025 chart
- View 06/03/2025 chart
- View 13/03/2025 chart
- View 20/03/2025 chart
- View 27/03/2025 chart
- View 03/04/2025 chart
- View 10/04/2025 chart
- View 17/04/2025 chart
- View 24/04/2025 chart
- View 01/05/2025 chart
- View 08/05/2025 chart
- View 15/05/2025 chart
3 weeks - 19/06/2025 to 03/07/2025
- View 19/06/2025 chart
- View 26/06/2025 chart
- View 03/07/2025 chart
9 weeks - 30/10/2025 to 25/12/2025
- View 30/10/2025 chart
- View 06/11/2025 chart
- View 13/11/2025 chart
- View 20/11/2025 chart
- View 27/11/2025 chart
- View 04/12/2025 chart
- View 11/12/2025 chart
- View 18/12/2025 chart
- View 25/12/2025 chart
6 weeks - 08/01/2026 to 12/02/2026
- View 08/01/2026 chart
- View 15/01/2026 chart
- View 22/01/2026 chart
- View 29/01/2026 chart
- View 05/02/2026 chart
- View 12/02/2026 chart
Buy
OfficialSingles Chart Update
Chart facts
- Peak position4
- LabelPOLYDOR
- Catalogue numberGBUV72401938
- First Chart Date
Weeks on chart
- 0No1
- 2Top 10
- 10Top 20
- 16Top 40
- 37Top 75
- 49Top 100
Chart run
23 weeks - 24/11/2024 to 27/04/2025
- View 24/11/2024 chart
- View 01/12/2024 chart
- View 08/12/2024 chart
- View 15/12/2024 chart
- View 22/12/2024 chart
- View 29/12/2024 chart
- View 05/01/2025 chart
- View 12/01/2025 chart
- View 19/01/2025 chart
- View 26/01/2025 chart
- View 02/02/2025 chart
- View 09/02/2025 chart
- View 16/02/2025 chart
- View 23/02/2025 chart
- View 02/03/2025 chart
- View 09/03/2025 chart
- View 16/03/2025 chart
- View 23/03/2025 chart
- View 30/03/2025 chart
- View 06/04/2025 chart
- View 13/04/2025 chart
- View 21/04/2025 chart
- View 27/04/2025 chart
4 weeks - 27/04/2025 to 18/05/2025
- View 27/04/2025 chart
- View 04/05/2025 chart
- View 11/05/2025 chart
- View 18/05/2025 chart
1 week - 01/06/2025
- View 01/06/2025 chart
3 weeks - 15/06/2025 to 29/06/2025
- View 15/06/2025 chart
- View 22/06/2025 chart
- View 29/06/2025 chart
16 weeks - 26/10/2025 to 08/02/2026
- View 26/10/2025 chart
- View 02/11/2025 chart
- View 09/11/2025 chart
- View 16/11/2025 chart
- View 23/11/2025 chart
- View 30/11/2025 chart
- View 07/12/2025 chart
- View 14/12/2025 chart
- View 21/12/2025 chart
- View 28/12/2025 chart
- View 04/01/2026 chart
- View 11/01/2026 chart
- View 18/01/2026 chart
- View 25/01/2026 chart
- View 01/02/2026 chart
- View 08/02/2026 chart
Buy
OfficialStreaming Chart
Chart facts
- Peak position20
- LabelPOLYDOR
- Catalogue numberGBUV72401938
- First Chart Date
Weeks on chart
- 0No1
- 0Top 10
- 1Top 20
- 5Top 40
- 24Top 75
- 33Top 100
Chart run
5 weeks - 28/11/2024 to 26/12/2024
- View 28/11/2024 chart
- View 05/12/2024 chart
- View 12/12/2024 chart
- View 19/12/2024 chart
- View 26/12/2024 chart
27 weeks - 09/01/2025 to 10/07/2025
- View 09/01/2025 chart
- View 16/01/2025 chart
- View 23/01/2025 chart
- View 30/01/2025 chart
- View 06/02/2025 chart
- View 13/02/2025 chart
- View 20/02/2025 chart
- View 27/02/2025 chart
- View 06/03/2025 chart
- View 13/03/2025 chart
- View 20/03/2025 chart
- View 27/03/2025 chart
- View 03/04/2025 chart
- View 10/04/2025 chart
- View 17/04/2025 chart
- View 24/04/2025 chart
- View 01/05/2025 chart
- View 08/05/2025 chart
- View 15/05/2025 chart
- View 22/05/2025 chart
- View 29/05/2025 chart
- View 05/06/2025 chart
- View 12/06/2025 chart
- View 19/06/2025 chart
- View 26/06/2025 chart
- View 03/07/2025 chart
- View 10/07/2025 chart
1 week - 30/10/2025
- View 30/10/2025 chart
Buy
OfficialVideo Streaming Chart
Chart facts
- Peak position78
- LabelPOLYDOR
- Catalogue numberGBUV72401938
- First Chart Date
Weeks on chart
- 0No1
- 0Top 10
- 0Top 20
- 0Top 40
- 0Top 75
- 1Top 100
Chart run
1 week - 13/03/2025
- View 13/03/2025 chart
Buy
OfficialSingles Sales Chart
Chart facts
- Peak position1
- LabelPOLYDOR
- Catalogue numberGBUV72401938
- First Chart Date
Weeks on chart
- 2No1
- 10Top 10
- 14Top 20
- 25Top 40
- 37Top 75
- 46Top 100
Chart run
37 weeks - 28/11/2024 to 07/08/2025
- View 28/11/2024 chart
- View 05/12/2024 chart
- View 12/12/2024 chart
- View 19/12/2024 chart
- View 26/12/2024 chart
- View 02/01/2025 chart
- View 09/01/2025 chart
- View 16/01/2025 chart
- View 23/01/2025 chart
- View 30/01/2025 chart
- View 06/02/2025 chart
- View 13/02/2025 chart
- View 20/02/2025 chart
- View 27/02/2025 chart
- View 06/03/2025 chart
- View 13/03/2025 chart
- View 20/03/2025 chart
- View 27/03/2025 chart
- View 03/04/2025 chart
- View 10/04/2025 chart
- View 17/04/2025 chart
- View 24/04/2025 chart
- View 01/05/2025 chart
- View 08/05/2025 chart
- View 15/05/2025 chart
- View 22/05/2025 chart
- View 29/05/2025 chart
- View 05/06/2025 chart
- View 12/06/2025 chart
- View 19/06/2025 chart
- View 26/06/2025 chart
- View 03/07/2025 chart
- View 10/07/2025 chart
- View 17/07/2025 chart
- View 24/07/2025 chart
- View 31/07/2025 chart
- View 07/08/2025 chart
1 week - 18/09/2025
- View 18/09/2025 chart
3 weeks - 16/10/2025 to 30/10/2025
- View 16/10/2025 chart
- View 23/10/2025 chart
- View 30/10/2025 chart
1 week - 20/11/2025
- View 20/11/2025 chart
Buy
OfficialSingles Downloads Chart
Chart facts
- Peak position3
- LabelPOLYDOR
- Catalogue numberGBUV72401938
- First Chart Date
Weeks on chart
- 0No1
- 8Top 10
- 14Top 20
- 25Top 40
- 37Top 75
- 45Top 100
Chart run
35 weeks - 28/11/2024 to 24/07/2025
- View 28/11/2024 chart
- View 05/12/2024 chart
- View 12/12/2024 chart
- View 19/12/2024 chart
- View 26/12/2024 chart
- View 02/01/2025 chart
- View 09/01/2025 chart
- View 16/01/2025 chart
- View 23/01/2025 chart
- View 30/01/2025 chart
- View 06/02/2025 chart
- View 13/02/2025 chart
- View 20/02/2025 chart
- View 27/02/2025 chart
- View 06/03/2025 chart
- View 13/03/2025 chart
- View 20/03/2025 chart
- View 27/03/2025 chart
- View 03/04/2025 chart
- View 10/04/2025 chart
- View 17/04/2025 chart
- View 24/04/2025 chart
- View 01/05/2025 chart
- View 08/05/2025 chart
- View 15/05/2025 chart
- View 22/05/2025 chart
- View 29/05/2025 chart
- View 05/06/2025 chart
- View 12/06/2025 chart
- View 19/06/2025 chart
- View 26/06/2025 chart
- View 03/07/2025 chart
- View 10/07/2025 chart
- View 17/07/2025 chart
- View 24/07/2025 chart
1 week - 07/08/2025
- View 07/08/2025 chart
1 week - 20/11/2025
- View 20/11/2025 chart
Buy
OfficialPhysical Singles Chart
Chart facts
- Peak position1
- LabelPOLYDOR
- Catalogue numberGBUV72401938
- First Chart Date
Weeks on chart
- 2No1
- 7Top 10
- 9Top 20
- 13Top 40
- 19Top 75
- 25Top 100
Chart run
16 weeks - 28/11/2024 to 13/03/2025
- View 28/11/2024 chart
- View 05/12/2024 chart
- View 12/12/2024 chart
- View 19/12/2024 chart
- View 26/12/2024 chart
- View 02/01/2025 chart
- View 09/01/2025 chart
- View 16/01/2025 chart
- View 23/01/2025 chart
- View 30/01/2025 chart
- View 06/02/2025 chart
- View 13/02/2025 chart
- View 20/02/2025 chart
- View 27/02/2025 chart
- View 06/03/2025 chart
- View 13/03/2025 chart
1 week - 01/05/2025
- View 01/05/2025 chart
1 week - 19/06/2025
- View 19/06/2025 chart
1 week - 31/07/2025
- View 31/07/2025 chart
1 week - 11/09/2025
- View 11/09/2025 chart
1 week - 30/10/2025
- View 30/10/2025 chart
Buy
OfficialVinyl Singles Chart
Chart facts
- Peak position1
- LabelPOLYDOR
- Catalogue numberGBUV72401938
- First Chart Date
Weeks on chart
- 1No1
- 3Top 10
- 4Top 20
- 5Top 40
- 5Top 75
- 5Top 100
Chart run
3 weeks - 20/02/2025 to 06/03/2025
- View 20/02/2025 chart
- View 27/02/2025 chart
- View 06/03/2025 chart
Buy
End of Year Singles Chart
Chart facts
- Peak position50
- LabelPOLYDOR
- Catalogue numberGBUM72403268
- First Chart Date
Weeks on chart
- 0No1
- 0Top 10
- 0Top 20
- 0Top 40
- 1Top 75
- 1Top 100
Chart run
1 week - 01/01/2025
- View 01/01/2025 chart
Buy
OfficialIrish Singles Chart
Chart facts
- Peak position25
- LabelPOLYDOR
- Catalogue numberGBUV72401938
- First Chart Date
Weeks on chart
- 0No1
- 0Top 10
- 0Top 20
- 7Top 40
- 13Top 75
- 13Top 100
Chart run
1 week - 06/02/2025
- View 06/02/2025 chart
1 week - 30/10/2025
- View 30/10/2025 chart
5 weeks - 08/01/2026 to 05/02/2026
- View 08/01/2026 chart
- View 15/01/2026 chart
- View 22/01/2026 chart
- View 29/01/2026 chart
- View 05/02/2026 chart
Buy






