The Beatles score a second career hit on the U.K.’s Official Streaming chart with “Hey Jude,” which became an anthem for soccer player Jude Bellingham. (Original Caption) The Beatles are shown at a press conference at the Warwick Hotel. Standing left to right are: Ringo Starr, (wearing polka dot shirt), Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison.
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England finished third in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, defeating France to claim the bronze medal. The national team did not take home the trophy, but closing out the tournament ahead of dozens of countries is certainly commendable, and football fans throughout the United Kingdom were swept up in both the excitement and eventual heartbreak.
Several songs and albums connected to the sport — or which have simply become anthems played in stadiums, pubs and viewing parties — surge on the British charts this week. One of the biggest beneficiaries is “Hey Jude,” one of the Beatles’ most famous and beloved smashes. The decades-old classic returns to several rankings and even earns the legendary group a new hit on one tally.
The Beatles Debut “Hey Jude” on the U.K. Streaming Chart
“Hey Jude” launches at No. 62 on this week’s Official Streaming chart. The roster – which wouldn’t be introduced by the Official Charts Company until decades after the act’s split – ranks the songs that earn the most audio streams throughout the U.K.
The Beatles collect only a second career placement on the ranking this week. The band first reached the Official Streaming chart in November 2023 with “Now and Then,” which was presented as the final Beatles single. The track was constructed around a John Lennon demo and completed by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr using archival contributions from George Harrison and a bit of help from artificial intelligence. “Now and Then” spent three weeks on the streaming list and soared all the way to No. 1.
“Hey Jude” Reaches New Sales Chart Peaks
“Hey Jude” simultaneously returns to both of the U.K.’s purchase-focused songs rankings, and it reaches a new high on the two related rosters. The smash reenters the Official Singles Sales chart at No. 23 and the Official Singles Downloads tally at No. 20.
The Beatles’ classic first reached the downloads list in November 2010, when it opened at No. 40. It has now spent a total of seven weeks on the ranking, and it had not been seen on the rundown since July 2024.
“Hey Jude” did not arrive on the broader Official Singles Sales chart – which is built using purchases of tracks via digital download and physical formats – until July 2018, more than seven years after becoming a digital bestseller. This week’s reappearance marks a fourth stay on the tally. July 2024 was also the last time it appeared.
The Beatles Return to the Main U.K. Songs Tally
“Hey Jude” even manages to become a top 40 hit in the U.K. again this frame. The song returns to the Official Singles chart at No. 24, its highest placement in nearly six decades.
The classic – an ode to Lennon’s son Julian – debuted on the Official Singles chart at No. 21 in September 1968 and needed only two weeks before it became yet another champion for the group. The song spent two frames in charge before falling to No. 2, where it remained for multiple periods as well.
British musician Julian Lennon arrives to attend the annual amfAR Cinema Against AIDS Cannes Gala at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cap d’Antibes, southern France, on the sidelines of the 76th Cannes Film Festival, on May 25, 2023. (Photo by Stefano Rellandini / AFP) (Photo by STEFANO RELLANDINI/AFP via Getty Images)
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Altogether, “Hey Jude” has now lived on the country’s main songs ranking for 21 weeks. That’s more time than it has accumulated on the other three charts where it appears this week combined.
Before its latest comeback, the Beatles favorite had not been seen on the Official Singles ranking since July 2024. It has not occupied a higher position than No. 24 since November 1968, when it finally slipped outside the top 10 following its original notable chart run.
Why Does “Hey Jude” by The Beatles Return to the Charts?
The surge appears to be connected to England midfielder Jude Bellingham. Supporters attending high-profile World Cup matches regularly serenaded the footballer with “Hey Jude,” transforming the Beatles standard into an unofficial anthem for one of the national team’s biggest stars who helped the U.K. athletes hold on as long as they did in the tournament.
The Beatles Reappear With Two More Additional Bestsellers
The Beatles pose for a portrait in front of an American Flag, New York City, 1964. Clockwise from top: John Lennon (1940 – 1980), George Harrison (1943 – 2001), Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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“Hey Jude” is not the Beatles only classic that returns to the U.K. charts this week. “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “Free as a Bird” both reenter the Official Physical Singles chart at Nos. 73 and 88, respectively. Both hits have scored at least 40 weeks on the physical-only ranking, and they narrowly missed ruling the tally during, as each one peaked at No. 2.