Sam Smith, Kim Petras’ ‘Unholy’ Set for Strong Start on U.K. Chart – Billboard

Life has been good for David Guetta and Bebe Rexha in recent weeks, though they’re no sure bet to retain the U.K. singles chart crown.

Guetta and Rexha’s hit “I’m Good (Blue)” (via Parlophone) faces a stiff challenge from Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy” (EMI), which powers to No. 2 on the midweek chart.

Following the first 48 hours in the chart week, just a “handful of units” separated the two singles, the OCC reports, with “I’m Good (Blue)” still at the top of the leaderboard.

Also noteworthy on the Official Chart Update is Luude and Mattafix’s “Big City Life” (Warner Records), which is on track for a 10-7 lift, for what would be a new peak, while homegrown grime star Stormzy should grab his 25th top 40 appearance with “Mel Made Me Do It” (0207/Merky). The seven-minute tune is storming to a No. 13 debut.

Over on the albums chart blast, D-Block Europe leads tight race with Lap 5, which could give the London hip-hop act its first chart leader.

At this early stage, nothing is certain.

Take That founding member Mark Owen is just 1,000 chart units adrift in second place with Land of Dreams (BMG), his first solo record in nearly a decade, while Australian pop-rock act 5 Seconds Of Summer’s fifth album 5SOS5 (BMG) is close behind at No. 3 on the midweek survey.

Less than 1,600 units separate D-Block Europe’s latest from Sports Team’s Gulp! (Island), which debuts at No. 4 on the Official Chart Update.

Also, look out for top ten finishes for Editors (EBM, currently at No. 6 via PIAS Recordings) and Beth Orton (Weather Alive, at No. 8 via Partisan) when the chart is published this Friday.