‘Saltburn’ Sends Sophie Ellis-Bextor Dancing Into the U.K. Top 10

More than two decades after Sophie Ellis-Bextor unleashed “Murder On The Dancefloor,” her pop monster returns to the U.K. top 10 – thanks to Saltburn.

The tune rebounds to No. 8 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, published last Friday, Jan. 5, its first appearance in the top tier for more than 22 years. During the seven-day chart cycle, “Murder” collected more than 2.2 million streams for its best-ever streaming week in the U.K., the Official Charts Company confirms.

There’s no mystery to its fresh legs. “Murder On The Dancefloor” (via Polydor) is synced to a prominent scene in Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn, a dark comedy that has erupted on Amazon Prime Video.

“Murder” is one of Ellis-Bextor’s six solo U.K. top 10 hits, peaking at No. 2 back in 2001. The daughter of a popular TV star Janet Ellis and director and producer Robin Bextor, Ellis-Bextor’s breakthrough came with Spiller’s 2000 club cut “Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love),” on which she was the uncredited vocalist. The track went to No. 1 on the Official Chart. Ellis-Bextor has also accumulated five U.K. top 10 albums.

Ellis-Bextor isn’t the only artist to benefit from the Saltburn effect. Mason and Princess Superstar’s 2006 single “Perfect (Exceeder)” (via Armada) reenters the top 40 on the Official Singles Chart for the first time in 17 years, appearing at No. 40. Following its release, the single reached No. 3.

As the Christmas songs are swept from the chart for another year, a raft of singles vault up the tally.

As expected, Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” (Republic Records) completes its first summit climb in its 14th week, vaulting 10-1.

Meanwhile, Jack Harlow’s “Lovin On Me” rebounds 27-2 (up 27-2 via Atlantic); Casso, Raye and D-Block Europe’s “Prada” (Ministry of Sound) bounces 73-3; Tate McRae’s “Greedy” (Ministry of Sound) returns 37-4 and Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” (EMI) is up 96-5.

Lars Brandle

Billboard