Andrew Hozier-Byrne is the first Irish artist to hit #1 in the US since Sinead O’Connor in 1990.
In March, Hozier released an expanded version of his Unreal Unearth album subtitled Unheard. ‘Too Sweet’ is one of four songs that was included on the EP expansion, and it’s a pretty song featuring a fine low-slung bassline, a soft Gnarls Barkley-esque rock’n’roll swing.
It struck me as a fine foot-tapping edition to the release, but who could have predicted the song’s sudden ascension into the chart stratosphere?
Last week, the song went number 1 in Ireland, and today the song has moved from #2 in the US Billboard Singles charts to #1, making Hozier the first Irish artist since Sinead O’Connor to reach the top, when Sinead’s rendition of Prince’s ‘Nothing Compares 2U’ went to the top of the charts in 1990.
Any way you slice it that’s a huge achievement.
It’s just over 10 years now since I wrote about the video for ‘Take Me To Church’ in 2013, Hozier’s big breakthrough song which reached #2.
Hozier’s bluesy folk rock music has been finding new audiences recently as the genre of music has come more into fashion along with the popularity of Noah Kahan, who Hozier duetted with ‘Northern Attitude’ recently.
Here’s the song ‘Too Sweet’, released on Rubyworks/Columbia Records.
‘Too Sweet’ had 35.6 million streams (down 3%) and 14.1 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 136%, good for top Airplay Gainer honours on the Hot 100) and sold 6,000 (down 17%) April 12-18.
Rubyworks also scored the Irish album #1 in Ireland with Lyra’s self-titled record.
The Irish in US Chart History
Billboard says:
“Too Sweet” marks the fifth Hot 100 No. 1 by an Irish act. It’s the first since Sinéad O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” in 1990 and the first by a male soloist since Gilbert O’Sullivan’s “Alone Again (Naturally)” over a half-century ago.
Here’s a rundown of all Hot 100 No. 1s by Irish acts:
- Hozier, “Too Sweet,” hit No. 1 April 27, 2024, one week at No. 1 to date
- Sinéad O’Connor, “Nothing Compares 2 U,” April 21, 1990, four weeks
- U2, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” Aug. 8, 1987, two
- U2, “With or Without You,” May 16, 1987, three
- Gilbert O’Sullivan, “Alone Again (Naturally),” July 29, 1972, six
