Barbie film soundtrack breaks UK singles chart record

The soundtrack for the new Barbie movie has taken over the UK singles charts by breaking previous records, the Official Charts Company has said.

Barbie: The Album, which accompanies the Greta Gerwig-directed comedy has become the first film soundtrack to land three top five songs at the same time.

American singer Billie Eilish’s contemplative What Was I Made For? has reached number three this week, while Dua Lipa’s Dance The Night is now at number four and in fifth position is the reworking of Aqua’s Barbie World by rappers Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice.

The movie about the Mattel doll, which stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling and was one of the most highly-anticipated films of the year, hit UK cinemas last week and has taken box offices by storm.

The Barbie album, which features a star-studded line-up, also has Charli XCX’s energetic Speed Drive, while Gosling’s dramatic ballad which brings some Kenergy, titled I’m Just Ken and Lizzo’s bouncy bop Pink feature in the top 40.

Vue International has said it had the biggest weekend for UK cinema ticket sales in four years following the release of Barbie and Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan’s biographical thriller on physicist J Robert Oppenheimer.

The company said more than 2,000 of Vue’s screenings for Barbie were sold out.

But the film’s success is not limited to the UK, as the movie made a record-breaking debut in cinemas last weekend, with $162m in ticket sales in the United States and Canada.

Speaking at the European premiere in London, Robbie, who plays the beloved title character, told Sky News why Barbie’s on-screen world is so special.

“To really do something unexpected and fun and clever and silly on such a big scale, it feels like a very unique opportunity,” she said.

“Barbieland feels like a female utopia. But you do, by the end of the film, see the flaw in that – I mean, a hierarchy in anyone’s power is not necessarily the best thing. But it is fun, it’s very pretty.”

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Meanwhile, her co-star Gosling, who plays Barbie’s arm candy, said he was inspired by his own children to do the film.

He told Sky News: “All things Barbie landed in my house at the same time – Barbie the doll and also the film.

“It was just sort of like a Barbie avalanche, I had to reckon with it.”