Macklemore talks Number 1 success of These Days with Rudimental: "It's a gift"

Thanks to his guest spot on Rudimental's These Days, Macklemore is back at Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart for the first time in over five years, and understandably, he's pretty pleased about it.

These Days, which also features Jess Glynne and Dan Caplen, spent seven consecutive weeks at Number 2, a record matched with Maroon 5's Moves Like Jagger, before finally climbing to Number 1 last Friday. 

Explaining how he came to feature on the song, Macklemore told Music Week the idea came about "a couple of years ago" before the release of his latest album Gemini, adding: "Rudimental reached out [to me] and at the time the song was really just Dan Caplen on piano, with his hook and the verses. I loved Dan’s voice, I loved the vibe, so I recorded a couple verses."

He continued: "Then the producers did what they did, and they eventually got Jess on the hook and kept Dan’s verses in there. It’s been great to see it ascend the charts in the UK. I’m bringing Dan out for a portion of the tour here, so we'll get to play that song and see how the fans react. But the fact that it was a Number 1 is a gift."

These Days is Macklemore's second UK Number 1 single, following Thrift Shop with Ryan Lewis, which hit the top spot in January 2013. Macklemore's latest album Gemini, which features the Top 40 single Glorious, debuted at Number 13 on the Official Albums Chart last October.

Meanwhile, These Days earns Jess Glynne her sixth UK chart topper, meaning she sets a new record for British female solo artists.

On this week's Official Chart Update, Rudimental are locked in a seriously close battle with Keala Settle/The Greatest Showman's This Is Me for Number 1, with just 14 combined sales separating the two. 

Watch Rudimental celebrating These Days reaching Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart below: