01-05-2025
Eddie Vedder Scores A Hit Song — Without Pearl Jam
While he's famous for being the frontman of the band Pearl Jam, Eddie Vedder also enjoys success as a soloist. Though he has achieved incredible commercial acclaim leading that group, he occasionally releases music under his own name — but not very often. This week, one of the rocker's latest offerings brings him back to bestseller status in the United Kingdom, and it earns him a special win.
Vedder's take on the tune 'Save It for Later' debuts on the Official Physical Singles chart this week. It opens at No. 62 on the U.K. ranking, which lists only the bestselling songs on formats like CD, vinyl, and cassette. Those physical versions have become increasingly popular once again after nearly disappearing in the wake of iTunes and streaming platforms reshaping the music industry more than a decade ago. Now, superfans of musicians love to buy songs and albums on items they can actually hold.
'Save It for Later' marks Vedder's third solo appearance on the Official Physical Singles chart as a soloist. He first reached the tally almost exactly 15 years ago in 2010 with 'Better Days.' That tune remains his longest-charting and highest-peaking solo hit, as it soared all the way to No. 15, and it held on for five frames.
'Long Way' followed a few years ago, in 2021, and rose to No. 53.
Vedder's latest cut was issued as part of Record Store Day. Fans in the U.K. picked up the double-sided 12-inch vinyl, which includes just two tracks, in large enough quantities to turn it into a bestseller. Only 4,000 copies were made available of the double single, though it wasn't reported exactly how many units were sold to push the title onto the list.
Last week's U.K. rankings were filled to the brim with Record Store Day exclusives, but Vedder's project was not among them. Interestingly, it finally reaches the tally this frame, becoming a bestseller days after dozens of other such releases disappeared.
The double single also features 'Room at the Top,' making the effort a pair of covers by Vedder. 'Save It for Later' was originally made famous by The English Beat. Vedder recorded his rendition for the FX TV series The Bear and turned it into a minor commercial hit last year. He also reworked Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' 'Room at the Top' for a different television program — Bad Monkey, which fans can watch on Apple TV – and both of them make up a special EP of sorts.
