In the first week of its release, ‘It’s Not A Dream’ is one of only two tracks to have been added to the BBC Radio 2 A-list – the key tracks that will definitely receive maximum rotation on the channel over the course of the next week at least. There are only ten tracks in all on the A-list, which includes Paolo Nutini’s ‘Coming Up Easy’, Athlete’s ‘Superhuman Touch’ and Lily Allen’s ‘Twenty Two’. This week’s second newbie is Pixie Lott’s ‘Boys and Girls’, which is BBC2’s Record Of The Week.

“It is an amazing achievement,” Sharon Corr’s manager John Hughes told Hot Press. “Normally you expect to debut on the C-list and maybe progress to he B-list – but going straight to the A-list with a debut release is really special. It is a statement of how highly they rate the record.”

Among the tracks debuting on the B-list this week – and which by definition have been outshone by ‘It’s Not A Dream’ in the eyes of the BBC Radio 2 team – are U2’s ‘I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight’ and Noisettes ‘Wild Young Hearts’. The Dolores O’Riordan single ‘The Journey’ is also in favour with the BBC, nestling in the C-List for the second week, alongside ‘Moments Like This’ by Reamonn – the German based rock outfit fronted by the Tralee-born former singer with the Reckless Pedestrians Rea Garvey – and The Duckworth Lewis Method’s superb ‘Meeting Mr. Miandad’. In all, an impressive four out of a total of 27 playlisted tracks have a strong Irish connection.

“What’s exciting is that BBC Radio 2 is the most influential radio station in Europe, especially where it comes to selling albums,” John Hughes adds. “It really is very encouraging to have that kind of endorsement, so early in Sharon’s development as a solo artist. I knew that it was a great single but still I’m amazed.”

Sharon Corr has recently made a number of successful festival appearances, including at the Isle of Wight and Glastonbury. Her as yet untitled debut album is scheduled for Autumn release.

Meanwhile, Sharon has also just completed the recording of a duet with the Spanish superstar Alex Ubago, who is a huge seller in Argentina, Mexico, Chile and Venezuela as well as Spain.

The Hot Press Newsdesk