Do you believe in Joe Hendry? If you do have faith in the TNA Wrestling alumni then rest assured his songs are of as great a quality as his in-ring performances. I Believe in Joe Hendry may appear to be a novelty pop in the running for a chart position but the sincere quality and playing style of the Scottish-born talent is a wonderful surprise for those hopping aboard the craze. Preventing Taylor Swift from a spot at the top of the charts for her frankly weak and underbaked is as noble a cause as it gets. Sorry, Pet Shop Boys, there appears to be a minute of goodness cooked up by a former Digital Media Champion. Say his name and he appears. This is the sort of drive which appears once in a blue moon.
I Believe in Joe Hendry has a blinding mixture of genres and feels more reliant on the suddenness of its beginning and end than anything else. Hendry may appear wherever you speak his name but along with it comes an anthemic attempt at guiding wrestling fans across the globe to a common goal. While it may be just one minute and a few more seconds thrown in for good measure it features all the right elements of an earworm classic. Slick guitar work and a namecheck of countries across the world is simple enough and has a genuine warmth to it – something which Hendry is no stranger to as he rallies his best efforts as a creative. He can check the box of artist now too, as his appearance in the best-selling singles on iTunes is a neat indicator of how important fan acknowledgement is.
Much the same happened for Jarvis Cocker in 2019 when his Cunts are Still Running the World was seemingly in a chance of chart domination – a direct response and protest of election woes. Hendry serves a similar purpose. This is not just a pick of wrestling interest but a strong example of how easy it is to manipulate the charts in the right favour so long as there is backing for it. Chance viral explosions and a desire to knock back Bono and U2 for their musical crimes a decade ago drive Hendry and his ever-growing legion of fans as they look to secure a spot on the Top 40. Whether they do or do not is irrelevant, what matters is a solid piece of guitar rock has infiltrated the status quo. Wave your hands from side to side or drown in the wave of palms.
Hendry has blurred the line between curious listeners and confident fans. They know his style and this is nothing out of the ordinary for Hendry – but the wider reaches of the internet have been pulled in. Everyone against the charts now has a common goal. Hendry is not just a musician hoping to break into a chart dominated by the usual suspects but a protest vehicle for those who wish for more variety. He is the Trojan Horse of the UK Charts and we would do well to stuff our faith into this ambitious project. I Believe in Joe Hendry is a short piece, but the impact it may have, should it be a successful chart-topper, is sincerely history-making.
