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It Looks Like This Festive Hit Is On Track To Score This Year’s Christmas Number 1, With A Week To Go

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We might still be a week away from the announcement about what song is this year’s Christmas number one – but it looks like we might have an idea.

On Friday evening, Wham!’s Last Christmas was revealed to be the first festive chart-topper of 2024, almost 12 months exactly after it became last year’s Christmas number one marking the first time in the song’s history that it reached the accolade.

George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley’s festive tune is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and has already received a surge in streams in the lead-up to Christmas, pushing it back to the top of the charts.

To coincide with the anniversary, a physical re-release of the track debuted on Friday, so we reckon it chances of holding onto the number one spot ahead of next week’s chart are pretty high.

Mariah Carey performing a special Christmas show in 2014
Mariah Carey performing a special Christmas show in 2014

via Associated Press

There’s a veritable avalanche of Yuletide bops in the chart this week, with Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You at number three, while Brenda Lee’s 66-year-old ditty Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree is at five.

Below that is Tom Grennan’s original tune It Can’t Be Christmas (an exclusive to Amazon Music subscribers – meaning if you’ve asked Alexa to play Christmas music in the last few weeks you’ve probably heard it without realising) at number six, Bobby Helms’ Jingle Bell Rock at number seven and The Pogues’ Fairytale Of New York at number eight.

Tom Grennan's new Christmas tune has already made it into the top 10
Tom Grennan’s new Christmas tune has already made it into the top 10

via Associated Press

Completing the top 10 are Ariana Grande’s Santa Tell Me and Kelly Clarkson’s Underneath The Tree, which have both reached new UK chart peaks in 2024.

Christmas tunes by Michael Bublé, Sia, Elton John and Sabrina Carpenter can also be found lower down this week’s chart.

Meanwhile, you can click here for a round-up of 2024’s new Christmas tunes – and our verdict on each of the songs.

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Music History Has Just Been Made As This Year’s Christmas Number 1 Is Revealed

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Wham! have emerged victorious in the race for this year’s Christmas number one.

The pop duo’s festive hit Last Christmas was revealed to have topped the charts on Friday, almost 40 years after its release.

Last Christmas first debuted in 1984, and was initially held off the top spot by Band Aid’s charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas?.

While it’s since topped the UK singles chart on several occasions in the streaming era – this marks the first time it’s landed the coveted number one spot at Christmas, which Andrew Ridgeley has said was always George Michael’s hope for the track.

“Last Christmas has finally ascended to the much-cherished and sought-after official Christmas number one, which was always the main goal,” he told the Official Charts Company on Friday.

“George would be beside himself [that] after all of these years, [we’ve] finally obtained Christmas number one. Yog said that he wrote Last Christmas with the intention of writing a Christmas number one. It’s mission accomplished!”

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This new feat makes Last Christmas the longest ever time between a song’s release and its ascent to the top of the Christmas charts, at 39 years.

“Christmas number one has been a long-held ambition for Yog and I,” Andrew added of his late bandmate. “And for the fans, too. It’ll mean a lot to Wham!’s legacy – it’s the crowning glory.

“Last Christmas was conceived as a Christmas number one. Lofty ambitions, but Yog set lofty ambitions for himself as a songwriter. Our fans will have a real sense of achievement and pride in the fact it’s become Christmas number one.”

Wham! had stiff competition from Eurovision favourite Sam Ryder in this week’s chart.

Sam Ryder performing at Camp Bestival earlier this year
Sam Ryder performing at Camp Bestival earlier this year

SOPA Images via Getty Images

Sam’s festive original You’re Christmas To Me – which is an Amazon exclusive, and marks his first release as an independent artist – landed the number two spot, matching the success of his breakthrough hit Space Man.

“Christmas number two, isn’t that bonkers?” he said. “When we wrote this song, in the blazing month of August, we didn’t even expect it to chart. But here we are, in a Mariah Carey and Wham! sandwich, and we’re the filling. I’m stoked!”

Addressing his fellow musicians, Sam added: “I hope this has given some vigour and some fire to upcoming grass roots and indie artists. You can do it – you’ve just got to set your heart ablaze and get out there.

“Believe, have faith. We always keep fighting. There’s always next week!”

He also revealed he still has a chart-topper in his sights, stating: “Let’s go for it again, let’s get that number one.”

Behind him at number three is Mariah Carey’s festive tune All I Want For Christmas Is You, while Noah Kahan has the week’s highest non-Christmas single with Stick Season at number four.

Completing the top five is Ed Sheeran and Sir Elton John’s duet Merry Christmas, ahead of The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl’s Fairytale Of New York, which was previously reported to be in contention for the top spot, at number six.

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