Wham!’s “Last Christmas” Secures UK Christmas Number One for Second Consecutive Year

Wham!’s song “Last Christmas” has achieved the distinction of being the UK’s Christmas number one for the second year in a row. This holiday classic by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley outperformed tracks by Mariah Carey, Gracie Abrams, Tom Grennan, and Ariana Grande to claim the top position on the chart. Andrew Ridgeley stated he was “especially pleased” for his late band-mate, who passed away in 2016 and had always desired for the song to reach number one. “He would have been utterly delighted [that] his fabulous Christmas composition has become such a classic, almost as much a part of Christmas as mince pies, turkey and pigs in blankets.” He further added, “It’s testament to a really wonderful Christmas song that in a lot of people’s minds evokes and represents Christmas as we would all wish it to be.” The Official Charts Company reported that the song was streamed 12.6 million times in the week leading up to Christmas. The only other songs to have topped the Christmas chart more than once are: However, none of them managed this in consecutive years. “Last Christmas” was initially released in 1984 but was prevented from reaching the top spot by Band Aid’s single, which raised funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. This year, the charity made a renewed attempt for chart success with a 40th anniversary “ultimate mix” of “Do They Know Its Christmas,” which combined vocals from the various versions of the song recorded over the years. Nonetheless, the re-release faltered after a dispute over its lyrics, with critics deeming the song outdated and colonialist, and Ed Sheeran claiming he was not asked for permission to reuse his voice. Ultimately, the song charted at number 12, positioned between Kelly Clarkson’s “Underneath The Tree” and Andy Williams’ 1963 standard “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year.” George Michael composed “Last Christmas” in his childhood bedroom in February 1984, and he told Smash Hits in 1986 that “as far as I was concerned it was a number one.” Inspiration struck unexpectedly while the singer was spending time at his parents’ house in Hertfordshire. Ridgeley informed BBC News, “There was a footy match on the telly and he suddenly jumped up and disappeared upstairs where he had a little four-track studio.” He continued, “About an hour later, he came back and said, ‘Andy Andy, you’ve got to listen to this’. I rarely saw him as excited or as animated as that.” Ridgeley also remarked, “And as soon as I heard it, it was so apparent that it had all the hallmarks of a Christmas classic. It was a jaw-dropping moment.” “Last Christmas” has re-entered the Top 40 every year since 2007, a trend facilitated by the emergence of downloads and subsequently streaming, both of which allowed classic songs to contribute to chart data. Nostalgia has since been the primary driver behind the Christmas charts, as perennial favorites like “Fairytale Of New York” and “Jingle Bell Rock” provide the soundtrack for the holidays. Jack Saunders, who hosts Radio 1’s Chart Show, noted the difficulty new songs face in competing. He stated, “It takes time for songs to warm up and become classics,” adding, “I think it would be a huge feat for something to come along and be number one at the first time of asking.” Consequently, 29 of the songs in this year’s Top 40 were Christmas-themed, with only two new entries among the established hits: Tom Grennan’s “It Can’t Be Christmas” and Laufey’s “Christmas Magic.” Both tracks were commissioned by Amazon Music, which automatically played them to anyone requesting Christmas music from their smart speaker. This provided the two artists with an early advantage in the sales competition, with Grennan’s song eventually reaching number four. The Coventry singer actively campaigned for that position, even getting a tattoo on his right thigh that read “Christmas No 1 is…”, which he said he would complete with the title of the victorious song. Another song vying for the number one spot was “Freezing This Christmas,” a parody of Mud’s “Lonely This Christmas” that criticizes the government’s decision to reduce winter fuel payments for pensioners. Although it was the most downloaded track of the week, protest songs generally struggle on streaming platforms, which now account for 87.7% of all music consumption in the UK. Ultimately, the track just managed to enter the Top 40, securing the 37th position. US pop star Sabrina Carpenter topped the album chart with “Short ‘N’ Sweet,” an album that has produced three number one singles throughout the year. Michael Buble’s Christmas album secured second place, with Chappell Roan’s “Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess” in third. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.