Written and produced by the late, great George Michael and aiming to reach the Christmas Number 1 in 1984, festive classic Last Christmas was famously kept from the top spot after being released by Band Aid phenomenon Do They Know It's Christmas? (the second best-selling single of all time). Almost four decades on, Last Christmas finally claims the coveted holiday chart crown, in a victory for 80s pop duo WHAM! and their legions of devoted fans up and down the country who have fought to rewrite history for decades.
George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley make history on the official chart. 39 years on, Last Christmas now holds the record for the longest ever UK Christmas Number 1 tour.
Speaking on the Official Charts, Andrew Ridgeley of WHAM! says:
“Last Christmas it finally ascended to the much-loved and sought-after Official Christmas Number 1, which has always been the main target.
“George would be beside himself [that] After so many years, [we’ve] finally got Christmas Number 1. Yog [George] he said he wrote Last Christmas with the intention of writing a Christmas Number 1. Mission accomplished!”
Last Christmas was streamed a staggering 13.3 million times over the past seven days, according to figures from the official chart company – the No.1 most streamed Christmas ever during Christmas week. It is now the UK's third biggest song of all time with a lifetime total of 5.34 million chart units, including 1.93 million sales and almost 413 million streams.
With five-time champion LadBaby out of action this year, 2023 has witnessed one of the fiercest holiday chart battles in recent memory. Over the past seven days, WHAM! It beat stiff competition from a range of competitors; from Eurovision hero and grafter of the week Sam Ryder, to festive products from Mariah Carey and The Pogues ft. Kirsty MacColl, plus charity singles from the TikTok Creator Universe collective and more.
When he first missed the glory of the holiday charts, Ridgeley recalls:
“It was a huge disappointment for us too when it didn't go to No.1 because, in our opinion, it was nailed. If it wasn't for Do They Know It's Christmas? of Band Aid?, would probably have been number 1. It was canceled for many years after that – the perennial bridesmaid – in recent years it seems to have become part of the fabric of Christmas for a lot of people.”
Indeed, for several decades Last Christmas proudly held the title of the UK's biggest-selling single to never reach number 1. However, that distinction was wiped out in January 2021 when Last Christmas landed at the top of the UK Official Chart for singles for the first time. However, the coveted Christmas Number 1 has managed to elude WHAM!, until today.
Now that WHAM! finally complete their life's goal on the map, Andrew recognizes what a moment this is, so much for WHAM! and their fans:
“Christmas No.1 has been a long-held ambition for Yog and I,” he tells Official Charts, “and for the fans too. It will mean a lot to the legacy of WHAM! – is the crown. Last Christmas was designed as a Christmas Number 1. High ambitions, but Yog set high ambitions for himself as a songwriter. Our fans will have a real sense of achievement and pride in having become the Christmas Number 1.”
The Christmas Number 1 2023 was revealed today on BBC Radio 1's The Official Chart by host Jack Saunders.
Speaking about WHAM!'s historic achievement, Martin Talbot, CEO, Official Charts Company says:
“Huge congratulations to Andrew Ridgeley and WHAM! for winning a fantastic race for this year's Official Christmas Number 1 – and in doing so finally topped the Official Christmas Chart, 39 years after launching its first festive campaign in 1984. Having claimed the top spot for the first time time last year, it's fantastic this WHAM! have finally claimed the honor of Christmas Number 1.
“Of course, winning WHAM! it also means someone has to come second and it's hard to think of a harder-working Christmas No.2 artist than Sam Ryder, who has performed more than 30 shows over the past seven days in a bid to take the crown.
“Sam has truly made it a chart battle to remember – and he should take solace in the many years it took a song as iconic as Last Christmas to claim that most treasured of chart achievements. We can all only hope that Sam won't have that long to wait. Fantastic job Sam – you're already a winner in our eyes!”
Elsewhere in the Official Christmas Singles Chart:
After a week of intense promo (which included 26 sets played in 6 days), independent artist Sam Ryder secures second place in the biggest chart race of the year with Amazon Music Original You're Christmas To Me climbing eight to No.2 .It becomes Sam's second hit to reach Number 2, joining his Eurovision 2022 entry SPACE MAN.
Speaking exclusively to Official Charts, Sam Ryder says:
“Christmas Number 2, isn't it awful? When we wrote this song, in the fiery month of August, we didn't even expect it to enter the charts. But here we are, in a Mariah Carey and WHAM! sandwich, and we are the filling. I'm excited!
“I hope this has given some vigor and some fire to upcoming grassroots and indie artists. You can do it – you just have to set your heart on fire and get out there. Believe, have faith.
“We keep fighting. There's always next week! Let's do it again, let's get Number 1.”
Ed Sheeran and Elton John's Merry Christmas moves up one place in the Top 10 (5), while Shakin' Stevens' Merry Christmas Everyone is up two (10).
Other festive hits up this week include Andy Williams' It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (12), Kelly Clarkson's Underneath The Tree (13), Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas? (15) Dean Martin's Let It Snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! (16) and Jorja Smith's cover of Stay Another Day (18).
Cher enters the Top 20 with DJ Play A Christmas Song (20), scoring her 34th UK Top 40 single. At 77 years, 7 months, Cher also becomes the oldest solo female artist to secure a Top 40 hit on the Official Singles Chart.
We've got more Christmas from Chris Rea's Driving Home For Christmas (21), Michael Bublé's Holly Jolly Christmas (23), The Ronette's Sleigh Ride (24) and Wizzard's Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday (26).
The TikTok Creator Universe collective debuts at Number 29 with a cover of Wizzard's I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday, earning a number 1 on the Official Downloads Chart and the Official Singles Sales Chart, while popular Icelandic singer-songwriter Laufey scores the Official Top 40 Singles Debut , with Winter Wonderland jumping 18 places to No.31.
The Christmas Singles Chart is completed by Leona Lewis' One More Sleep (32), Justin Bieber's Mistletoe (34), Darlene Love's Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (35) and Nat King Cole's The Christmas Song (36).