In an unprecedented festive triumph, WHAM!โs classic hit โLast Christmasโ has secured its reign atop the UK Official Singles Chart for an astounding fourth consecutive week. George Michael and Andrew Ridgeleyโs timeless track has etched its name in history, marking the longest-ever journey to claim the coveted Christmas Number 1 position, an achievement realised after 39 remarkable years.
The UKโs music landscape has transformed into a winter wonderland of melodies as the holiday spirit envelops the nation. A groundbreaking moment unfolds with a record-breaking 37 Christmas tunes adorning the UK Official Singles Chart Top 40, a testament to the profound influence and resonance of seasonal favourites.
Amidst the array of festive harmonies, emerging talents like Sam Ryder, alongside stalwarts including Mariah Carey, Ed Sheeran & Elton John, Kelly Clarkson, and Ariana Grande, adorn the chart with their holiday renditions. Sam Ryderโs heartfelt โYouโre Christmas to Meโ maintains a strong presence at Number 2, while Mariah Careyโs yearly favourite โAll I Want for Christmas Is Youโ holds steady at Number 3.
The festive fervour continues to soar as Ed Sheeran and Elton Johnโs โMerry Christmasโ ascends to Number 4, complemented by Brenda Leeโs โRockinโ Around the Christmas Treeโ, grooving its way up to Number 5.
Amongst this seasonal symphony, a lone non-Christmas entry, Noah Kahanโs โStick Seasonโ, claims Number 10, standing as a testament to the diversity amidst the seasonal surge and suggests that it might bounce back to the top come next week.
Notable mentions within the holiday symphony include Ariana Grandeโs โSanta Tell Meโ securing a spot in the Top 10 claiming a new peak of Number 8, marking her 20th UK Top 10 hit. Dean Martin also claims a huge new peak of Number 13 with โLet It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!โ, having previously marked a new peak last week.
Also climbing is Jorja Smith who has covered East 17โs โStay Another Dayโ grabbing a new peak of 16. Then thereโs Cher who orchestrates her return to the charts, seizing the 18th spot with โDJ Play a Christmas Songโ, her highest-charting single in over two decades. Can she continue to rise and beat her previous highest-charting single of this century, โThe Musicโs No Good Without Youโ which peaked at Number 8 in 2001?
Also gracing the Top 20 of the UK Official Singles Chart, at Number 20 and claiming a brand new peak, is The Ronettes with their 1963 Christmas classic โSleigh Rideโ. Laufey also continues her Christmas rise, the Icelandic singer-songwriter grabs the 26th spot on the chart with her version of โWinter Wonderlandโ. Following suit is another Christmas classic, Nat King Coleโs โThe Christmas Songโ which places at Number 34. Then, rounding out the UK Top 40 is Burl Ives who also claims a new peak of Number 40 with the 1964 classic โA Holly Jolly Christmasโ.
The festive spirit cascades throughout the Top 40 of the UK Official Singles Chart, with timeless classics like Chris Reaโs โDriving Home for Christmasโ, Paul McCartneyโs โWonderful Christmastimeโ, and Jose Felicianoโs โFeliz Navidadโ enriching the holiday playlist amongst contemporary current favourites that are also becoming a staple every year including Leona Lewisโ โOne More Sleepโ, Kelly Clarksonโs โUnderneath The Treeโ, Justin Bieberโs โMistletoeโ, and Siaโs โSnowmanโ.
Elsewhere on the UK Official Singles Chart Top 100, The Beach Boysโ 1963 Christmas anthem โLittle Saint Nickโ manages to hit a new peak of Number 43 while Eartha Kitt follows suit with โSanta Babyโ charting at a new peak of Number 44. Beating his previous peak of 58 is Bruce Springsteen who sits at a new peak of 47 with โSanta Claus is Cominโ to Townโ while Meghan Trainor continues her rise with โJingle Bellsโ claiming Number 48. Just one spot below her is the 1958 Christmas classic โRun Rudolph Runโ by Chuck Berry which is also at a new peak at Number 49.
Further down the chart, Stevie Wonder makes an appearance with โWhat Christmas Means To Meโ which claims a new peak of 57, with the Christmas Queen โ Mariah Carey โ following just below at Number 58 which is a new peak for โChristmas (Baby Please Come Home)โ, and below her with a brand new peak is the woman that can only call Mariah Carey by her full name and that is Britney Spears with her 2000 festive classic โMy Only Wish (This Year)โ hitting Number 59 โ we expect this to continue to climb up the chart each Christmas week as itโs an addictive Christmas track that we all canโt get enough of.
Another โJingle Bellsโ makes an appearance at the new peak of 60 by Frank Sinatra while itโs a new entry for the 1970 track โThis Christmasโ by Donny Hathaway at the 63rd spot on the chart. Re-entering the Top 100 and also claiming a new peak is โDeck The Hallsโ by Nat King Cole,
Itโs not easy to get a brand new entry on this festive UK Official Singles Chart Top 100 with a non-Christmas song, but Central Cee has managed to do just that with his new song โEntrapreneurโ at Number 71, we expect this to bounce right on up to the Top 10 in the first chart of 2024. Climbing up the chart to grab a new peak is the Home Alone song โCarol of the Bellsโ by John Williams which sits at Number 72 while โRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeerโ by Dean Martin makes a new entry on the chart at Number 74.
Queenโs Christmas song also grabs a new highest chart placement at Number 76 with โThank God Itโs Christmasโ while The Jackson 5 manages to grab a new entry with their version of โI Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clausโ which sits at Number 84.
Slightly further down, Leona Lewis reappears with her collaboration with Ne-Yo, titled โKiss Me Itโs Christmasโ which claims a new peak of Number 87, while Cher also makes a reappearance as we get closer to the end of the Top 100 where she sits with a new entry at Number 95 with โWhat Christmas Means To Meโ. Ending the UK Official Singles Chart Top 100 is Songer with โToxic (Freestyle)โ, claiming the last new entry and last Number of the chart, Number 100.
You can view the full UK Official Singles Chart Top 100 on the Official Charts Company website. You can also find a variety of other charts on their website, promising to list the official UK charts week-on-week. Itโs the only UK chart that counts.
As the country resonates with yuletide melodies, the charts encapsulate the magical essence of the season, uniting music fans across genres and underscoring the lucrative festive period for the music industry.
The unparalleled dominance of Christmas songs this season has undeniably captured the hearts and playlists of the UK audience, creating an unparalleled musical celebration, and affirming the sentiment that indeed, itโs the most wonderful time of the year. Could next year see an entire 40 Christmas songs dominate the UK Top 40? We think itโs a very real possibility and it would be a festive sight to see.