Wham!'s 'Last Christmas' Claims Christmas No. 1 Spot in the U.K.
Wham's holiday classic 'Last Christmas' holds the coveted Christmas No. 1 spot on the Official U.K. Singles Chart for the first time.
Wham's 'Last Christmas' Tops the Official U.K. Singles Chart
Wham's iconic holiday song 'Last Christmas' has claimed the highly coveted Christmas No. 1 spot on the Official U.K. Singles Chart. Published on December 22, the chart reveals that 'Last Christmas' held onto its top position during the seven-day chart cycle. This marks the first time the song has reached the summit of the U.K. charts during the Christmas season.
According to the Official Charts Company, 'Last Christmas' garnered a staggering 13.3 million plays over the course of the chart cycle, solidifying its status as the most-streamed Christmas No. 1 song. This achievement adds to the song's previous success in 2021 when it broke a 36-year drought and claimed the top spot. It later returned to No. 1 in 2022, further solidifying its popularity.
'Last Christmas' Breaks Records as U.K.'s Longest Journey to Christmas No. 1
'Last Christmas' has achieved yet another milestone by becoming the U.K.'s Christmas No. 1 song with the longest journey. With a span of 39 years, 'Last Christmas' sets a new record for the longest time taken to reach the top spot during the Christmas season, according to the Official Charts Company. The song's initial release in 1984 was famously beaten to the Christmas No. 1 by Band Aid's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' in which Wham's George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley contributed.
Throughout its lifetime, 'Last Christmas' has accumulated an impressive 5.34 million chart units, including 1.93 million sales and close to 413 million streams, as reported by the OCC. The song now holds the title of the U.K.'s third biggest song of all time, following Elton John's 'Something About the Way You Look Tonight' / 'Candle in the Wind 1997' and 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' respectively.
Other Christmas Hits on the U.K. Singles Chart
In addition to Wham's success, other Christmas songs dominate the latest Official U.K. Singles Chart. Sam Ryder's 'You're Christmas to Me' climbs to No. 2, while Mariah Carey's 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' takes third place. Ed Sheeran and Elton John's 'Merry Christmas' moves up to No. 5, and The Pogues' 'Fairytale of New York' featuring Kirsty MacColl falls to No. 6. Various holiday favorites by artists such as Brenda Lee, Michael Bublé, Shakin' Stevens, Andy Williams, Kelly Clarkson, Dean Martin, and Chris Rea impact the top 40.
In a notable achievement, Cher breaks into the top 20 with her single 'DJ Play A Christmas Song.' This marks Cher's 34th top 40 single in the U.K., setting a new record. At 77 years and 7 months, Cher becomes the oldest solo female performer to achieve a top 40 U.K. single, according to the OCC.
