On 3 December, 1984, WHAM! released their iconic Christmas anthem ‘Last Christmas’, which has since sold over 10 million copies worldwide. Despite its enduring popularity, it initially debuted at No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart, held off the top spot by Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ However, it finally claimed the coveted Christmas No. 1 position last year, almost 40 years after its release. This year, it went on to make history as the first song to achieve back-to-back Christmas No. 1 titles, prompting the question: what other cherished Christmas classics were snubbed of the Christmas No. 1 title?
Last Christmas you gave them Christmas Number 1…
…And this year, @WhamOfficial_ have repeated the trick, landing the Christmas Number 1 2024 and making Official Chart history in the process
A huge congratulations to Andrew and George on another incredible achievement… pic.twitter.com/r0uTq1zQe9
— Official Charts (@officialcharts) December 20, 2024
Most notably is Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’. Released in 1994, the song has become a holiday staple for over three decades and is the most streamed Christmas song of all time on Spotify with a staggering 2.08 billion streams. Yet, despite its global dominance, the song has never secured the coveted UK Christmas No. 1 spot. It has repeatedly peaked at No. 2, but this year was surpassed for that position by Gracie Abrams.
Another modern favourite is The Pogues ‘Fairytale of New York’ featuring Kirsty Maccoll, which has been a UK Christmas favourite since its release in 1987. As the third most streamed Christmas song in the UK (316 million streams), it has cemented its place in holiday playlists. However, it too has fallen short of the UK Christmas No. 1 title, debuting at No. 2 and peaking at No. 10 this year.
Alongside these anthems, Michael Bublé’s iconic cover of ‘It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas’, Ariana Grande’s single ‘Santa Tell Me’, and José Feliciano’s cheerful ‘Feliz Navidad’, are all a part of Spotify’s Top 10 Most Streamed Christmas Songs but have never climbed to the top of the UK Christmas charts.
The Official most-streamed Christmas songs in the UK revealed! Who takes the title of most popular Christmas song in the modern age? find out now https://t.co/vf0SYi6oje — Official Charts (@officialcharts) December 23, 2024
Even classic Christmas tunes have faced similar fates. This week, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee and Bobby Helms’ ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ hold positions six and eight on the Official Charts. Both these enduring 1950s classics, each boasting over one billion streams, have never reached the summit of the UK Singles Chart despite their immense cultural impact.
This trend highlights an intriguing pattern: global popularity and cultural significance do not always guarantee chart-topping success. Given the abundance of both modern and classic Christmas songs, securing the UK Christmas No. 1 spot proves to be a challenging feat. The title often reflects a mix of tradition, novelty, and viral appeal. For example, Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” has topped the charts multiple times, while novelty hits like LadBaby’s sausage-roll-themed songs have outranked beloved Christmas anthems for numerous years.
This year, the Christmas Top 10 featured Tom Grennan’s festive original “It Can’t Be Christmas” at No. 3. Grennan, who humorously vowed to commemorate his fight for Christmas No.1 with a tattoo regardless of the outcome, can keep hoping that his song will claim the title, even if it may take 40 years.
Ultimately, ‘Last Christmas’ ’s consecutive victories in 2023 and 2024 mark a rare alignment of timeless appeal and chart success. Its achievement serves as a testament to the unpredictable nature of the UK’s festive chart battles. For now, fans of other holiday classics – whether sung by Mariah Carey, Michael Bublé, or Tom Grennan – can only hope that their favourite anthems might one day achieve the recognition they deserve on the UK’s most festive chart.
