With Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael’s timeless hit finishing less than 5,000 units ahead this week however, and several strong Christmas Number 1 contenders known to be dropping new physical releases today, the field looks to be wide open going into the biggest chart race of the year. Get ready to choose your fighter as we delve into Last Christmas’s biggest contenders.
RAYE’s WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! lands just behind WHAM! this week at Number 2, a third week in the runner-up spot, can Christmas party season push her all the way next week?
Kelly Clarkson’s euphoric Underneath The Tree celebrates a brand-new peak this week, breaking the Top 5 for the first time (5). The track was originally released back in 2013 and entered the UK Top 10 for the first time last year, its rise again this week arguably securing its status as a modern-day Christmas classic.
Everybody’s goin’ X-M-A-S as Kylie Minogue’s Amazon Music UK exclusive XMAS asserts its Christmas Number 1 capabilities. The track lifts eight to a new Number 16 peak this week with its vinyl and CD versions arriving today and counting in the Christmas Number 1 race. It comes as Kylie banks her 11th Official Number 1 album with Kylie Christmas (Fully Wrapped).
Other festive favourites on the rise
As excitement for the big day builds, a slew of seasonal staples scale the Top 40 this week:
· The Pogues ft. Kirsty MacColl – Fairytale of New York (Number 8, up four)
· Bobby Helms – Jingle Bell Rock (Number 10, up four)
· Shakin’ Stevens – Merry Christmas Everyone (Number 12, up four)
· Elton John – Step Into Christmas (Number 18, up two)
· Dean Martin – Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (Number 19, up 25)
· Andy Williams – It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Number 20, up three)
· Paul McCartney – Wonderful Christmastime (Number 21, up four)
· John Lennon & Yoko Ono – Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (Number 23, up 12)
· The Ronettes – Sleigh Ride (Number 25, up three)
· Chris Rea – Driving Home For Christmas (Number 26, up 14)
· Michael Bublé – It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (Number 29, up two) and Holly Jolly Christmas (Number 35, up three)
· José Feliciano – Feliz Navidad (Number 30, up three)
· Sia – Snowman (Number 31, up one)
· Wizzard – I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday (Number 32, up nine)
· Gwen Stefani – Shake The Snow Globe (Number 40, up three).
Olivia Dean is also among the favourites for Christmas Number 1, as three of her tracks hold strong in the Top 10, So Easy (To Fall In Love) (6), Man I Need (7) and Sam Fender team-up Rein Me In (9) look to spoil the WHAM! party.
Don’t rule them out just yet. HAVEN. ft. Kaitlin Aragon’s I Run does just that, as it vaults seven places to Number 14 this week. They couldn’t make a late surge for the Christmas Number 1 crown, could they?
