12 December 2024
Newsdesk
It comes around quicker every year… The Official Christmas Number 1 race 2024 has begun!
Every sale and stream of music in the UK now officially counts towards this year’s Christmas Number 1 single. With the contenders already on the move, who will take the coveted crown this year?
Whoever you’re backing, you have between now and 23.59 on Thursday 19 December to support them – with the winner revealed exclusively on BBC Radio 1’s The Official Chart on Friday, 20 December from 4pm.
In 2023 we saw WHAM!’s Last Christmas take Christmas Number 1 for the first time, 39 years after its release.
At the time WHAM!’s Andrew Ridgeley told Official Charts, “Last Christmas has finally ascended to the much-cherished and sought-after Official Christmas Number 1, which was always the main goal.
“George would be beside himself that, after all these years, we’ve finally obtained Christmas Number 1. George said that he wrote Last Christmas with the intention of writing a Christmas Number 1 - it’s mission accomplished!”
So who are we expecting to be in the running this year?
Contenders
As you can expect with the biggest and most important chart race of the year – some of music’s biggest stars have already thrown their hat into the ring for Christmas Number 1 2024.
One big contender in 2023 came from Sam Ryder’s Amazon Original single You’re Christmas To Me, which landed at Number 2 on the Official Christmas Chart. This year it’s Tom Grennan’s turn to join forces with the streaming giant, and Tom is pulling out all the stops to make it happen with It Can’t Be Christmas.
Another Amazon Music Original to keep an eye on as the race starts comes from experimental Icelandic-Chinese jazz musician Laufey, Christmas Magic recently entered the Top 40 for the first time, and is expected to fly even further tomorrow.
Several non-festive tracks are standing strong in the Top 10 including reigning Number 1 single, Gracie Abrams’ That’s So True, APT by ROSÉ & Bruno Mars, Gigi Perez’s Sailor Song, and the emerald in the crown of the Wicked soundtrack, Defying Gravity by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande which is dominating the internet right now.
WHAM! who (finally) claimed Christmas glory in 2023 after waiting 39 years with Last Christmas – are looking to boost their chance of a second win with the release of brand-new 40th anniversary collectible vinyl and CD singles out today.
We also have Mariah Carey’s glistening All I Want For Christmas Is You, which is celebrating its landmark 30th anniversary this year. The self-styled Queen of Christmas, Mariah has yet to score the coveted Christmas Number 1 – and it’s never been wise to count her out...
East 17 are hoping to earn Christmas Number 1 for a second time with their 1994 single Stay Another Day, 30 years after it first denied Mariah Carey the festive top spot. A special 30th anniversary vinyl drops today in aid of music therapy charity Nordoff and Robbins – could this be enough to make lightning strike twice?
A selection of charity releases have thrown their hats in the ring too; West Yorkshire singer-songwriter Sam Clegg’s ‘John Lewis-inspired’ single Send Me A Sign, in aid of Re-engage and Friends of the Elderly, has already topped the Singles Sales and Downloads Charts, could it go all the way this week?
Rock Choir have two releases this year, Hallelujah – featuring the voices of 6,000(!) members of their 33,000-strong choir across the nation – and a cover of Stevie Wonder’s What Christmas Means to Me, both for Cash For Kids.
South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue are giving it a go in 2024 with Fire Safety Dance, raising funds for Firefighter’s Charity which supports the mental health of those in the service. Reverend and the Makers have dropped a doo-wop-tinged festive love song, Late Night Phonecall, in aid of Samaritans, and The Celebs – a collective of soap stars, Love Islanders, The Chase’s Anne Hegarty and Shaun Wallace, Frank Bruno and many others – are raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital with a cover of The Beatles’ All You Need Is Love.
And of course, never count out a surprise, last-minute entry to drop into the running! The best way to stay up to date is keep your eyes on Official Charts socials and Officialcharts.com.
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