Whew! make history as Last Christmas takes the festive top spot for the second time in a row | Ents & Arts News

On By Littum

Whew! has made history, with Last Christmas becoming the first song to be crowned Christmas number one two years in a row.

First published in December 1984, George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley had to wait 39 years to reach the festive top spot.

In the year of its release, they were beaten by Band Aid’s charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas?, a track that controversially seen himself renewed and back on the charts this year as well.

George Michael of Wham!, Bob Geldolf, Bono of U2, Freddie Mercury of Queen, Andrew Ridgley of Wham! and Howard Jones Pic:AP Pic:AP
Picture:
George Michael, Bob Geldof, Bono, Freddie Mercury and Andrew Ridgeley were among the stars at the Live Aid concert in 1985. Image: AP

Now re-released to mark its 40th anniversary, Last Christmas has become the most streamed and physically purchased song of the week, according to the Official Charts Company.

Last year, the track secured the record for completing the longest journey ever to reach number one in time christmas day.

Ridgeley told the Official Charts that his late bandmate Michael, who died on Christmas Day 2016 aged 53, would be “absolutely delighted” that the song had become a festive classic.

He said: “Thirty-seven years to reach number one, 39 years to Christmas number one and then they come as London buses all at once!

“I’m especially happy for George, he would have been absolutely delighted, his fantastic Christmas composition has become such a classic, almost as much a part of Christmas as mince pies, turkey and pigs in blankets.

“It’s a testament to a truly wonderful Christmas carol which, in many people’s minds, evokes and represents Christmas as we all wish it were.”

Official Charts boss Martin Talbot said Last Christmas was “certainly, undeniably, established now as the British nation’s all-time favorite Christmas carol”.

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Who else made the Christmas charts?

American pop star Gracie Abrams was number two in the Christmas week charts with her latest hit That’s So True.

Mariah Carey marked three decades since the release of All I Want For Christmas Is You by taking third place.

Tom Grennan landed a personal best with his new track It Can’t Be Christmas, a collaboration with Amazon Music Original, in fourth place.

And Blackpink’s Rose came in fifth with her dancefloor hit Apt in collaboration with American singer Bruno Mars.

Read more:
The recipe for success for a number one Christmas
All I Want For Christmas Is You is 30 years old

Meanwhile, in the official album chart, American pop star Sabrina is a carpenter capped off an outstanding year by securing the Christmas number one album title with Short N’ Sweet.

She beat Canadian crooner Michael Buble to first place as his festive album Christmas took second place.

American star Chappell Roan, who has also had a breakout year, secured third place with his smash debut The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess.

Global superstar Taylor Swift and indie rockers The Reytons took fourth and fifth place respectively on the album charts.