The race to be crowned Christmas number one will be decided today on the final day of counted streams and sales with Wham!, Sam Ryder, Mariah Carey and Shane McGowan‘s Pogues all in the mix.
This year’s contest has been closely fought after Ladbaby- who had claimed the last five Christmas number 1’s respectively- announced they wouldn’t compete.
Currently Wham!’s 1984 classic Last Christmas is top with Sam Ryder’s You’re Christmas To Me the highest ranking new song.
Also strongly in the running is Mariah Carey’s timeless classic All I Want For Christmas Is You and The Pogues’ Fairytale of New York.
Speaking ahead of the climax, Martin Talbot, chief executive of the Official Charts Company said this year’s race feels different.
He said: ‘[This] feels much more exciting than it has done for a few years.
Following Shane MacGowan’s death earlier in November, fans hope that his festive track Fairytale Of New York would finally top the charts
Currently Wham!’s 1984 classic Last Christmas is top of the charts
Mariah Carey’s timeless classic All I Want For Christmas Is You is in the running and Sam Ryder’s You’re Christmas To Me the highest ranking new song
‘LadBaby have dominated for the last five years and I think by the time it reached its fifth Christmas number one last year, people were keen to see something a bit fresh and a bit new.
‘We’ve obviously got the classics that are coming back into the charts, we’ve got the usual run of charity records driven by ordinary people who just want to raise some money for for good causes, and we’ve also got one or two really interesting releases as well, like Sam Ryder.
‘Playlists have a big part to play and they are influential in terms of the chart when it comes to Christmas,’ says Talbot.
‘That said, particularly with a Christmas number one race, the key is not to rely on streaming – it’s to it’s to generate sales, whether they be downloads or physical releases.’
The official chart round up is compiled through the streams and sales in the week leading up to midnight tonight.
Both Wham! and The Pogues songs have been reissued on vinyl to aid their cause whilst Sam Ryder’s single is available on CD.
Any streams of new songs. for example Sam Ryder’s You’re Christmas To Me, count for slightly more.
Following Shane MacGowan’s death earlier in November, fans hope that his festive track Fairytale Of New York would finally top the charts.
Despite being a musical staple in the festive season, MacGowan’s beloved tune – first released in 1982 – has never topped the Official Singles Chart. It peaked at number two in 1987, pipped to the summit by the Pet Shop Boys’ Always On My Mind.
But since his death was announced, the song has been storming up the charts and is now firmly in the race.
The Pogues frontman Shane died aged 65 from pneumonia on November 30 after months of ill health (pictured in 2014)
Official Charts says that it’s normal for The Pogues favourite – along with many other Christmas songs – to re-enter the charts as December approaches, but its boss reckons Fairytale is sizing up to be a ‘genuine contender’ for the crown ahead of the 25th.
Martin Talbot, CEO of the sales-tracking body, said: ‘The terribly sad news about Shane MacGowan’s death will hit hard all lovers of his music, as well as the fans of Fairytale Of New York, which is consistently voted one of the UK public’s favourite Christmas songs – and which has become a festive staple since the advent of the digital era made it available to download and stream.
‘As usual, it was already heading back into the Official Singles Chart Top 40 this week and, while it is currently too early to give an indication of the scale of the streaming surge, we would very much expect it to rise back into the Top 20 over the coming days, perhaps even higher.
‘It is a genuine contender for this year’s Christmas Number 1 – a chart position which this classic has never previously reached. What a fitting tribute to Shane that would be.’