As the world eagerly waits for the announcement of this year’s Christmas number one, the BBC has taken a trip down memory lane to explore the success of festive hits over the years. Since the UK’s first festive countdown in 1952, 71 songs have claimed the coveted Christmas number one spot, with a mix of charity singles, novelty hits, and truly memorable festive classics.
Several artists are currently battling it out for the top spot this year, including favourites such as Mariah Carey, Sam Ryder, The Pogues, and the iconic Wham! The Official Charts Company is responsible for announcing the winner, with results due to be revealed on BBC Radio One by Jack Saunders from 4 pm GMT.
Over the years, while many of the UK’s most beloved festive tracks come from the US and Canada, home-grown talent has tended to do better when it comes to claiming the top spot. But which regions of England have been the most successful in crafting the ultimate Christmas hits? London-based artists like East 17 have claimed the highest number of Christmas number ones overall, while the South West doesn’t quite rate as highly in this regard, despite contributions from the likes of Bananarama and Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
Meanwhile, other nations have also produced their fair share of festive number ones, with Wales leading the ranks thanks to the likes of Tom Jones. But which artists have clocked up the most Christmas number ones of all time? The Spice Girls and The Beatles achieved three in a row, while Cliff Richard achieved three chart-toppers, two as a solo artist and one with The Shadows. But it is Nottingham-based LadBaby who holds the current record for most Christmas number ones with five.
As we await the latest winner of the Christmas number one crown, Martin Talbot, CEO of the Official Charts, notes that the race has become a festive institution in the UK, declaring it “beyond a chart race….unique to us, part of our cultural history.” This year’s competition looks set to be one of the tightest in years, so only time will tell who will take home the festive crown
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