How many songs have been Christmas number one?
For most people who celebrate Christmas, music is a huge aspect of the festive build-up. Despite the persistent loop of the same songs each year-round, the moment when season favourites start to dominate the radio or public places signifies that the official countdown to Christmas has begun. Usually, this is enhanced by the year’s Christmas number one, which, at this point, can be anything from timeless classics to charity singles and even unexpected surprises.
While many things collectively encourage people to get into the festive spirit, from home decorations right down to the icy weather, there’s no denying the power of music. Moreover, there’s something inexplicably endearing about the array of tunes on offer. From the more upbeat sounds of rhythmic groove and jingle balls to the mellower, nostalgic croons, most of us enjoy a heady mix of festive fun no matter the tone.
Ever since 1952, the UK Charts have spearheaded this coveted build-up, playing songs from all artists and eras, centralising the musical hierarchy year after year, swiftly transitioning from a lighthearted countdown to one that more meticulously reflects the cultural zeitgeist. While some years present new singles as number ones, others prove the nation’s affinity for nostalgia, bringing an old classic back into the charts for some old-time festive fun.
Over the years, these have included all the titles you might expect, including late-comer Wham! and their classic ‘Last Christmas’, alongside Band Aid’s original 1984 hit ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’, Slade’s ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’, Mud’s ‘Lonely This Christmas’, Boney M’s ‘Mary’s Boy Child – Oh My Lord’, East 17’s ‘Stay Another Day’, and more. However, considering there have been 72 official chart number ones, not every song that has reached the top spot has been specific to Christmas.
What is the biggest-selling Christmas number one ever?
Others, including The Beatles’ several Christmas number ones, ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, ‘I Feel Fine’, and ‘Day Tripper’, as well as Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, The Human League’s ‘Don’t You Want Me’, and Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You’, prove that the number one doesn’t always overtly connect Christmas time with festivities, and sometimes it’s just about what it’s always been about: good music.
That said, the biggest-selling Christmas number one of all time is a well-loved Christmas tune, Band-Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’, which sold over 3.8million copies after its release in 1984. It also spent five weeks at the top spot, becoming the fastest-selling single in UK history until 1997, when Elton John took over with ‘Candle In The Wind 1997’. Despite the ongoing controversy surrounding the track, it smashed multiple records and achieved number one in several countries, raising a staggering £8million for famine in Ethiopia within the first year—far more than Bob Geldof originally expected.
Interestingly, while Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ remains a modern favourite, it was one of the most belated to reach the top spot, peaking at number two upon release, only achieving number one 39 years later in 2023. Still, 1984 proved to be a somewhat competitive year for the Christmas number one, with ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ and Frankie Goes To Hollywood also releasing a longstanding classic, ‘The Power Of Love’.
