{"id":316593,"date":"2025-12-15T04:01:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T04:01:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/316593\/"},"modified":"2025-12-15T04:01:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T04:01:11","slug":"kylie-takes-early-lead-in-uk-christmas-number-1-race-but-together-for-palestine-wham-and-the-pogues-are-hot-on-her-tail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/316593\/","title":{"rendered":"Kylie takes early lead in UK Christmas Number 1 race, but Together For Palestine, WHAM! and The Pogues are hot on her tail"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite enjoying a glittering comeback to the Official Singles Chart Top 10 in 2023 with viral single Padam Padam<\/a>, Kylie hasn’t had a UK Number 1 single in 22 years, since her 2003 hit Slow<\/a> topped the chart.\u00a0Can she finally end the drought by not\u00a0taking home just any Number 1, but the coveted Christmas Number 1? \u00a0<\/p>\n

At face value it\u2019s a promising lead, but Kylie is not safe. Don’t rule out an upset further into the week, as more sales and streaming data arrives for other contenders that are available across all platforms.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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This means reigning Christmas Number 1 champions WHAM!<\/a> start the week in second place with\u00a0Last Christmas<\/a>. Having\u00a0claimed the Christmas Number 1 in 2023 and 2024, Last Christmas will have to fight to secure a hat-trick, possibly making Official Charts history in the process by becoming the first-ever single to achieve the accolade. \u00a0<\/p>\n

The UK’s best-selling track of the week so far, and just 231 chart units behind WHAM!, is Together For Palestine’s charity single, Lullaby (3). The song, featuring Leigh-Anne<\/a>, Bastille<\/a>‘s Dan Smith, Mabel<\/a>, Neneh Cherry<\/a>, Nadine Shah<\/a> and more raises life-saving funds for the people of Gaza. All profits from the release will go to Choose Love\u2019s Together For Palestine Fund, supporting three Palestinian-led organisations: Taawon, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and Palestine Medical Relief Service.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The song\u00a0has sold just under 10k units\u00a0so far according to Official Charts Company data. However, with other contenders outperforming the track on streaming, downloads would need to accelerate to progress or maintain its position across the week.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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One to watch this week is The Pogues<\/a> and Kirsty MacColl<\/a>‘s Fairytale of New York<\/a> (5). The track is the third best-selling single of the week thanks to a limited-edition zoetrope vinyl variant which was available to purchase on Friday, as well as boasting strong streaming support. Having achieved every position in the Top 20 bar Number 1, can the UK\u2019s most-loved Christmas track (according to YouGov) break the duck?\u00a0<\/p>\n

With less than 10k chart units separating the whole of the Top 5, it\u2019s very much all to play for across all participating campaigns this year. However, with this also being preliminary data only, expect the picture to evolve as more streaming data arrives throughout the week. \u00a0<\/p>\n

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MORE: Every Christmas Number 1 ever\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Looking at the rest of the Top 10, Elton John<\/a>\u2019s Step Into Christmas<\/a> could jump an impressive 11 places and achieve its highest position since 2022 (7), Kelly Clarkson<\/a>\u2019s modern festive classic Underneath The Tree<\/a> has now seemingly joined the big leagues (8) and\u00a0Shakin\u2019 Stevens<\/a> may also find his former Christmas Number 1 Merry Christmas Everyone<\/a> break the Top 10 standings, 40 years after it reached the festive summit (9). \u00a0<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, Andy Williams<\/a>\u2019 It\u2019s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year<\/a> looks to make its move towards the Top 10, currently up five (15), Dean Martin<\/a>\u2019s Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!<\/a> is tracking to push four places (16) and Paul McCartney<\/a>\u2019s Wonderful Christmastime<\/a>\u00a0has its sights set on the Top 20 (18). \u00a0<\/p>\n

Other hits which may significantly\u00a0rise and look to have their say in the Christmas Number 1 race include Wizzard<\/a>\u2019s I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday<\/a> (23), Jos\u00e9 Felicano<\/a>\u2019s Feliz Navidad<\/a> (25), Sia<\/a>‘s Snowman<\/a> (29) and Nat King Cole<\/a>\u2019s The Christmas Song<\/a> (30). \u00a0<\/p>\n

The potential highest climber into the Top 40 this week could be Cher<\/a>\u2019s DJ Play A Christmas Song<\/a>, which is on course to fly 25 places to Number 33. \u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n


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We could also see two tracks\u00a0in the Top 40 for holiday icon Michael Bubl\u00e9<\/a>: It\u2019s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas<\/a> (21) and Holly Jolly Christmas<\/a> (40). \u00a0<\/p>\n

And now, it\u2019s all down to the British public who can make all the difference this week. Whoever you’re backing, get buying and streaming before 11.59pm Thursday 18 December to make it count, with the winner being revealed on\u00a0Friday 19 December on BBC Radio 1’s The Official Chart with Jack Saunders from 3pm.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Follow the Official Christmas Number 1 race<\/p>\n

The Official Christmas Number 1 race 2024 kicks off Friday December 12 with sales and streams counting up until midnight (11.59pm) on Thursday, December 18.<\/p>\n

Tune in to The Official Chart on BBC Radio 1 on Friday December 19 from 3pm to hear the Christmas Top 40 countdown and the exclusive reveal of the Official Christmas Number 1 2024.<\/p>\n

The full Top 100 Official Christmas Singles Chart<\/a> and Albums Chart<\/a> will be published on OfficialCharts.com from 5.45pm.<\/p>\n

Join the conversation now using the hashtag #XmasNo1. For all the latest race updates join the Official Charts mailing list<\/a> for Breaking News on this year\u2019s race and beyond. Follow @OfficialCharts on\u00a0Instagram<\/a>, X<\/a> and Facebook<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, Threads<\/a>\u00a0and Bluesky<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n


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