Wham! has secured the UK’s official Christmas number one with Last Christmas, 39 years after the track was released.
Last Christmas was first released in December 1984 by pop duo George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, but was famously beaten to the top spot by Band Aid’s charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas?.
The festive track has now made history as the longest ever journey to make it to the top spot in time for Christmas Day, according to the Official Charts Company.
Ridgeley said: “Last Christmas has finally ascended to the much-cherished and sought-after Official Christmas number one, which was always the main goal.
“George would be beside himself (that) after all of these years, (we’ve) finally obtained Christmas number one. Yog (Michael) said that he wrote Last Christmas with the intention of writing a Christmas number one.
“It’s mission accomplished.”
Ridgeley said it was a “huge disappointment” for the pair not to reach the top spot in 1984 as they believed it was “nailed on”.
“Had it not been for Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas?, it probably would’ve been number one,” the 60-year-old said.
“Thwarted for many years subsequent to that – the perennial bridesmaid – over recent years it seems it’s become part of the fabric of Christmas for a lot of people.
“Christmas number one has been a long-held ambition for Yog (Michael) and I, and for the fans, too. It’ll mean a lot to Wham!’s legacy – it’s the crowning glory.”
Ridgeley said the song was “conceived as a Christmas number one” as Michael had “lofty ambitions for himself as a songwriter”, before the band split in 1986.
Michael, who had an extensive solo career with singles including Careless Whisper, died on Christmas Day in 2016 aged 53.
“Our fans will have a real sense of achievement and pride in the fact it’s become Christmas number one,” Ridgeley added.
Last Christmas is now the UK’s third-biggest song of all time with a combined lifetime total of 5.34 million chart units, the Official Charts Company said.
With five-time Christmas number one champion LadBaby out of the running this year, 2023 has seen competition from other UK talent and beyond.
Sam Ryder, who placed second at the 2022 Eurovision competition, has landed the second spot on the Christmas singles chart with his new song You’re Christmas To Me, joining his 2022 Eurovision entry Space Man, which also placed second.
“Christmas number two, isn’t that bonkers? When we wrote this song, in the blazing month of August, we didn’t even expect it to chart,” the 34-year-old said.
“I hope this has given some vigour and some fire to upcoming grassroots and indie artists. You can do it – you’ve just got to set your heart ablaze and get out there. Believe, have faith.
“We always keep fighting. There’s always next week! Let’s go for it again, let’s get that number one.”
While Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You cemented its place at number three.
Martin Talbot, chief executive officer of the Official Charts Company, said: “Having claimed the top spot for the first time last year, it is fantastic that Wham! have claimed the Christmas number one honour at last.
“Of course, Wham!’s victory also means that someone has to come second and it is hard to recall a harder-working Christmas number two artist than Sam Ryder, who has chalked up more than 30 shows over the past seven days in a bid to take the crown.
“Sam has made it truly a chart battle to remember – and should be comforted by the many years it has taken a song as iconic as Last Christmas to claim this most prized of chart achievements.
“We can all only hope Sam doesn’t have as long to wait. Fantastic work, Sam – you are already a winner in our eyes!”
By Ellie Iorizzo and Hannah Roberts, PA
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