“Last Christmas”, which until now has never been better than number 2, recorded 9.2 million streams in the last frame. And so it was on the fourth anniversary of George Michael’s death.
“I am delighted, somewhat surprised and deeply satisfied that the iconic Wham Christmas classic! Last Christmas finally achieved the honor of becoming No. 1, ”wrote Wham’s founding member Andrew Ridgeley on social media. “It is a fitting tribute to the genius of 2 George’s composition and one of which he would have been immensely proud and totally moved.”
Now “Last Christmas” can get rid of the unwanted title as the UK’s best-selling single to never reach number one, with 1.9 million combined sales since its release.
That record is now passed to Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger” with Christina Aguilera, who has 1.55 million “pure” sales, reports the OCC.
As Wham reaches the fifth leader of the charts, 28 Christmas tracks impact the Top 40, including Jose Feliciano’s classic “Feliz Navidad” (BMG), which makes its Top 40 debut about 50 years after its release. It’s 44-40.
In fact, each title in the Top 10 has a Christmas theme, with the exception of Little Mix’s “Sweet Melody” (RCA), until 20-9.
Christmas bells are still ringing on the Official UK Albums Chart, led by Michael Buble’s Christmas (Reprise) blockbuster.
Christmas raises 5-1 in his 90th week in the poll, for his fourth non-consecutive summit pass. Originally launched in October 2011, Christmas this week postpones Taylor Swift’s Ever (EMI), unchanged in paragraph 2.
The highest entry on this week’s chart is Playboi Carti’s Billboard 200 leader Whole Lotta Red (Interscope). It’s new at 17th in the UK