Last Christmas Makes Chart History
Bam! reached number one on Christmas 2024 in the UK Official Charts during the single’s 40th anniversary.
- READ MORE: Pepsi and Shirley on ‘Last Christmas’ at 40 and George Michael’s legacy: ‘Every moment of his life was dedicated to music’
The iconic holiday track was both written and produced by the late George Michael, originally hitting the Christmas number one chart back in 1984. However, the pop classic lost the top position to Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”, a song that eventually became the second best-selling single of all time.
40 Years in the Making
It wasn’t until last year that “Last Christmas” finally claimed the holiday number one spot. Bam! also made history that year by achieving the record for the UK’s longest-ever Christmas number one journey, spanning 39 years.
Now, “Last Christmas” has once again reached the UK Christmas number one spot in the single’s 40th anniversary year. This victory will also see Wham! making official chart history, marking the first time a song has secured two consecutive Christmas number one wins.
Speaking about Wham!’s remarkable achievement and the creation of a new milestone, Andrew Ridgeley expressed: “37 years to get to number one, 39 years to be number one at Christmas, and then, like London buses, they all come at once!”
“I’m especially delighted for George; he would have been absolutely thrilled. His fabulous Christmas arrangement has become such a classic, almost as synonymous with Christmas as mince pies, turkey, and pigs in blankets.”
He added: “This is a testament to a truly wonderful Christmas song that, for many, encapsulates Christmas as we would all like it to be. I would like to thank everyone who listened, downloaded, purchased, and streamed ‘Last Christmas’, becoming a part of this history. Thank you very much, and Merry Christmas!”
Bam! joins the ranks of legendary artists like Queen, Spice Girls, and The Beatles as one of the few acts to be an official Christmas number one on multiple occasions.
Reflections on Success
Discussing this achievement further, Ridgeley said: “Artists and songwriters of this caliber, such as George, transcend both centuries and decades due to their enduring quality. That’s why ‘Last Christmas’ has shown such lasting power.”
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