It’s getting to that time of year once again where we start to think about the songs we’ll be dancing to on Christmas Day. Yes, the illustrious Christmas No. 1 spot is up for grabs and over the years there have been some classics, and some real duds too.
The last two years hasn’t been great for music, with LadBaby taking the last two titles with “We Built This City” and “I Love Sausage Rolls”, both songs related to sausage rolls. A bit flaky to say the least.
This year it’s going to be a big battle for top spot, and according to Which Bookie’s Christmas Betting Guide, it could be anyone from the likes of Celeste, Little Mix, Lana Del Rey and Jason Derulo, with not a novelty record in site.
But where did it all start for Christmas No. 1s? And Who has received the most?
The chart battle for number one at Christmas goes back to 1952, when Al Martino became the first person to claim the top spot with Here in My Heart, which charted at no. 1 for nine weeks. Throughout the 50s, the likes of Johnnie Ray and Harry Belafonte also enjoyed the number one, then throughout the 1960s the likes of Elvis and the Beatles dominated, with the latter charting four times across the decade, becoming the act to enjoy the most number ones. Tom Jones’ Green, Green Grass of Home was also a Christmas No. 1.
By the 1970s we began to see some of the classic Christmas songs we know and love, with the glam era taking control. Slade topped the charts in 1973 with Merry Xmas Everybody, with Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody there for nine weeks in 1975.
Boney M’s “Mary’s Boy Child – Oh My Lord” was number one in 1978, the song reaching the top for a second time after Belafonte in 1957, while the 1980s saw the likes of the Human League, Band Aid, Shakin’ Stevens and Cliff Richard’s Mistletoe & Wine.
The Spice Girls challenged The Beatles in the 1990s, claiming three consecutive Christmas No. 1s, while the turn of the millennium was won by the X Factor, with the likes of Shayne Ward, Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke and Matt Cardle all claiming Christmas No. 1.
The last few years however, have seen the X Factor and talent shows no longer steal the top spot, instead Ed Sheeran claiming top spot in 2017, followed by the last two years of LadBaby. Can the Nottingham Internet sensation make it a hat-trick? We certainly hope not!
