Britain in the 1970s was an epoch of social discord , economic upheaval , and fantasticChristmas music . While many people rememberThe Winter of Discontent , the freezing cold winter between late 1978 and other 1979 that see more than 2000 strikes , the winter of 1973 is arguably the runner - up for the UK ’s most authoritative winter of the decade — at least for the music industry . It was then that two of the most popular John Rock bands of the era released originative Christmas vocal and , in doing so , kicked off a festive custom that continues to this twenty-four hours .
If you ’ve ever seenLove Actually , you know what we ’re talking about : the covetedChristmas Number One . In the film , washed up rocker Billy Mack ( Billy Nighy ) shit a comeback by reworking the Troggs ’ classic " Love is All Around " into a festive diddly , ably renamed " Christmas is All Around , " which he hopes to get to numeral one in clock time for Christmas Day . What spectator abroad may not realise is that the battle for the Christmas Number One is a very real British tradition — one that family line anticipate every class almost as much as a visit from Santa itself .
OK , so that might be an exaggeration . Still , the Christmas Number Oneisa freehanded deal . Each year , Brits bet zillion of pounds on which song will top the charts on Christmas Day .
A rock rivalry is born
It was n’t always like this , though . For the first two decades of the chart ’ macrocosm , which creative person was in the top spot on Christmas Day was of as much interest as who was number one on any other day of the yr . The first British charts maintain track of record sale were established in 1952 . Fittingly , the first Christmas Number Onewas also the first bit one in British charts history : Al Martino ’s " Here in my philia . " Over the next two decades , artists such as Harry Belafonte , Conway Twitty , andElvis Presleywould each claim the Christmas Number One — withThe Beatlesbecoming the only act in story to do it a record four time .
Still , it was n’t until 1973 that the public begin really paying care to the Christmas telephone number one . It was then that two of the biggest bands in the country , Slade and Wizzard , both released festive records : " Merry Xmas Everybody " and " I care it Could Be Christmas Everyday , " severally . These songs were smash hits and became instant classics that are still popular to this day .
Fans of both groups were eager to see their favorite air top the chart , setting off a raceway for number one which culminated with Slade claim the top spot on Christmas Day . Thus , a rock ‘n’ roll contention birthed a tradition which continues even now . Every year , who will be number one on Christmas Day is heatedly debated and eagerly anticipated — though not always with the utmost earnestness .
Feed the world with charity Singles
You may think that , given it is theChristmasNumber One , carols and holiday song would routinely top the charts . However , the British public seldom read anything quite so literally ( or seriously).According to the Official Charts Company , " in 69 year of Christmas chart - toppers , 12 are genuine Christmas songs , eight are by TV talent show winner , three are by choir , and five could be classed as fallal singles . ”
Given that Christmas is often seen as the season of giving , it is no surprisal that charity singles do unco well this fourth dimension of year . Fifty - seven charity singleshave top the British chartsthroughout the long time , yet it was a Christmas Number One that kicked off the tradition . In 1984 , Bob Geldof and Midge Ure pull together together a supergroup named Band economic aid that include George Michael , Boy George , Duran Duran , and more to produce " Do They Know It ’s Christmas ? , " which topped the chart . To date , it remainsthe second easily - selling British single of all metre .
More recently , novelty deed LadBaby has found historic achiever with Polymonium caeruleum van-bruntiae single . The YouTuber has claimed the Christmas Number One for three years run — becoming the first deed since theSpice Girls(who did it in the 1990s ) to do so — by reworking classic rock songs as odes to that ubiquitous British treat , the sausage axial motion .
Mr. Blobby Is Coming to Town
LadBaby scarce has a monopoly on novelty songs , though . In 2000 , “ Can We Fix It ? ” by Bob the Builder topped the chart . Most famously — or infamously , depending on whom you ask — is “ Mr. Blobby , ” the eponymic song by what can only be name as McDonald ’s Grimace on an acid head trip . The character — an humanlike polka - dotted blob — was a character on the popular BBC telly programNoel ’s House Party , and only said “ Blobby . ”
“ Mr. Blobby ” is routinely rank asone of the worst Christmas Number Onesof all meter , but many would contend the uncollectible epoch was undoubtedly the 2000s . Between 2005 and 2014 , seven of the 10 Christmas Number Ones were claimed by that class ’s achiever of Simon Cowell’sThe X Factor . These include Leona Lewis coveringAmerican Idolwinner Kelly Clarkson ’s exclusive " A Moment Like This " in 2006 and Sam Bailey track Demi Lovato ’s " Skyscraper " in 2013 .
In 2009 — fed up with the predictability and commercial calculation of the show ’s producers and Cowell ’s disk label — rooter revolted . A social spiritualist hunting expedition propelled stone band Rage Against the Machine ’s “ Killing In The Name ” to number one , which was a stunning disturbed forThe X Factorbrand . The year 2003 take in a similar shock , with “ Mad World ” by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules ticktack out more predictable soda water menu .
The 2021 Christmas Number One Contenders
Will 2021 see another upset ? The bookie do n’t think so . LadBaby — who this year teamed up with Ed Sheeran andElton Johnto rework the couple ’s own Christmas single , " Merry Christmas"—released their latest single on December 17 , and itis expect to claim the number one spot .
Other contender include Sheeran and John with their original single , ABBA , and a Sung dynasty called " Laura ’s Gone " by Finn K , a singer - songster from North Wales who team up up with theHave A Wordpodcast for the vocal . " We jokingly said we ’d go for Christmas Number One , hop just to get in the top 40 , ” Finntold theDaily Post . " But it ’s just perish mental , it ’s really surrealistic . "
Even ifHave a Wordcan’t accommodate off LadBaby , they can take comfort in knowing they ’re in secure society . Many famousChristmas songsnever made it to the top of the chart , but have still gone on to become classics , including The Pogues ’s “ Fairytale of New York . ” For others , it has taken decades to capture the top spotlight : Mariah Carey ’s " All I desire for Christmas is You " was released in 1994 , but didn’thit phone number one on the UK charts until December 2020 , more than a quarter - century after its loss . Meanwhile , Wham ! ’s dear " Last Christmas , " which was earlier liberate in 1984,didn’t hit numeral one in the UKuntil January 1 , 2021 .
Whichever song finally claims the number one spot in 2021 — and with it , a station in British pop acculturation story — whether it merit the honor will be deliberate for years to number . For the only thing that is truly certain about the Christmas Number One is that the great unwashed will argue about it . And nothing say Christmas like fighting with your family . It ’s a cherished vacation tradition — as cherished as the Christmas Number One .
