"as ""Top Of The Pops"") were all confused as to which was the most accurate. The Official Charts Company uses ""NME"" until March 1960 and then uses ""Record Retailer"" until 1969, when an official sole chart was formed by an alliance between the two most popular charts. To kick off the brand new chart, American jazz singer Al Martino had the first ever number one single in the UK with ""Here in My Heart"", which remains his biggest selling single. The song spent nine consecutive weeks at number one, which continued to be the longest consecutive run at number one"
"Lonely This Christmas ""Lonely This Christmas"" is a popular Christmas song by the English glam rock band Mud, that topped the UK Singles Chart in 1974, selling over 750,000 copies and reaching Christmas number one. Written and produced by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, ""Lonely This Christmas"" was Mud's second number one single in the UK, spending four weeks at the top in December 1974 and January 1975. It was the third number one single that year for the ChinniChap writing and production team, and was performed in the style of Elvis Presley's slower songs from his later career. The"
"tend to be the Mud or James Memphis King versions. Lonely This Christmas ""Lonely This Christmas"" is a popular Christmas song by the English glam rock band Mud, that topped the UK Singles Chart in 1974, selling over 750,000 copies and reaching Christmas number one. Written and produced by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, ""Lonely This Christmas"" was Mud's second number one single in the UK, spending four weeks at the top in December 1974 and January 1975. It was the third number one single that year for the ChinniChap writing and production team, and was performed in the style"
"the become the Christmas number one on 24 December despite only going on sale four days before on 20 December. It was reported that 1 million copies of the winner's single were pre-ordered by stores and that it was downloaded 50,000 times within 30 minutes of being available online. It ended as the United Kingdom's second best selling single of the year. In January 2007, the single was awarded platinum status by the British Phonographic Industry. According to the Official Charts Company, the song has sold 895,000 copies in the United Kingdom as of December 2012. Lewis emerged as the"
"went to number one on 29 December 1990, becoming that year's Christmas number one and replacing the previous week's UK number one, ""Ice Ice Baby"" by Vanilla Ice. A week later ""Saviour's Day"" dropped back down to number three, and spent only one more week in the top 40 at number twenty. The final charted spot in the top 100 was on 19 January 1991, when ""Saviour's Day"" was at number 53. The song was Richard's second solo Christmas number one in the UK, after ""Mistletoe and Wine"" in 1988. In 2005, ""Saviour's Day"" was one of two songs by"
"I got Christmas number one it would be the best feeling in the world,"" she said. ""I'd be ecstatic. I don't know if I'd be able to look Simon Cowell in the eye! No, I don't think he'd talk to me!"" She subsequently said that she was not disappointed that the single did not make it into the UK top 20. Other artists who have covered the song include: Driving Home for Christmas ""Driving Home for Christmas"" is a popular Christmas single written and composed by Chris Rea and released in 1988. It was originally released as one of two"
"five weeks, becoming the Christmas number one of 1984. The record became the fastest selling single in UK chart history, selling a million copies in the first week alone and passing 3 million on the last day of 1984, on the way to displacing Wings's ""Mull of Kintyre"" as the biggest-selling single of all time in the UK. It held this title until 1997 when it was overtaken by Elton John's ""Candle in the Wind 1997"", released in tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales following her death. The original version of ""Do They Know It's Christmas?"" has sold 3.8 million"
"McTell's 'Streets of London' from reaching #1 in the UK Singles Chart. Wombling Merry Christmas ""Wombling Merry Christmas"" is a Christmas song written by Mike Batt, Chris Spedding and Richard Kelly, and recorded by British band The Wombles. Released in November 1974, the song rose to a peak of #2 in the UK Singles Chart in December that year, spending 8 weeks in the chart. The song was also released in West Germany, but failed to chart. The video was recorded in 2011 as part of a re-release that year, and shows the Wombles dancing to the song. The band"
"BBC One show ""Noel's House Party"", with ""Mr. Blobby"" (the first ever eponymously titled number 1 single). In the final week before Christmas, he was knocked off by Take That's ""Babe"", making Mr. Blobby the first one-week #1 since U2's ""The Fly"" in November 1991, and making Take That the first act to have three singles in a row all enter at #1. However, the following week (Christmas week) saw Mr. Blobby climb back up to the top, the first time this had happened since January 1969, and officially become this year's Christmas number 1. Take That's ""Babe"" became the"
"relatively popular in the UK and Ireland, it remains largely overshadowed by a collection of chart hits recorded in a bid to be crowned the UK Christmas number one single during the 1970s and 1980s. Band Aid's 1984 song ""Do They Know It's Christmas?"" is the second best selling single in UK Chart history. The 1987 single ""Fairytale of New York"" by The Pogues, a rock band from London, is regularly voted the British public's favourite ever Christmas song, and it is also the most-played Christmas song of the 21st century in the UK. British glam rock bands had major"
"Thank God It's Christmas ""Thank God It's Christmas"" is a Christmas single by the British rock band Queen. It was written by lead guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor. Released on 26 November 1984, the single spent six weeks in the UK charts over Christmas 1984 and new year of 1985, and peaked at number 21. The song was not originally released on any Queen studio album, appearing only on Queen's ""Greatest Hits III"", released in 1999, and as the B-side of the single ""A Winter's Tale"" from the 1995 album ""Made in Heaven"". However, the track was finally"
"it to the Christmas No. 1 spot, recognised on the first Sunday before, or on, Christmas Day. Many of these songs are festive, while others are novelty songs that remain but briefly at the top of the chart. Gospel singer Cliff Richard is a fixture of Christmas charts, appearing nearly every year, and subsequently being mocked for doing so. In more recent years the Christmas chart has been dominated by the winner of ""The X Factor"" and various social media backed records aimed to hijack the charts. As with television, British radio programmes also schedule Christmas specials. These mainly include"
"Step into Christmas ""Step into Christmas"" is a Christmas song written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and performed by Elton John. It was released as a stand-alone single in November 1973 with the song ""Ho, Ho, Ho (Who'd Be a Turkey at Christmas)"" as the B-side. Upon its original 1973 release, the song peaked at No. 24 on the UK Singles Chart, and it reached a new peak of No. 11 on the same chart in 2017. In the United States, the single reached No. 56 on the ""Cash Box"" Top 100 Singles chart and No. 1 on the"
"was included on the Wings compilation ""Wings Greatest"" in 1978, the UK/Canada version of McCartney's 1987 compilation album ""All the Best!"", the 2001 compilation """" and the 2016 compilation ""Pure McCartney"". The song's broad appeal was maximised by its pre-Christmas release and it became a Christmas number one single in the UK, spending nine weeks at the top of the charts. It also became an international hit, charting high in Australia and many other countries over the holiday period. It went on to become the first single to sell over two million copies in the UK and became the UK's"
"music of Christmas has always been a combination of sacred and secular, and every year in the UK there is highly publicised competition to be the Christmas number one single, which has led to the production of music which provides the mainstay of festive playlists. Responding to a BBC report on the 1984 famine in Ethiopia, Bob Geldof created the charity supergroup Band Aid who recorded ""Do They Know It's Christmas?"". It has been Christmas number one three times. Written by Sarah Flower Adams in 1841, the Christian hymn ""Nearer, My God, to Thee"" is associated with the sinking of"
"to have ever been Christmas number one twice, in both 1975 and 1991. At the turn of the 21st century, songs associated with reality shows became a frequent source of Christmas number ones in the UK. In 2002, ""Popstars The Rivals"" produced the top three singles on the British Christmas charts. The ""rival"" groups produced by the series—the girl group Girls Aloud and the boy band One True Voice—finished first and second respectively on the charts. Failed contestants The Cheeky Girls charted with a novelty hit, ""Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum)"", at third. Briton Will Young, winner of the first"
"release. In 1994 the same recording was released as a charity single in Europe, but this time instead of being credited as a solo recording by Jon Bon Jovi it was released under the band name Bon Jovi. The 1994 single release made the top ten in both the UK and Ireland. Please Come Home for Christmas ""Please Come Home for Christmas"" is a Christmas song, released in 1960, by the American blues singer and pianist Charles Brown. Hitting ""Billboard""’s Hot 100 chart in December 1961, the tune Brown co-wrote with Gene Redd peaked at position #76. It appeared on"
"Merry Xmas Everybody ""Merry Xmas Everybody"" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released as a non-album single in 1973. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler. It was the band's sixth and final number-one single in the UK. Earning the UK Christmas number one slot in December 1973, the song beat another Christmas-themed song, Wizzard's ""I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"", which reached fourth place. It remained in the charts for nine weeks until February 1974. Released at the peak of the band's popularity, ""Merry"
"million copies by the end of January 1976. It reached number one again in 1991 for another five weeks when the same version was re-released following Mercury's death, eventually becoming the UK's third-best-selling single of all time. It is also the only song to be the UK Christmas number one twice by the same artist. It topped the charts in several other markets as well, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and The Netherlands, later becoming one of the best-selling singles of all time selling over six million copies worldwide. In the United States, the song originally peaked at number"
"for 2016 on 23 December 2016. It is the first song in chart history to become Christmas number one after already being at the top of the charts for six weeks. In total, the song spent 9 weeks at the summit of the UK Singles Chart while also topping the charts in over 20 other countries. ""Rockabye"" was written by Anne-Marie and Norwegian singer Ina Wroldsen. Wroldsen wrote the lyrics about her son, which, according to Grace Chatto, ""is why it rings so true for [Clean Bandit] and is so emotional and special."" Wroldsen originally provided the vocal for the"
"Cliff Richard to be included in a list of the top Christmas songs by music channel VH1. In 2009, it placed ninth in a list of the most annoying Christmas songs compiled by the company Lactofree. In 2017, ShortList's Dave Fawbert listed the song as containing ""one of the greatest key changes in music history"". Saviour's Day (song) ""Saviour's Day"" is a song by Cliff Richard. It was the United Kingdom Christmas number one single in 1990, the second occasion Richard had a solo Christmas number one. The video for the song was filmed in Dorset. It has subsequently been"
"When Christmas Comes Around ""When Christmas Comes Around"" is the debut single by English singer Matt Terry. The song was written by Ed Sheeran and Amy Wadge and was released as the winner's single of thirteenth series of ""The X Factor"" on 11 December 2016. All the record company profits from Terry's single will be shared equally between two charities: Together for Short Lives and Shooting Star CHASE. It is the sixth year running that the UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer has waived VAT on ""The X Factor"" winner's single. It is the second time in the show's history that"
"his family for Christmas. In the song, at around 3 minutes and 44 seconds, the solo trumpet quotes the 2nd theme from the second movement of Dvořák's ""New World Symphony"". This quote bears significance to the song, as Dvořák wrote this symphony when he was missing his home. We Should Be Together (song) ""We Should Be Together"" is a Christmas-themed song by Cliff Richard. Released as a single in November 1991 in the UK, the song bidded for the Christmas No.1 spot. However the song peaked at the No. 10 position - ultimately being beaten to the festive top spot"
"#3. Cliff Richard scored the Christmas number one single with ""Saviour's Day"", his 13th number one, and his 100th top 40 hit. With this he became the only person to have a number one in the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. Merseyside composer John McCabe produced a flute concerto, written for James Galway and premièred by the London Symphony Orchestra who had commissioned it; it was not recorded until 1999. Another Lancashire composer, John Pickard, produced his best-known work ""The Flight of Icarus"". Simon Rattle became musical director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, of which he had"
"places to Number 96 in the UK that same week. When Christmas Comes Around ""When Christmas Comes Around"" is the debut single by English singer Matt Terry. The song was written by Ed Sheeran and Amy Wadge and was released as the winner's single of thirteenth series of ""The X Factor"" on 11 December 2016. All the record company profits from Terry's single will be shared equally between two charities: Together for Short Lives and Shooting Star CHASE. It is the sixth year running that the UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer has waived VAT on ""The X Factor"" winner's single."
"hit singles with Christmas songs in the 1970s; ""Merry Xmas Everybody"" by Slade, ""I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"" by Wizzard and ""Lonely This Christmas"" by Mud, all of which have remained hugely popular. The top ten most played Christmas songs in the UK based on a 2012 survey conducted by PRS for Music, who collect and pay royalties to its 75,000 song-writing and composing members, are as follows: Included in the 2009 and 2008 lists are such other titles as Jona Lewie's ""Stop the Cavalry"", Bruce Springsteen's ""Santa Claus is Coming to Town"", Elton John's ""Step into Christmas"","
"144 on the UK Singles Chart. The following week the song climbed to the number-one spot, becoming the Christmas number one of 2011. It sold 555,622 copies, more than the rest of the top 12 combined. It is also the biggest first-week sales since ""A Moment Like This"" by Leona Lewis sold over 571,000 copies in its first week in 2006. Despite impressive first week sales, ""Wherever You Are"" only spent one week atop the chart, with Coldplay's ""Paradise"" replacing it at the summit on January 1; causing it to fall three places to number four. The B side of"
"conducting Schumann's Hollywood Choir, asked Hairston to write a new Christmas song for his choir. Hairston remembered the calypso rhythm from his old song and wrote new lyrics for it. Harry Belafonte heard the song being performed by the choir and sought permission to record it. It was recorded in 1956 for his album ""An Evening with Belafonte"". An edited version was subsequently released as a single, reaching No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1957. It was the first single to sell over one million copies in the UK alone. To date, Belafonte's version has sold over"
"had been the 2011 UK Singles Chart Christmas number one. During 2012's first quarter, approximately 284,000 classical music downloads were purchased in the UK, an increase of 34% compared to the same period the previous year. Alongside the new singles chart, the Classic Brit Awards announced at the same time that it would launch a Top Single Award at the 2012 ceremony to commemorate the most popular classical single that year. The first chart was published on 28 May 2012, and was based solely on downloads of classical singles in the UK. At number one was a version of the"
"The First Noel ""The First Noel"" (also written ""The First Noël"" and ""The First Nowell"") is a traditional classical English Christmas carol, most likely from the early modern period, although possibly earlier. ""Noel"" is an Early Modern English synonym of ""Christmas"". ""The First Noel"" is of Cornish origin. Its current form was first published in ""Carols Ancient and Modern"" (1823) and ""Gilbert and Sandys Carols"" (1833), both of which were edited by William Sandys and arranged, edited and with extra lyrics written by Davies Gilbert for ""Hymns and Carols of God"". Today, it is usually performed in a four-part hymn"
"do tend to develop an association with Christmas or the holiday season, such an association tends to be much shorter lived than the more traditionally themed Christmas songs such as ""I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"", ""Mistletoe and Wine"" and ""Merry Christmas Everyone"", and the songs may have nothing to do with Christmas or even winter. Some notable and longer-lasting examples include Band Aid's ""Do They Know It's Christmas?"" (No. 1, 1984, the second biggest selling single in UK Chart history; two re-recordings also hit No. 1 in 1989 and 2004), Slade's ""Merry Xmas Everybody"" (No. 1, 1973) and"
"chart; however, a pairing of ""Blue Christmas"" b/w ""White Christmas"" became a Top 20 UK hit in late 1964. ""Santa Claus Is Back In Town""/""Blue Christmas"" was a 1965 single release for the US market, and reached number 4 on the Billboard Christmas Singles chart. ""Blue Christmas"" would re-enter the Christmas or Holiday Singles chart many times in the years that follow. Two different EPs, ""Elvis Sings Christmas Songs"", EPA 4108 in December 1957, and ""Christmas with Elvis"", EPA 4340 in December 1958, divided the eight Christmas numbers between them. The former topped the newly established Billboard EP Chart, while"
"Merry Christmas Everyone ""Merry Christmas Everyone"" is a festive song recorded by Welsh singer-songwriter Shakin' Stevens. Written by Bob Heatlie and produced by Dave Edmunds, it was the fourth number one single for Shakin' Stevens on the UK Singles Chart. It was released on 25 November 1985 and was the Christmas number one for that year. Ever since it has been included on many top-selling Christmas collections and received frequent airplay every Christmas. In 2007, the song re-entered the UK top 30 and reached number 22 on the Christmas chart. This was because downloads now make up the UK Singles"