The Christmas Number One
The very first Christmas Number One went to Al Martino with ‘Here in My Heart’ in 1952 – a fittingly romantic start for what would become one of pop music’s longest-running traditions. Throughout the 1960s, some of the biggest stars in the world celebrated Christmas at the top of the charts, including Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Cliff Richard and Tom Jones, with hits like:
‘Return to Sender’ – Elvis Presley
‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ – The Beatles
‘I Love You’ – Cliff Richard
‘Green, Green Grass of Home’ – Tom Jones
The decade also gave us the first taste of novelty at Christmas with Scaffold’s ‘Lily the Pink’ (1968) – a humorous, quirky track that set the tone for many novelty hits to follow.
The 1970s – festive spirit arrives
The 1970s finally delivered genuine Christmas songs to the top of the charts. Classics like:
‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ – Slade
‘Lonely This Christmas’ – Mud
‘Mary’s Boy Child / Oh My Lord’ – Boney M
As a child of the 70s, these are the songs that shaped my earliest memories of music. I was born in 1971, and I remember watching Top of the Pops in 1975 and seeing the groundbreaking video for Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody – the Christmas Number One that year. It’s one of my earliest childhood memories and one that resulted in a nightmare and a dash to my parents’ bedroom for assurance that Freddie Mercury wasn’t hiding under my bed!
Two years later came Wings with ‘Mull of Kintyre’ (1977). My Grandma adored it – so much so that I can still picture my six-year-old self marching around her front room pretending to play the bagpipes whilst the song blasted out of her music centre.
The decade ended with Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2) topping the charts for Christmas 1979. A brilliant song, with a video that also gave me nightmares!
The 1980s – charity, pop & pure nostalgia
The 80s produced some truly memorable Christmas Number Ones:
‘Don’t You Want Me’ – Human League
‘Only You’ – The Flying Pickets
‘Reet Petite’ – Jackie Wilson
And my personal favourite:
‘Merry Christmas Everyone’ – Shakin’ Stevens
Originally scheduled for release in 1984, Shaky delayed his single after hearing about a charity record that was sure to dominate – Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ Featuring Boy George, Paul Young and Bono (who famously debated his now-iconic line “Well tonight thank God it’s them instead of you”), it became a defining song of its time.
The track returned to Number One in 1989 thanks to Band Aid II, produced by Stock, Aitken & Waterman, and featuring Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Cliff Richard – who, incidentally, also topped the Christmas chart in 1988 (Mistletoe & Wine) and 1990 (Saviour’s Day). Bravo, Sir Cliff!
It was also the decade my DJ career began. In 1982, I pressed my first buttons on a professional DJ console – the same year Renée & Renato’s ‘Save Your Love’ was Christmas Number One. Moving swiftly on…
In 1987, Pet Shop Boys took ‘Always on My Mind’ to the top, keeping The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl’s ‘Fairytale of New York’ off the top spot – a wound that still stings a little every December.
The 1990s – pop, power ballads & party memories
The 90s saw the Christmas Number One evolve – sometimes beautifully, sometimes questionably. During this decade I was DJing almost nightly, performing at dozens of festive events every December. My throat didn’t thank me, but my bank balance certainly did!
In 1992, Whitney Houston topped the chart with ‘I Will Always Love You’ – a powerful ballad, but hardly festive cheer. From that point, the Christmas Number One began to drift from its seasonal roots. The decade’s winners included:
‘Mr Blobby’ – Mr Blobby (1993)
‘Earth Song’ – Michael Jackson (1995)
‘2 Become 1’ – Spice Girls (1996)
‘Seasons in the Sun’ – Westlife (1999)
A special mention must go to East 17’s ‘Stay Another Day’ (1994) – a genuinely brilliant song made unintentionally hilarious by its snow-jacket-filled video!
The 2000s – from builders to ballads
As the new millennium dawned, the traditional festive single was fading fast. Early 2000s Number Ones included:
‘Can We Fix It?’ – Bob the Builder (2000)
‘Somethin’ Stupid’ – Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman (2001)
‘Sound of the Underground’ – Girls Aloud (2002)
In 2003, the UK collectively decided that a haunting ballad was the song of the season:
‘Mad World’ – Michael Andrews & Gary Jules
A beautiful record, yes – but as a Christmas Number One? Ho… Ho… oh dear.
2004 brought ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ back for a third time with Band Aid 20, but for me, the original remains untouchable.
Then came the X-Factor era, beginning with Shayne Ward’s ‘That’s My Goal’ (2005) and followed by a string of reality show winners that dominated the festive charts for years. As a DJ, I can’t say these songs ever featured heavily in my sets – but the client is king, and, if they wanted them, I played them.
By 2009, the public had grown weary of the X-Factor monopoly, and a social media campaign propelled Rage Against the Machine’s ‘Killing in the Name’ to the top. It wasn’t festive, but it was glorious rebellion.
The 2010s – a new era of Christmas hits
The early 2010s brought more variety, with Matt Cardle’s ‘When We Collide’ (2010) leading the charge, followed by stronger pop offerings from Clean Bandit (‘Rockabye’, 2016) and Ed Sheeran (‘Perfect’, 2017).
Then came the LadBaby years – a run of charity novelty hits celebrating sausage rolls and raising vital funds for The Trussell Trust:
‘We Built This City (On Sausage Rolls)’ (2018)
‘I Love Sausage Rolls’ (2019)
‘Don’t Stop Me Eatin’ (2020)
‘Sausage Rolls for Everyone’ (2021) – featuring Ed Sheeran & Elton John
On 12 December 2022, British blogger and social media star Mark Hoyle, better known as LadBaby, announced his latest festive project – a reworking of the Band Aid classic ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ Retitled ‘Food Aid’, the charity single was released on 16 December and featured appearances from his wife Roxanne Hoyle and financial expert Martin Lewis. Proceeds from the release were split equally between The Trussell Trust and the Band Aid Trust, continuing LadBaby’s mission to raise awareness and funds for food bank charities across the UK.
When ‘Food Aid’ claimed the 2022 UK Christmas Number One, LadBaby made chart history – becoming the first act ever to achieve five consecutive Christmas Number One singles, surpassing even The Beatles’ long-standing record. Love them or loathe them, they captured the public’s sense of fun and the spirit of giving – and that’s something worth celebrating.
The 2020s – back to heartfelt hits
More recently, the tide seems to be turning back toward authenticity and emotion. 2022 saw LadBaby claim their final festive crown, while 2023 delivered a genuine Christmas success story with Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ finally achieving Number One – 39 years after its release. And in 2024, the song became the first to achieve consecutive Christmas number ones. Proof, if ever it were needed, that Christmas nostalgia never fades.
The final word
The Christmas Number One has seen it all – from heartfelt ballads to novelty chaos – but it remains a snapshot of our nation’s musical heart each December. Whether you love the classics or the quirks, these songs are woven into the soundtrack of our festive memories.
For DJs, they’re pure gold – guaranteed singalongs, bursts of nostalgia, and moments that bring audiences together. Here’s to the next Christmas Number One – whatever form it takes!
Merry Christmas!
‘Return to Sender’ – Elvis Presley
‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ – The Beatles
‘I Love You’ – Cliff Richard
‘Green, Green Grass of Home’ – Tom Jones
The decade also gave us the first taste of novelty at Christmas with Scaffold’s ‘Lily the Pink’ (1968) – a humorous, quirky track that set the tone for many novelty hits to follow.
The 1970s – festive spirit arrives
The 1970s finally delivered genuine Christmas songs to the top of the charts. Classics like:
‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ – Slade
‘Lonely This Christmas’ – Mud
‘Mary’s Boy Child / Oh My Lord’ – Boney M
As a child of the 70s, these are the songs that shaped my earliest memories of music. I was born in 1971, and I remember watching Top of the Pops in 1975 and seeing the groundbreaking video for Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody – the Christmas Number One that year. It’s one of my earliest childhood memories and one that resulted in a nightmare and a dash to my parents’ bedroom for assurance that Freddie Mercury wasn’t hiding under my bed!
Two years later came Wings with ‘Mull of Kintyre’ (1977). My Grandma adored it – so much so that I can still picture my six-year-old self marching around her front room pretending to play the bagpipes whilst the song blasted out of her music centre.
The decade ended with Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2) topping the charts for Christmas 1979. A brilliant song, with a video that also gave me nightmares!
The 1980s – charity, pop & pure nostalgia
The 80s produced some truly memorable Christmas Number Ones:
‘Don’t You Want Me’ – Human League
‘Only You’ – The Flying Pickets
‘Reet Petite’ – Jackie Wilson
And my personal favourite:
‘Merry Christmas Everyone’ – Shakin’ Stevens
Originally scheduled for release in 1984, Shaky delayed his single after hearing about a charity record that was sure to dominate – Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ Featuring Boy George, Paul Young and Bono (who famously debated his now-iconic line “Well tonight thank God it’s them instead of you”), it became a defining song of its time.
The track returned to Number One in 1989 thanks to Band Aid II, produced by Stock, Aitken & Waterman, and featuring Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Cliff Richard – who, incidentally, also topped the Christmas chart in 1988 (Mistletoe & Wine) and 1990 (Saviour’s Day). Bravo, Sir Cliff!
It was also the decade my DJ career began. In 1982, I pressed my first buttons on a professional DJ console – the same year Renée & Renato’s ‘Save Your Love’ was Christmas Number One. Moving swiftly on…
In 1987, Pet Shop Boys took ‘Always on My Mind’ to the top, keeping The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl’s ‘Fairytale of New York’ off the top spot – a wound that still stings a little every December.
The 1990s – pop, power ballads & party memories
The 90s saw the Christmas Number One evolve – sometimes beautifully, sometimes questionably. During this decade I was DJing almost nightly, performing at dozens of festive events every December. My throat didn’t thank me, but my bank balance certainly did!
In 1992, Whitney Houston topped the chart with ‘I Will Always Love You’ – a powerful ballad, but hardly festive cheer. From that point, the Christmas Number One began to drift from its seasonal roots. The decade’s winners included:
‘Mr Blobby’ – Mr Blobby (1993)
‘Earth Song’ – Michael Jackson (1995)
‘2 Become 1’ – Spice Girls (1996)
‘Seasons in the Sun’ – Westlife (1999)
A special mention must go to East 17’s ‘Stay Another Day’ (1994) – a genuinely brilliant song made unintentionally hilarious by its snow-jacket-filled video!
The 2000s – from builders to ballads
As the new millennium dawned, the traditional festive single was fading fast. Early 2000s Number Ones included:
‘Can We Fix It?’ – Bob the Builder (2000)
‘Somethin’ Stupid’ – Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman (2001)
‘Sound of the Underground’ – Girls Aloud (2002)
In 2003, the UK collectively decided that a haunting ballad was the song of the season:
‘Mad World’ – Michael Andrews & Gary Jules
A beautiful record, yes – but as a Christmas Number One? Ho… Ho… oh dear.
2004 brought ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ back for a third time with Band Aid 20, but for me, the original remains untouchable.
Then came the X-Factor era, beginning with Shayne Ward’s ‘That’s My Goal’ (2005) and followed by a string of reality show winners that dominated the festive charts for years. As a DJ, I can’t say these songs ever featured heavily in my sets – but the client is king, and, if they wanted them, I played them.
By 2009, the public had grown weary of the X-Factor monopoly, and a social media campaign propelled Rage Against the Machine’s ‘Killing in the Name’ to the top. It wasn’t festive, but it was glorious rebellion.
The 2010s – a new era of Christmas hits
The early 2010s brought more variety, with Matt Cardle’s ‘When We Collide’ (2010) leading the charge, followed by stronger pop offerings from Clean Bandit (‘Rockabye’, 2016) and Ed Sheeran (‘Perfect’, 2017).
Then came the LadBaby years – a run of charity novelty hits celebrating sausage rolls and raising vital funds for The Trussell Trust:
‘We Built This City (On Sausage Rolls)’ (2018)
‘I Love Sausage Rolls’ (2019)
‘Don’t Stop Me Eatin’ (2020)
‘Sausage Rolls for Everyone’ (2021) – featuring Ed Sheeran & Elton John
On 12 December 2022, British blogger and social media star Mark Hoyle, better known as LadBaby, announced his latest festive project – a reworking of the Band Aid classic ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ Retitled ‘Food Aid’, the charity single was released on 16 December and featured appearances from his wife Roxanne Hoyle and financial expert Martin Lewis. Proceeds from the release were split equally between The Trussell Trust and the Band Aid Trust, continuing LadBaby’s mission to raise awareness and funds for food bank charities across the UK.
When ‘Food Aid’ claimed the 2022 UK Christmas Number One, LadBaby made chart history – becoming the first act ever to achieve five consecutive Christmas Number One singles, surpassing even The Beatles’ long-standing record. Love them or loathe them, they captured the public’s sense of fun and the spirit of giving – and that’s something worth celebrating.
The 2020s – back to heartfelt hits
More recently, the tide seems to be turning back toward authenticity and emotion. 2022 saw LadBaby claim their final festive crown, while 2023 delivered a genuine Christmas success story with Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ finally achieving Number One – 39 years after its release. And in 2024, the song became the first to achieve consecutive Christmas number ones. Proof, if ever it were needed, that Christmas nostalgia never fades.
The final word
The Christmas Number One has seen it all – from heartfelt ballads to novelty chaos – but it remains a snapshot of our nation’s musical heart each December. Whether you love the classics or the quirks, these songs are woven into the soundtrack of our festive memories.
For DJs, they’re pure gold – guaranteed singalongs, bursts of nostalgia, and moments that bring audiences together. Here’s to the next Christmas Number One – whatever form it takes!
Merry Christmas!
