Five years after the death of George Michael, and 36 years after the tune was first released, Wham! have taken out the top spot on the British charts with their song Last Christmas. 

When it was first released the song was kept off the top spot by the charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas by BandAid, which George Michael also sings on. Wham! also donated all the profits from initial release the Ethiopian Famine appeal.

Bandmate Andrew Ridgely took to Twitter to share his delight at the news the song had finally topped the charts.

“I am delighted, somewhat amazed & profoundly pleased that WHAM!’s iconic Christmas classic Last Christmas has finally achieved the accolade of becoming a No 1.

“It’s a fitting tribute 2 George’s songwriting genius and 1 of which he would’ve been immensely proud & utterly thrilled,” Ridgeley said.

The song was propelled up the charts by streaming numbers and downloads in the final Christmas week. The song has become a holiday staple and last year inspired the film Last Christmas starring Henry Golding and Emilia Clarke.

The song sets a new record on the British charts for the longest time between initial release and making it to the top charts, it’s 36 years since the song first came out.

The record was previously held by Tony Christie’s (Is This The Way To) Amarillo, which took 33 years and 4 months. It made it to the top of the charts in 2005 when comedian Peter Kay created a new video for the song to support charity Comic Relief.

Previously, Last Christmas was the UK’s best-selling single to never reach Number 1, accumulating 1.9 million pure sales to date across its lifetime. That title is now handed over to Maroon 5’s Moves Like Jagger ft. Christina Aguilera (1.55m pure sales), a Number 2 hit in 2011.

Last year the song’s video was given a makeover and released in high definition.

OIP Staff

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