Wham! have once again reached number one for Christmas on the UK Official Charts, with their festive track 'Last Christmas'.
What makes this extra special for the group is that fact that this festive hit celebrates it 40th anniversary this year, having been produced by the late singer George Michael.
Following its original release in 1984, the track missed out on top spot, finishing behind Band Aid's 'Do They Know Its Christmas?', which also went on to become the second best-selling song of all time.
In 2023, 'Last Christmas' had taken top spot at Christmas in the UK Chart, for the first time, which also saw the track make history, setting the record for the longest-ever journey to the UK Christmas Number One, which spanned 39 years.
Now, for the second year running, the song has become the first single to earn back-to-back Christmas number ones, as it continues to make history.
Reacting to this news, Wham!'s Andrew Ridgeley said: “37 years to get to Number One, 39 years to Christmas Number One, and then like London buses they all come along at once!".
“I’m especially pleased for George, he would have been utterly delighted, his fabulous Christmas composition has become such a classic, almost as much a part of Christmas as mince pies, turkey and pigs in blankets", he added.
“It’s a testament to a really wonderful Christmas song that in a lot of people’s minds evokes and represents Christmas as we would all wish it to be. I’d like to thank everyone who has listened to, downloaded, bought, streamed ‘Last Christmas’ and been a part of history. Thanks so much and Merry Christmas!”.
Wham! have now added their name to a list which includes The Beatles, Queen and Spice Girls, as artists to have claimed the Christmas Number One on multiple occasions.
“Artists of that calibre and songwriters, of which George was one, transcend the ages and decades and endure because of their quality. I think that’s the reason why ‘Last Christmas’ has endured", Andrew Ridgeley said.
