The contenders who are in the race to clinch the Number One spot on the singles chart in time for Christmas 2024 have been shared. Check them out below.
With the UK already seeing snowfall for the first time this year and Christmas just over a month away, people have begun speculating which artist could top the charts as the 2024 Christmas Number One.
Last year, it was WHAM! who took the crown with their iconic holiday hit ‘Last Christmas’. Reaching the top spot nearly four decades after it was first released, George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley made history by setting the record for the longest-ever journey to the UK Christmas Number One.
Now, rumours have already begun about who could be named the chart-topper for this year.
Sabrina Carpenter is one of the favourites at the time of writing, with the singer already topping the charts multiple times this year with singles from her critically acclaimed album ‘Short n’ Sweet’. If she does make the feat, it will likely be with her single ‘Is It New Years Yet?’.
Also in the running are fellow pop chart-toppers, Gracie Abrams and Chappell Roan, with respective singles ‘That’s So True’ and ‘HOT TO GO!’, as well as former Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft – who recently contributed an acoustic rendition of ‘Sonnet’ for the John Lewis Christmas advert.
Ed Sheeran recently shared his new festive track ‘Under The Tree’, which could be a contender, as did Perrie and Kelly Clarkson with ‘Christmas Magic’ and ‘You For Christmas’.
Linkin Park, Sam Fender and KSI featuring Trippie Redd are all in the running for their respective new releases, as is the musical classic ‘Defying Gravity,’ performed by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as part of the newly-shared Wicked film adaptation.
As ever, there are always the nostalgic Christmas tracks that prove stiff competition, including East 17’s ‘Stay Another Day’, Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ and 2023 chart-toppers WHAM! with ‘Last Christmas’.
Earlier this month, Bob Geldof announced news of the 40th-anniversary edition of Band Aid’s iconic charity single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ – featuring a collaboration of the famous voices who starred in each of the three versions (1984, 2004 and 2014). This caused controversy though, as Ed Sheeran admitted he would have declined to take part if he had been asked permission.
Find a full list of contenders below.
Main Contenders
Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Is It New Years Yet?’
Gracie Abrams – ‘That’s So True’
Chappell Roan – ‘HOT TO GO!’
KSI ft. Trippie Redd – ‘Thick Of It’
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – ‘APT.’
Sam Fender – ‘People Watching’
Tate McRae – ‘2 hands’
Jack Harlow – ‘Hello Miss Johnson’
Teddy Swims – ‘The Door’
Linkin Park – ‘The Emptiness Machine’
Cynthia Erivo ft. Ariana Grande – ‘Defying Gravity’
Richard Ashcroft – ‘Sonnet’
Charity Singles and Campaigns
The Celebs – ‘All You Need Is Love’
Reverend And The Makers – ‘Late Night Phonecall’
Rock Choir – ‘Hallelujah / What Christmas Means To Me’
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue – ‘Fire Safety Dance’
Sam Clegg – ‘Send Me A Sign’
Primal Live – ‘Always Home (At Christmas)’
Next To No Time – ‘Christmas in the Cotswolds’
Anniversary Rematches and Reissues
East 17 – ‘Stay Another Day 2024’
Mariah Carey – ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You (reissue)’
WHAM! – ‘Last Christmas (reissue)’
Band Aid 40 – ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas? 2024 Ultimate Mix’
New Christmas Songs
Ed Sheeran – ‘Under The Tree’
V x Bing Crosby – ‘White Christmas’
Perrie – ‘Christmas Magic’
Kelly Clarkson – ‘You For Christmas’
As reported by The Yorkshire Post, the 2024 Official Christmas Number One will be announced on Friday, December 20.
A full Christmas Top 40 list will be counted down on BBC Radio 1’s The Official Chart with Jack Saunders from 4pm GMT.
One of the most notable contenders in recent years was LadBaby. The duo – comprising husband and wife Mark and Roxanne Hoyle – landed the UK Christmas Number One for five years straight with their comical twists on hit songs.
LadBaby previously hit the top spot in 2018 with ‘We Built This City’, in 2019 with ‘I Love Sausage Rolls’, in 2020 with ‘Don’t Stop Me Eatin’’, and 2021 with the Ed Sheeran and Elton John collaboration ‘Sausage Rolls For Everyone’. In 2022, they broke a UK chart record previously held by The Beatles as they scored their fifth Christmas Number One with ‘Food Aid’.
Last year, however, they confirmed they would be stepping down.