New Christmas song headed for Number One amid 40th anniversary of festive classic

nme.com:

The top contenders for the Christmas Number One were announced last month, with Sabrina Carpenter, Gracie Abrams, Chappell Roan and former Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft among the top-listed candidates.A number of festive classics were also named among the most likely to reach the top spot on the charts.

These included Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’, Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ – which recently divided fans with a new anniversary edition remake – and WHAM!’s ‘Last Christmas’.The latter comes as the iconic George Michael track is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and also as it topped the charts for the first time in 2023.

If it were to lock in the position again, it would be the first song to ever win twice, let alone two years in a row.However, a new track has been shared that could come as a contender: Tom Grennan’s latest release ‘It Can’t Be Christmas’.If it were to continue climbing the charts to reach the top spot in time for December 25, the feat would mark the first time an original new song took the Number One spot since Ed Sheeran’s ‘Perfect’ did so in 2017.As reported by Metro, it could go one step further, and become the first festive song with Christmas in the title that peaked on the charts since 1985, when Shakin’ Stevens shared ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’.In a bid to inspire fans to stream and purchase the single to help it reach the top of the charts, Grennan has gotten a tattoo, leaving a blank space for the winner’s name to be confirmed.“Today I’m at the tattoo shop and I thought I’m gonna make it interesting.

I’m gonna get “Christmas No.1 2024 is…” and I’m gonna let you lot decide what goes on my leg,” he said in a new announcement.‘It’s up to you.