Wham!: Last News

Liam Gallagher has named his favourite Christmas song – find out what it is below.Last night (December 17), Gallagher took to Twitter to answer several fan questions. One question saw a fan ask the Oasis singer about his favourite Christmas song.

Taylor Swift and Liam Gallagher topping the respective charts.Swift’s 11th album ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ tops the vinyl albums list for the year, after selling a total of 112,000 LPs (via the Official Charts Company). No other album has shifted so many copies in its first year of release this century, with 66,000 of those sales taking place in its first week.It is the third consecutive year that Swift has topped the vinyl albums chart in the UK – in 2023, ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ was the Number One, while ‘Midnights’ took the top spot in 2022.Those two albums also have a place in 2024’s charts, with the former sitting at Number 20 and the latter at Number 38.

Wham! has landed the 2024 Christmas Number One spot on the UK Official Charts during the single’s 40th anniversary.The iconic holiday track was penned and produced by the late George Michael, with the aim of bagging Christmas Number One back in 1984. However, the pop track was kept off the top spot by Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’, a song that would go on to become the second best-selling single of all time.It wasn’t until last year that ‘Last Christmas’ finally earned the festive top spot.

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.

Wham!‘s ‘Last Christmas’ has become the Christmas Number One on the single’s 40th anniversary.Penned and produced by the late George Michael, the track was created with the aim of landing the Christmas Number One in 1984. However, the pop track was kept off the top spot by Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’, a track that would go on to become the second best-selling single of all time.It wasn’t until last year that ‘Last Christmas’ finally earned the festive top spot.

Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’, how George Michael fulfilled his legacy, and how they still feel his presence eight years after his death on Christmas Day.The pair were backing singers and dancers for Andrew Ridgeley and Michael’s ’80s pop duo. In 1984, they all flew to the Swiss ski resort of Saas-Fee to shoot the video to ‘Last Christmas’, which Michael was convinced was destined to become the Christmas Number One – and Wham!’s fourth chart-topper – that year.

Charlie Puth has released a new Christmas single ‘December 25th’, inspired by Wham!’s classic ‘Last Christmas’. Check out the track below.The 32-year-old New Jersey popstar has not released a studio album since 2022’s ‘Charlie’, but did release the single ‘Hero’ in May this year.Now, he has shared his contribution to the 2024 festive season in the form of ‘December 25th’, which opens with a pulsing synth line that is closely reminiscent of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley’s vintage 1984 single.

George Michael‘s estate has announced a re-release of ‘Careless Whisper’ to celebrate its 40th anniversary.Upon its release in 1984, ‘Careless Whisper’ was an instant hit, topping the charts in 25 countries. The iconic song is now certified seven times Platinum in the United States and has sold over 1.5 million copies in the United Kingdom alone.Now, a new EP from George Michael Entertainment and Sony Music will celebrate four decades of the hit.

A Family Affair is now streaming on Netflix – here’s every song that features in the film.Directed by Richard LaGravenese, the film stars Joey King as Zoe, who plays a young assistant to movie star Chris Cole (Zac Efron). Zoe’s mother, Brooke (Nicole Kidman) ends up in a romantic relationship with Chris causing Zoe a host of issues.An official synopsis from Netflix reads: “When Zara (Joey King) quits her job as the personal assistant to Hollywood heartthrob Chris Cole (Zac Efron), she unwittingly sets the stage for a chance encounter between Chris and her famous writer [mother], Brooke (Nicole Kidman).“It’s only a matter of hours before Brooke and Chris realise they have an undeniable chemistry, which leads to laugh-out-loud consequences as Zara’s egocentric boss attempts to woo her incredulous mother.

Wham! legend George Michael.The coin is the latest addition to the Royal Mint’s Music Legends series, which commemorates iconic British performers by creating a coin in their honour.In the collectable, Michael is depicted wearing his signature sunglasses, looking down, while an engraving of the refrain from his 1987 solo track ‘Faith’ is also shown. Splashes of black and red are featured on the otherwise silver design, as they were colours used prominently throughout his career.Sandra Deiana, the coin’s designer, explained that she wanted to capture “a detailed portrait” of the musician “that captured his charismatic expression” (per BBC).

Shane MacGowan’s widow Victoria Mary Clarke has reacted to the news that The Pogues’ ‘Fairytale of New York’ was beaten to Christmas Number One by Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’. Writing on X, she posted a link to the George Michael/Andrew Ridgeley track and said: “I love Wham!!! We loved George.” Wham! claimed the top spot on Friday (December 22), finally landing the coveted Christmas Number One for the first time after 39 years. I love ❤️ Wham!!! We loved George ❤️ Wham! – Last Christmas (Official Video) https://t.co/k1nrzqC8X3 via @YouTube— @victoriamary (@Victoriamary) December 24, 2023It made history as having the longest-ever journey to the UK Christmas Number One, after being held off the top on its original release in 1984 by Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’.

Wham! have earned the Christmas Number One with their iconic holiday hit ‘Last Christmas’ after attempting to land the spot for 39 years.The track was penned and produced by the late George Michael with the aim of landing the Christmas Number One in 1984. However, ‘Last Christmas’ was kept off the top spot upon release by Band-Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’, a track that would go on to become the second best-selling single of all time.Today, almost four decades later, ‘Last Christmas’ has earned the festive top spot.

Wham! taking the lead for the peak position on the charts.The news follows a neck-and-neck race between the iconic ‘80s pop duo Wham! And Eurovision star Sam Ryder over the past week, with their respective songs ‘Last Christmas’ [1986] and ‘You’re Christmas To Me’ [2023].At the first look at the race last week, just 42 chart units stood between the two taking the top spot on the UK charts, however, this week it has been revealed by the Official Charts that Wham! are in pole position, and have widened the gap between Ryder’s Amazon Music original track – which remains at Number Two.However, it doesn’t seem likely that the charts will stay this way until Christmas, with Ryder set to play a fan-exclusive gig tonight (December 19) in Shoreditch, London, in a push to promote the song in time for Christmas Day.Similarly, today (December 19) The Pogues are sharing a special, limited-edition physical run of their own iconic Christmas song ‘Fairytale Of New York’ in a push to climb the charts.Originally released in 1988 and featuring Kirsty MacColl, the track is being reissued in memory of the band’s late singer Shane MacGowan, who died “peacefully” in hospital from pneumonia on November 30. He was 65 years old and his funeral took place in Nenagh, County Tipperary on December 8.All proceeds from the reissue will be donated to the Irish charity Dublin Simon Community, and the release also arrived alongside a fan campaign to get Fairytale of New York to Christmas Number 1 for the first time.The push for the top position on the charts has also been endorsed by Shane MacGowan’s widow, Victoria Mary Clarke.

Lil Tjay and Fivio Foreign have flipped Wham!‘s iconic 1986 song ‘Last Christmas’ into a rambunctious drill song.Tjay and Foreign have been friends for some time. The latter even credited the former for getting his deal at Columbia Records in a 2020 interview with esteemed radio personality Angie Martinez.

Alanis Morissette has performed a cover of Wham!‘s ‘Last Christmas’ – watch it below.While on the latest episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Morissette performed the cover – which she also recorded for her latest Christmas EP, ‘Last Christmas’. The EP arrived in November and includes covers of John Lennon‘s ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’ and other festive classics like ‘Little Drummer Boy’.Watch Alanis Morissette’s cover of Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ below.Elsewhere during her chat with Fallon, Morissette spoke of her 2022 induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, where Olivia Rodrigo delivered her induction speech.

Wham!‘s ‘Last Christmas’ at a recent match, potentially ruining the game ‘Whamaggedon’ for thousands.In the cult game ‘Whamaggedon’, players try and avoid the Wham! classic until Christmas Eve, and are knocked out of the game when they hear it.In Northampton Town’s game against Portsmouth on December 2, DJ Matt Facer made the unfortunate decision to spin the track. “I never knew people took it so seriously,” he said.

LadBaby would be stepping down from their streak of annual Number One tracks.Comprised of Mark and Roxanne Hoyle, the LadBaby duo have consistently topped the charts around Christmas for their sausage roll-themed takes on famous tracks. These include ‘We Built This City’ (2018), ‘I Love Sausage Rolls’ (2019), ‘Don’t Stop Me Eatin’’ (2020), ‘Sausage Rolls For Everyone’ (2021) and ‘Food Aid’ (2022).Now, Official Charts Company have revealed the artists who are most likely to take the top position on the UK charts – compiling a list of the contending songs for the 2023 Christmas Number One.Among those listed are a variety of charity singles, including ‘West End Girls’ – the recently shared track by post-punk duo Sleaford Mods.

Michael Jackson in the 1980s has sold for £250,000 ($306,000) at an auction.The black and white jacket, which was worn by the late pop icon in a 1984 Pepsi advert was expected to fetch between £200,000 and £400,000 at the Propstore London auction on Friday (November 10).The garment was among more than 200 pieces of music memorabilia sold, alongside a George Michael jacket and a hairpiece that belonged to Amy Winehouse.The La Rocka! jacket worn by Wham!‘s late singer in the music video ‘I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)’, alongside Aretha Franklin, sold for £93,750 including the buyer’s premium.Winehouse’s beehive hairpiece worn in the 2007 music video for ‘You Know I’m No Good’ from ‘Back to Black’, sold for £18,750, including the buyer’s premium. It was expected to go for somewhere between £15,000 and £30,000.Other items that sold belonged to David Bowie, Queen, Oasis, Elvis Presley and Johnny Marr.Elsewhere in the auction, a Gibson guitar that belonged to AC/DC‘s Angus Young did not sell, nor did a limited edition Yellow Submarine Beatles jukebox.A separate high-profile auction will see Tupac’s prison memorabilia go on sale, including a never-before-seen mugshot and prison ID.

Wham! and Mariah Carey have entered the UK charts earlier than ever this year.Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ and ‘Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ entered the chart at number 37 and and 40 in the UK Top 40 this weekend, respectively.Last year, it wasn’t until the third week of November that a Christmas song, ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’, appeared on the charts.Both songs will likely now remain in the charts in the lead up to Christmas over the coming weeks. Currently there are no other Christmas songs in the Top 100.Back in 2020, Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ became a UK Number One for the first time ever, 26 years after it was first released.“Happy Christmas UK!! We finally made it!!!,” the singer said at the time.

Miguel, Adam Levine, and Carrie Underwood have paid tribute to George Michael at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2023 – watch the footage below.Michael, who died in 2016 aged 53, has been posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year alongside the likes of Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, Rage Against the Machine, Willie Nelson, Kate Bush and The Spinners. It was announced Michael had won the fan vote in May, having been voted over a million times.To honour the late performer, a number of musicians took to the stage to cover his songs.

George Michael‘s classic introduction during his 1998 interview with Michael Parkinson has resurfaced after the legendary chat show host’s death.The broadcaster “passed away peacefully at home” yesterday (August 16) at the age of 88 after a brief illness, his family shared.Parkinson’s TV career spanned seven decades, which saw him welcome the worlds biggest stars to the studio including Muhammad Ali, Elton John, Madonna and many more.One of the many memorable moments from Parkinson unfolded when Wham! star Michael appeared on the show in 1998, just months after his arrest in LA for “engaging in a lewd act” in a public toilet.A clip of Michael’s introductory words to Parkinson is now being re-shared online, in which he starts off by telling Parkinson his appearance is “a great honour for me”.George Michael’s incredible opening line when he spoke to Michael Parkinson in the wake of his arrest for lewd behaviour in LA pic.twitter.com/oDVATAFsWT— Neil Brennan (@nrdbrennan) August 17, 2023He recalled being and eight or nine years old when his mother allowed him to stay up late to watch Parkinson, adding: “She thought it would be a bit of quality watching so I’m very, very privileged to be here.”Parkinson politely told the singer his words were “very kind”, before Michael added: “She probably wouldn’t have been quite as thrilled that I had to take my willy out to get on here.”The moment was met by roars of laughing and cheers from the studio audience. “I mean really, would I have been on for an hour tonight without that incident?” Michael joked.Fans who have been reposting the clip have praised the “two great iconic entertainers” for their charm and good humour.