Wham! The holiday classic Last Christmas is the top UK chart performer for the second year in a row, reaching a milestone as back-to-back Christmas No. 1s for the first time.
written by George Michael And in 1984 with Andrew Ridgeley, the song remained at the top of the official charts, making history as the first track to win two consecutive Christmas No. 1 titles. The feat comes just in time for the release of the Last Christmas 40th Anniversary EP earlier this month. Ahead of the anniversary of George Michael’s passing on Christmas Day 2016, the crowd-favorite classic marked this historic milestone.
The Careless Whisper singer died of natural causes at the age of 53 and remains an iconic figure in the music world. Official Charts made the announcement on Instagram, writing: “Many congratulations to Andrew and George on another incredible achievement. Last Christmas becomes the first song in chart history to achieve two consecutive Christmas No. 1 wins, marking its 40th anniversary. Most streamed song of the week.”
This achievement underlines the eternal legacy of the song, which remains the most streamed and physically purchased track of the week. Andrew Ridgeley of the pop duo expressed his excitement over the song’s success and noted how long it took to reach such a milestone.
He said Michael would be proud and described the track as a treasured Christmas staple, as important to the holiday season as the traditional festive meal. Ridgeley told the outlet, “I’m especially happy for George. He would be extremely pleased; his wonderful Christmas creation has become such a classic.”
Ridgeley attributed the song’s continued success to George Michael’s incredible talent as a songwriter, and noted that great artists and their songs endure across decades. He further added that the emotional value of the song, along with its universal festive appeal, has secured its permanent place in every holiday playlist.
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