By Georgie Hewson
George Michael in the video for 'Last Christmas'. Photo: YouTube/Wham
This year's number one Christmas single in the UK has proven good things truly come to those who wait.
'Last Christmas', by Wham!, has topped the UK's official Christmas chart, 39 years after it was released.
The song, written by the late the George Michael, was released in 1984, only to be beaten at the top of the charts by Band Aid's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'
Coincidentally, Michael was one of dozens of pop stars contributing vocals on the Band Aid track, with proceeds going to charity.
Fans streamed 'Last Christmas' 13.3 million times over the past seven days, in a race to be the number one Christmas song of 2023.
The other half of the 80s pop duo, Andrew Ridgeley, said Michael would be "beside himself".
"It would be mission accomplished," he said on Instagram.
"He wrote 'Last Christmas' with the intent of writing a Christmas number one. It was a goal he set for himself."
The win makes 'Last Christmas' the UK's third biggest song of all time, after Ed Sheeran's 'Shape of You', and Band Aid's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'
'Last Christmas' is also now the most-streamed Christmas number one ever during Christmas week.
While celebrating the win, Ridgeley remembered how disappointing the initial loss was 39 years ago.
"He left lofty ambitions and we had lofty ambitions for Wham!" he said.
"I think our fans will be having a real sense of achievement and pride."
Despite the fact it only became number one this year, 'Last Christmas' has long held the title of the UK's best-selling single to never have reached number one.
Competition was tight, with 'Last Christmas' going up against Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas is You', Sam Ryder's 'You're Christmas to Me', Rock Choirs' 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day', The Pogues' 'Fairytale of New York' and many more.
The very moment @WhamOfficial_ were crowned Christmas Number 1 2023 on @BBCR1's The Official Chart with @jackxsaunders #XmasNo1 #wham #lastchristmas pic.twitter.com/gh7Jd399Zu
— Official Charts (@officialcharts) December 22, 2023
English singer-songwriter Sam Ryder took out the second spot with his Christmas song 'You're Christmas to Me'.
'All I Want for Christmas is You' by Mariah Carey came in third.
"Isn't that bonkers," Ryder said on X.
"Here we are in a Mariah and WHAM! sandwich and I am stoked."
- This story was first published on ABC
