Mariah Carey Jingles to Lead on Midweek U.K. Chart
Written by djfrosty on December 6, 2022
The queen of Christmas is here to reclaim her crown.
Based on midweek data published by the Official U.K. Charts Company, Mariah Carey’s classic “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Columbia) is the race leader, lifting 8-1.
Proving that Brits are in the mood for the holiday season, Carey’s “Christmas” leads an all-yuletide top three on the midweek survey, ahead of Wham’s “Last Christmas” (RCA) and Ed Sheeran’s “Merry Christmas” (Atlantic), respectively.
All three singles have led the Official U.K. Singles Chart, with “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and “Last Christmas” taking the long route to the top – and smashing records along the way.
Originally released in 1994, Carey’s “Christmas” finally reached the summit in December 2020 to complete a 26-year journey. According to the OCC, no other song has spent more weeks in the top 40 before reaching the top.
Wham’s enduring pop hit also set a new record when, last Christmas, the single was crowned for the first time in its 36-year history. No other track has taken such a long stroll to the chart apex, an effort that eclipsed the 33-year effort of Tony Christie’s “(Is This The Way To) Amarillo.”
As Christmas playlists around the country get a solid work out, holiday tunes flood the chart blast, including top 10 reentries for Brenda Lee (“Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” up 19-7 via MCA), Michael Buble (“It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” up 24-8 via Reprise) and Shakin’ Stevens (“Merry Christmas Everyone” up 29-10 via RCA), while musical gifts from the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl, Ariana Grande, Kelly Clarkson and Band Aid, Bobby Helms and Chris Rea are eying the top 20.
The highest new entry on the chart blast belongs to Lewis Capaldi with “Pointless” (Vertigo), at No. 18. Co-written with Ed Sheeran, it’s the second single taken from his upcoming studio LP Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent, and it should give the Scottish artist his seventh top 40 appearance.
The Official U.K. Singles Chart is published late Friday.