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The Whamageddon didn’t transpire in the U.K., as “Last Christmas” (Epic) finally claims the coveted Christmas No. 1 spot.
Wham’s holiday classic from 1984 holds at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, published Dec. 22, for its first Christmas-time stint at the summit.
According to the Official Charts Company, “Last Christmas” clocked up 13.3 million plays during the seven-day chart cycle – making it the most-streamed Christmas No. 1.
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It’s not the first time “Last Christmas” has reigned over the national tally; it first did so at the start of 2021, breaking a 36-year hoodoo, and returned to the top later in 2022.
Following its initial release, “Last Christmas” was famously beaten to the Christmas No. 1 by Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” on which Wham’s co-founders George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley contributed.
With its latest feat, a full 39 years in the making, “Last Christmas” sets a new mark for the longest journey to the U.K. Christmas No. 1, the Official Charts Company reports.
Across its lifetime, the pop number has raked-in 5.34 million chart units, including 1.93 million sales and nearly 413 million streams, the OCC reports. It’s now the U.K.’s third biggest song of all time, behind Elton John’s “Something About the Way You Look Tonight” / “Candle in the Wind 1997” and “Do They Know It’s Christmas?,” respectively.
With Wham taking the glory, Britain’s Eurovision 2022 entrant Sam Ryder misses out, as his Amazon Music Original “You’re Christmas To Me” (EastWest/Rhino) lifts 10-2, while Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Columbia) completes the podium.
Predictably, Christmas tunes dominate the latest survey. Ed Sheeran and Elton John’s former leader “Merry Christmas” (Atlantic/EMI) improves 6-5; The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” (Rhino) featuring the late Kirsty MacColl dips 5-6; while holiday favorites from Brenda Lee, Michael Buble, Shakin’ Stevens, Andy Williams, Kelly Clarkson, Dean Martin, Chris Rea and more impact the top 40.
Finally, Cher cracks the top 20 — and cracks a new record — with “DJ Play A Christmas Song” (Warner Records). The legendary entertainer’s Xmas effort lifts 41-20, for her 34th U.K. top 40 single. At 77 year and 7 months, Cher is the oldest solo female performer to snag a top 40 U.K. single, the OCC reports.
The huge week for Nicki Minaj and her Pink Friday 2 album includes a milestone achievement on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart, where she captures her 50th top 10 on the genre list, tying for the third-most among all acts. The superstar hits the mark thanks to three new tracks from Pink Friday 2, which debuts at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 and Top Rap Albums charts.
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Minaj concurrently nabs her 48th, 49th and 50th top 10 visits on the multimetric Hot Rap Songs chart, which blends streaming, radio airplay and sales into its rankings with the debuts of “Everybody,” featuring Lil Uzi Vert (No. 3), “FTCU” (No. 5) and “Barbie Dangerous” (No. 10). With the trio’s showing in the top tier, Minaj ties Kanye West for the third-most top 10s on Hot Rap Songs, which launched in 1989. A pair of familiar names are the only acts with more than 50 appearances in the upper region – Minaj’s frequent collaborators, Drake (133) and Lil Wayne (54).
As Minaj moves to take a share of the bronze, here’s an updated recap of the acts with the most top 10 hits on Hot Rap Songs:
133, Drake54, Lil Wayne50, Nicki Minaj50, Kanye West44, Lil Baby42, Jay-Z40, Future
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In addition to the three top 10 hits, Minaj lands nine more Pink Friday 2 debuts on the 25-position Hot Rap Songs chart:
No. 11, “Let Me Calm Down,” featuring J. Cole No. 12, “Beep Beep” No. 16, “Big Difference”No. 17, “Fallin 4 U” No. 18, “RNB,” featuring Lil Wayne & Tate Kobang No. 20, “Pink Friday Girls” No. 23, “Cowgirl,” featuring Lourdiz No. 24, “Pink Birthday” No. 25, “Bahm Bahm”
Plus, previous single “Red Ruby Da Sleeze,” which topped Hot Rap Songs for one week in March, returns at No. 22 following streaming and sales activity from the parent album’s release.
As mentioned above, Pink Friday 2 opens at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and Top Rap Albums charts with 228,000 equivalent album units earned in the tracking week of Dec. 8 – 14, according to Luminate. The launch, notably, became Minaj’s third champ on the Billboard 200 – a new record among female rappers.
In the year since SZA’s SOS set sail on Dec. 9, 2022, the album has swelled into a blockbuster success that has dominated the R&B game. With a string of hit singles that preceded the release, exploded alongside it, or kept the momentum alive months after the drop date, SOS pushed SZA’s career into the stratosphere, while gliding from milestone to milestone on Billboard’s charts.
Before the first inklings of a title, release date or single, SZA’s second studio album was already among the industry’s most-anticipated albums. The singer-songwriter’s full-length debut, 2017’s Ctrl, proved a phenomenon, debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and, as of December 2023, remaining on the chart every week since its arrival. Ctrl singles “Love Galore,” featuring Travis Scott, and “The Weekend” scored SZA a pair of top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, while collaborations “All the Stars,” with Kendrick Lamar, and a supporting turn on Maroon 5’s “What Lovers Do” not only added to SZA’s success in the Ctrl era, but also produced top 10 Hot 100 results.
As anticipation mounted, SZA’s sophomore era began with a cycle of hope and disappointment for fans, as a series of single releases warmed up the speculation machine each time. “Hit Different,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, landed in September 2020, followed by “Good Days” in December 2020 and “I Hate U” in December 2021, but each came and went without any further announcements regarding S2.
And suddenly, the five-year wait had an expiration date. In a November 2022 Billboard cover story, SZA revealed the second album’s title, SOS, and promised its release the following month. If there was any doubt that the gap cooled the fervor for SOS, its initial success answered with authority. SOS debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and broke the record for the biggest streaming week for an R&B album, while its new singles expanded the hitmaking legacy of its predecessors, with “Kill Bill,” in particular, reaching historic heights.
That explosion, however, was just the beginning of a historic year for SOS, both in terms of all-time records on Billboard’s storied R&B/hip-hop charts and personal milestones for SZA’s career. As we hit the one-year anniversary of SOS, here’s a rundown of what the juggernaut album has achieved in its time.
SOS Debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200
Image Credit: Courtesy of RCA Records
Busta Rhymes bounds back onto Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart as his new effort, Blockbusta, debuts at No. 10 on the list dated Dec. 9. The set, released on The Conglomerate/Epic Records, becomes the rapper’s 10th top 10 album and extends his perfect streak among his original studio albums.
Blockbusta, which dropped on Nov. 24, earned just under 23,000 equivalent album units in the tracking week of Nov. 24 – 30, according to Luminate. Traditional album sales contribute 14,000 of the first-week total, with streaming activity in second place, at a little below 8,000 units – equaling 11.1 million official on-demand audio and video streams of the album’s tracks. The remaining 1,000 units come from track-equivalent album units (One unit equals the following levels of consumption: one album sale, 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams for a song on the album.)
As Blockbusta launches, it secures Busta Rhymes’ 10th top 10 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Of his 14 charted titles, the only set to miss the top tier was, perhaps ironically, the compilation The Best of Busta Rhymes, which charted for one week at No. 97 in 2001. With the list updating this week, here’s a full review of Busta Rhymes’ top 10 projects on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums:
Album Title, Peak Position, Peak DateThe Coming, No. 1 (one week), April 13, 1996When Disaster Strikes, No. 1 (one week), Oct. 4, 1997E.L.E.: Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front, No. 2, Jan. 2, 1999Anarchy, No. 1 (one week), July 8, 2000Genesis, No. 2, Dec. 15, 2001It Ain’t Safe No More…, No. 10, May 3, 2003The Big Bang, No. 1 (one week), July 1, 2006Back on My B.S., No. 2, June 6, 2009ELE 2: The Wrath of God, No. 4, Nov. 14, 2020Blockbusta, No. 10 (to date), Dec. 9, 2023
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The new album has already spun off two singles that have charted on some Billboard radio charts. “Beach Ball,” with BIA, reached No. 29 on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart in September, while “Luxury Life,” featuring Coi Leray, did one better, peaking at No. 28 on the same radio ranking last month.
Elsewhere, Blockbusta debuts at No. 6 on the Top Rap Albums chart and at No. 42 on the all-genre Billboard 200. Part of the latter’s fortunes are due to timing, with 10 Christmas or holiday-themed albums parked above it as the chart’s annual rush of holiday titles picks up steam as the season approaches.
Jack Harlow is loving life at the summit of the U.K. singles chart as “Lovin On Me” (via Atlantic) enters its third week at No. 1.
The Louisville rapper’s latest hit snares its biggest seven-day volume yet with 55,000 combined units, the Official Charts Company reports.
Meanwhile, Noah Kahan enjoys a new career high with “Stick Season” (Republic Records), up 4-2, while Casso, Raye and D-Block Europe’s “Prada” (Ministry of Sound) completes the podium, down 2-3.
Christmas isn’t yet here, but you wouldn’t know it by studying the Official U.K. Singles Chart, published Friday, Dec. 1.
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All told, 16 festive tracks place in the top 40 this week, the OCC reports, including two top 10s. Wham’s enduring ‘80s classic “Last Christmas” (Epic) leads the charge, up 14-5, ahead of Mariah Carey’s All “I Want For Christmas Is You” (Columbia), up 16-6.
Following the death Thursday (Nov. 30) of the Pogues singer Shane MacGowan, aged 65, “Fairytale of New York” (Rhino) featuring Kirsty MacColl reenters the top 40 at No. 18. Now, with LadBaby official out of the race for the coveted U.K. Christmas No. 1, chart anoraks will keep a close eye on the ascent of the Pogues’ masterpiece.
Martin Talbot, CEO of the Official Charts, tips the song as a “genuine contender” for the Christmas crown.
“As usual, it was already heading back into the Official Singles Chart Top 40 this week and, while it is currently too early to give an indication of the scale of the streaming surge, we would very much expect it to rise back into the Top 20 over the coming days, perhaps even higher,” comments Martin Talbot, Chief Executive Officer, Official Charts. “It is a genuine contender for this year’s Christmas No. 1 – a chart position which this classic has never previously reached. What a fitting tribute to Shane that would be.”
“Fairytale of New York” has a U.K. chart best of No. 2, missing out when it was beaten to the Christmas No. 1 in 1987 by Pet Shop Boys’ “Always on My Mind.”
Further down the tally is Brenda Lee’s “Rockin Around The Christmas Tree” (No. 14 via MCA), Michael Bublé’s “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” (No. 16 via Reprise), Ed Sheeran and Elton John’s former chart-topper Merry Christmas (No. 17 via Atlantic/EMI) and other seasonal favorites.
Taylor Swift enters the home straight of 2023 in a familiar place – at No. 1 on Australia’s albums chart.
The most popular artist of the year on Spotify, TayTay enters a fifth week atop the ARIA Chart with 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (via Universal), and completes a “Swift Sweep” of the top four with Midnights (up 5-2), Folklore (up 6-3) and Lover (up 10-4), respectively. Swift collects two more top 10 appearances, as Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) climbs 15-8 and Reputation lifts 12-9.
At times this year, Swift has dominated the tally like no one else. In July, she completed an unprecedented sweep of the top 5. The following week, she replaced herself at No. 1, becoming the first artist to do so since the ARIA Charts began in 1983.
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Christmas is nearly upon us, proof of which can be seen on the ARIA Charts. A raft of Christmas-themed albums storm the tallies, including Jimmy Barnes’ Blue Christmas (reentering at No. 14 via Bloodlines/ Universal), Michael Buble’s two-time diamond certified Christmas (up 92-45 via Reprise/Warner) and Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas (Columbia/Sony) enters at No. 74.
Over on the ARIA Singles Chart, Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” returns at No. 15. The modern yuletide favorite peaked at No. 2 following its release in 1994, and finally went to No. 1 in 2018 — returning to the summit Christmas every year since for a total of seven combined weeks, ARIA reports.
Also marching into the ARIA Chart, published Friday, Dec. 1, is Wham’s “Last Christmas” (Sony), reentering at No. 30, and Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” (Warner/Universal) returns at No. 42.
At the pointy end of the ARIA Singles Chart, is Jack Harlow’s “Lovin On Me” (Atlantic/Warner), now in its third week at the top, marking the Louisville rapper’s longest-running leader in Australia.
Finally, Ocean Alley’s “Confidence” continues to flow, after the 2018 release went viral on TikTok. “Confidence” returned to the top 40 last week at No. 40, and rises to No. 16. Now, more than five years after its release, “Confidence” is the best-seller on the Australian Singles Chart. Independently-released, with distribution through the Orchard, “Confidence” originally peaked at No. 9 on the ARIA Chart and went on to win triple j’s Hottest 100 countdown in January 2019.
For a seventh straight decade, Cher has earned a new No. 1 on a Billboard songs chart, as her latest hit, “DJ Play a Christmas Song,” jingles 3-1 on the Dec. 2-dated Dance/Electronic Song Sales survey. The track is the lead single from the pop diva’s first holiday album, Christmas.
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Cher joins the Rolling Stones with at least one new No. 1 on a Billboard songs chart in each of the seven decades from the 1960s through the 2020s (excluding any Bubbling Under rankings).
Cher scored her first No. 1 as half of Sonny & Cher, when “I Got You Babe” topped the Billboard Hot 100 dated Aug. 14, 1965.
In the 1970s, she logged a trio of Hot 100 No. 1s of her own: “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves” in 1971, “Half-Breed” in 1973 and “Dark Lady” in 1974. She also claimed another No. 1 with Sonny, “All I Ever Need Is You,” on the Adult Contemporary airplay chart in 1971.
In the 1980s, Cher landed a pair of No. 1s on the Adult Contemporary chart in 1989 with “After All,” with Peter Cetera, and “If I Could Turn Back Time.” In the next decade, Cher returned to No. 1 on the Hot 100 with “Believe” in 1999, and it also crowned the Dance Club Songs tally. She notched two more No. 1s on the Dance Club Songs list that decade: “Strong Enough” and “All or Nothing.” (Cher additionally topped other Billboard rankings that decade, such as the now-defunct Hot Singles Sales and Dance Singles Sales charts.)
In the 2000s, Cher achieved three more No. 1s on the Dance Club Songs chart with “Song for the Lonely” (it also topped the Dance Singles Sales list) and “A Different Kind of Love Song” in 2002, and “When the Money’s Gone” in 2003. The following decade, she racked up further No. 1s on Dance Club Songs with “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me” in 2011 and “Woman’s World” in 2013.
The Rolling Stones, meanwhile, began their streak of No. 1 songs in seven straight decades just a month before Cher, when “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 dated July 10, 1965. They most recently led a songs survey with “Living in a Ghost Town,” which ruled the Rock Digital Song Sales chart dated May 9, 2020.
Take That’s This Life (via EMI) will claim the U.K. chart crown.
With This Life, the members of pop royalty chalk up the biggest first-week sales for a British act in 2023, topping 103,000 chart units at the midweek stage, the Official Charts Company reports.
That’s more than the week one tallies for Lewis Capaldi’s Broken by Desire to be Heavenly Sent (95,000 combined units), Ed Sheeran’s – (subtract, with 76,000) and Rolling Stones’ Hackney Diamonds (72,200).
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This Life should mark the ninth No. 1 for Take That, now performing and recording as the trio of Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen.
Previous, the lads reached the summit with Everything Changes (from 1993), Nobody Else (1995), Greatest Hits (1996), Beautiful World (2006), The Circus (2008), Progress (2010), III (2014) and Odyssey (2018).
In the week Kylie Minogue’s Australian record label home Mushroom caps its 50th anniversary celebrations, the princess of pop is set to mark her own milestone with a return to the U.K. top three.
Thanks to the release of a 35-year anniversary edition, Minogue’s debut album Kylie (via BMG) enters the midweek chart at No. 3. Following its release in 1987, Kylie held top spot on the Official U.K. Albums Chart for six non-consecutive weeks.
Close behind on the Official Chart Company is Michael Bublé’s Christmas (Reprise), which is poised for its annual return to the U.K. top 10. The Canadian crooner’s holidays classic fires-up 13-4 on the midweek list. Released in 2011, Christmas has clocked 96 weeks in the top 40, including five at No. 1.
Also eyeing the top 5 is The 1975 with their new live album At Their Very Best – Live from Madison Square Garden (Dirty Hit), new at No. 5 on the midweek tally. The MSG recording was cut during the British band’s tour in support of Being Funny in a Foreign Language, their fifth consecutive No. 1 in the U.K. Matty Healy and Co. have since announced an “indefinite hiatus” when they complete dates for the current Still… At Their Very Best world tour in late March 2024.
The late, legendary Tina Turner could land posthumous U.K. top 10 with Queen of Rock’n’Roll (Rhino). The career retrospective is set to enter the chart at No. 6, for what would be Turner’s 10th career top 10 album in the U.K. The eight-time Grammy Award winner died May 24 at the age of 83.
Finally, Scottish indie act the Trashcan Sinatras are about to lift the lid on their U.K. first top 40 appearance, thanks to a remastered and reissued version of their 1990 debut, Cake (via Last Night From Glasgow). It’s new at No. 10 on the Official Chart Update, and should easily eclipse its previous peak of No. 74. To date, the Trashcan Sinatras has a career best of No. 50 for 1993’s I’ve Seen Everything.
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Albums Chart is published late Friday, Dec. 1.
The Brits are still lovin on Jack Harlow. The Louisville rapper’s latest hit “Lovin On Me” (via Atlantic) enters a second week at No. 1 on the U.K. chart, racking up a market-leading 6 million streams in the latest cycle, the Official Charts Company confirms. The leader at the midweek stage, “Lovin On Me” is […]
The U.K. has had a week of Madness, as Theatre of the Absurd Presents C’est La Vie (via BMG) debuts at No. 1.
Theatre of the Absurd is the pop-ska band’s lucky thirteenth studio album. The leader at the midweek stage of the chart cycle, Theatre of the Absurd is the north London act’s 11th top 10, third leader, and first-ever U.K. No. 1 studio album.
Suggs and Co. previously reigned over the chart with career retrospectives Complete Madness (from 1982) and Divine Madness (1992).
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Theatre of the Absurd manages to go one better than Madness’ 1979 debut album, One Step Beyond, which peaked at No. 2 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, as did their sophomore set from 1980, Absolutely.
With Madness sweeping the nation, Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (via EMI) is deposed after a three-week stint at No. 1. Swift’s fourth re-recording project dips 1-2 on the national tally.
Meanwhile, Drake’s chart-topping For All the Dogs (OVO/Republic Records) rockets 21-3 following the release of its deluxe Scary Hours Edition.
Dolly Parton proves herself a rockstar once more with her latest LP, Rockstar, starting at No. 5 (Big Machine), for her fifth U.K. top 10 album. Inspired by her induction into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, Rockstar is a collection of rock cover versions, with assists from Miley Cyrus, Sting, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and others.
Further down the list, violinist and showman André Rieu’s Jewels of Romance (Decca) with Johann Strauss Orchestra bows at No. 12 on the Official Chart, published Friday Nov. 24, for the Dutchman’s 20th U.K. top 40.
As the festive season nears, Michael Bublé’s Christmas is heating up again, rising 32-16. Also, U.S. alternative rock act the National snag a sixth U.K. 40 album — and second this year — with Laugh Track (4AD), new at No. 24. It’s the followup to First Two Pages of Frankenstein, which peaked at No. 4 in May.
