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Christmas hits through the years.
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By Philip Hamilton.
Despite mixed reviews, the song - which was released to raise money for famine victims in Sudan, Africa - captured the imagination of the British public and went on to easily surpass the £8million raised by the original Band Aid record in 1984.
Originally the brainchild of The Sun newspaper and organised and recorded by original Band Aid founders and trustees Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure the record - which was also penned by Bob and Midge - was made to mark 20 years since the first Band Aid went ahead.
Featuring a galaxy of music stars, including Coldplay's Chris Martin, former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, Bono, The Darkness, Joss Stone, Robbie Williams, Will Young, Keane and Radiohead singer Thom Yorke, the recording of the song took place in a single day before it was rushed to be pressed and distributed to radio stations around the country.
In keeping with the tradition of Christmas singles, the quality of the music was secondary to the purpose of the track - Geldof, Martin and Bono all took swipes at critics who heaped criticism upon the song - which was to save lives.
The success of the single ultimately inspired the Live8 charity concerts, which featured many of the artists who appeared on the record, that took place across the globe on July 2 drawing attention to the plight of the population of the Third World.
The decade spawned a host of Christmas chart toppers, including 1990's 'Saviours Day' released by the king of festive records Cliff Richard and Whitney Houston's 1992 hit 'I Will Always Love You' - although not a festive song, the single holds the record for the longest running Christmas number one after it topped the charts in November 1992 and stayed there for 10 weeks until February the next year. The 90's all conquering girl group The Spice Girls became the first band since The Beatles to score three consecutive Christmas number ones from 1996 to 1998.
British glam rockers Queen hit the top spot in 1991 with their re-release of 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. Released in the wake of Freddie Mercury's tragic death after a long battle with Aids, the track was in fact released as one half of a double A-side along with 'These Are The Days Of Our Lives'.
Interestingly, the fact the track went straight to the top charts means Queen are blessed as the only band to have landed the coveted Christmas number one spot on two separate occasions with the same song. The first time it was a festive hit was in 1975, at almost six minutes in length, it was originally deemed to long to be a hit by radio DJs, and the band's record label, but despite its critics the record stormed to the top of the charts.
Unlike 2004's re-working, the original Band Aid was a spontaneous affair and saw organisers Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure assemble a host of top musicians including Duran Duran, Phil Collins, U2 and Paul Weller to record the track in a single day on November 24.
The track was released on November 25, and went straight to number one before going on to become the fastest-selling single of all time, hitting the top of the charts in 12 other countries, raising over £8million in aid for famine victims in Ethiopia. Although easily being the biggest-selling Christmas single of the decade, the 80s was littered with musical Christmas crackers. 1985 saw Shakin' Stevens claim the top spot with 'Merry Christmas Everyone ' and pensioners across the UK felt a warm glow when Sir Cliff was crowned 1988's festive chart-topper with 'Mistletoe & Wine'.
It also saw one of the most hotly contested races for the number one slot in 1973, with two goliaths of Christmas singles battling it out for the prestigious title - and ultimately become the biggest-selling record of the decade. Slade's 'Merry Christmas Everybody' and Wizzard's 'I Wish it Could Be Christmas Everyday' went head-to-head for the top spot. Wizzard, fronted by Roy Wood, recorded their single in the summer in a darkened studio bedecked with tinsel and baubles, to create the appropriate atmosphere. Unlike modern pop singles, the record made its chart debut on December 1 entering at number 19 and slowly building momentum to claim pole-position.
However, although on its release the single was hotly tipped to be that year's number one, it was eventually beaten by Slade's offering. The glam rockers - headed by singer Noddy Holder - had been riding a crest of a wave after achieving phenomenal success with their unique brand of glam-rock and gatecrashed the charts, going straight in at number one.
The track stayed at the top for the next five weeks beating Wizzard into fourth spot in the process, the highlight of its reign being a memorable performance on BBC music show 'Top of the Pops' which saw the crowd invade the stage to join the band to deliver their raucous Christmas message.
However, not one Christmas number one in the entire decade had anything remotely to do with the season. The Beatles claimed three consecutive number ones but none of them mentioned, Jesus, crackers, stockings or mistletoe. There was one Beatles Christmas song, 'Christmas Time is Here Again', made in 1967, but was only available exclusively for their fan club. Although a groundbreaking decade for music, fans of genuine Christmas hits are better off skipping to the 70s or 80s for their Yule tide tunes.
Despite mixed reviews, the song - which was released to raise money for famine victims in Sudan, Africa - captured the imagination of the British public and went on to easily surpass the £8million raised by the original Band Aid record in 1984.
Originally the brainchild of The Sun newspaper and organised and recorded by original Band Aid founders and trustees Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure the record - which was also penned by Bob and Midge - was made to mark 20 years since the first Band Aid went ahead.
Featuring a galaxy of music stars, including Coldplay's Chris Martin, former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, Bono, The Darkness, Joss Stone, Robbie Williams, Will Young, Keane and Radiohead singer Thom Yorke, the recording of the song took place in a single day before it was rushed to be pressed and distributed to radio stations around the country.
In keeping with the tradition of Christmas singles, the quality of the music was secondary to the purpose of the track - Geldof, Martin and Bono all took swipes at critics who heaped criticism upon the song - which was to save lives.
The success of the single ultimately inspired the Live8 charity concerts, which featured many of the artists who appeared on the record, that took place across the globe on July 2 drawing attention to the plight of the population of the Third World.
The decade spawned a host of Christmas chart toppers, including 1990's 'Saviours Day' released by the king of festive records Cliff Richard and Whitney Houston's 1992 hit 'I Will Always Love You' - although not a festive song, the single holds the record for the longest running Christmas number one after it topped the charts in November 1992 and stayed there for 10 weeks until February the next year. The 90's all conquering girl group The Spice Girls became the first band since The Beatles to score three consecutive Christmas number ones from 1996 to 1998.
British glam rockers Queen hit the top spot in 1991 with their re-release of 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. Released in the wake of Freddie Mercury's tragic death after a long battle with Aids, the track was in fact released as one half of a double A-side along with 'These Are The Days Of Our Lives'.
Interestingly, the fact the track went straight to the top charts means Queen are blessed as the only band to have landed the coveted Christmas number one spot on two separate occasions with the same song. The first time it was a festive hit was in 1975, at almost six minutes in length, it was originally deemed to long to be a hit by radio DJs, and the band's record label, but despite its critics the record stormed to the top of the charts.
Unlike 2004's re-working, the original Band Aid was a spontaneous affair and saw organisers Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure assemble a host of top musicians including Duran Duran, Phil Collins, U2 and Paul Weller to record the track in a single day on November 24.
The track was released on November 25, and went straight to number one before going on to become the fastest-selling single of all time, hitting the top of the charts in 12 other countries, raising over £8million in aid for famine victims in Ethiopia. Although easily being the biggest-selling Christmas single of the decade, the 80s was littered with musical Christmas crackers. 1985 saw Shakin' Stevens claim the top spot with 'Merry Christmas Everyone ' and pensioners across the UK felt a warm glow when Sir Cliff was crowned 1988's festive chart-topper with 'Mistletoe & Wine'.
It also saw one of the most hotly contested races for the number one slot in 1973, with two goliaths of Christmas singles battling it out for the prestigious title - and ultimately become the biggest-selling record of the decade. Slade's 'Merry Christmas Everybody' and Wizzard's 'I Wish it Could Be Christmas Everyday' went head-to-head for the top spot. Wizzard, fronted by Roy Wood, recorded their single in the summer in a darkened studio bedecked with tinsel and baubles, to create the appropriate atmosphere. Unlike modern pop singles, the record made its chart debut on December 1 entering at number 19 and slowly building momentum to claim pole-position.
However, although on its release the single was hotly tipped to be that year's number one, it was eventually beaten by Slade's offering. The glam rockers - headed by singer Noddy Holder - had been riding a crest of a wave after achieving phenomenal success with their unique brand of glam-rock and gatecrashed the charts, going straight in at number one.
The track stayed at the top for the next five weeks beating Wizzard into fourth spot in the process, the highlight of its reign being a memorable performance on BBC music show 'Top of the Pops' which saw the crowd invade the stage to join the band to deliver their raucous Christmas message.
However, not one Christmas number one in the entire decade had anything remotely to do with the season. The Beatles claimed three consecutive number ones but none of them mentioned, Jesus, crackers, stockings or mistletoe. There was one Beatles Christmas song, 'Christmas Time is Here Again', made in 1967, but was only available exclusively for their fan club. Although a groundbreaking decade for music, fans of genuine Christmas hits are better off skipping to the 70s or 80s for their Yule tide tunes.
The UK Christmas number one is as much a British festive tradition as the Queen's Speech, roast turkey or arguing with the family over charades. Over the last 50 years a huge variety of singles ranging from novelty one-hit wonders to seasonal ballads, festive party tunes to slick pop tracks have claimed the coveted top-spot.
But what is it that makes the British public obsessed with Yule tide hits? It seems from the beginning of December until New Year's Day record buyers forget about trends and taste - who could forget Benny Hill's 1971 hit 'Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West)' - and embrace festive feel-good hits, often claiming, 'It's just a bit of fun'. Over the years, the charts have been graced with a bevy of seasonal tracks that have woven themselves into the fabric of British society. Children everywhere rushed to the shops in 2000 to get their hands on Bob The Builder's jolly ode to building 'Can We Fix It?', while Cliff Richard's 'Mistletoe & Wine' from 1988 has, sadly, intrinsically become a part of the festive season. For many Christmas revellers the holiday season has not truly started until they have found themselves on the dance-floor busting some drunken moves to Slade's 1973 hit 'Merry Xmas Everybody' or Shakin' Stevens 1885 chart-topper 'Merry Christmas Everyone'. This year there is an absence of a genuine Christmas song - the Crazy Frog 'singing' 'Jingle Bells' is most people's idea of a musical nightmare not a bit of festive fun - and instead 'X Factor' winner Shayne Ward and unlikely pop stars Nizlopi will battle it out for the top spot. Duo Nizlopi - Luke Concannon and John Parker two school friends from Warwickshire - have come out of nowhere with their folk track the 'JCB Song', about a boy who likes to ride in his dad's JCB, to try and snatch the coveted position from Shayne and his debut single 'That's My Goal'.Bookmakers have the 'X Factor' star - who was crowned the winner of the popular TV talent show last week - as the odds-on favourite to top the charts but there is still a good chance he could be beaten in the race by the quirky hit - which is currently number one.
So in the absence of a classic Christmas hit this year, here is a run down of the best-selling Christmas records from the last few years to the 60s. See if you can spot your favourite.
2000s
Last year, Band Aid 20 claimed the Christmas number one becoming the biggest selling single of the year in the process.Despite mixed reviews, the song - which was released to raise money for famine victims in Sudan, Africa - captured the imagination of the British public and went on to easily surpass the £8million raised by the original Band Aid record in 1984.
Originally the brainchild of The Sun newspaper and organised and recorded by original Band Aid founders and trustees Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure the record - which was also penned by Bob and Midge - was made to mark 20 years since the first Band Aid went ahead.
Featuring a galaxy of music stars, including Coldplay's Chris Martin, former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, Bono, The Darkness, Joss Stone, Robbie Williams, Will Young, Keane and Radiohead singer Thom Yorke, the recording of the song took place in a single day before it was rushed to be pressed and distributed to radio stations around the country.
In keeping with the tradition of Christmas singles, the quality of the music was secondary to the purpose of the track - Geldof, Martin and Bono all took swipes at critics who heaped criticism upon the song - which was to save lives.
The success of the single ultimately inspired the Live8 charity concerts, which featured many of the artists who appeared on the record, that took place across the globe on July 2 drawing attention to the plight of the population of the Third World.
1990's
In the decade that brought us Brit-Pop and the explosion of cutting edge dance music the 90s was not without it's naff Christmas hits.The decade spawned a host of Christmas chart toppers, including 1990's 'Saviours Day' released by the king of festive records Cliff Richard and Whitney Houston's 1992 hit 'I Will Always Love You' - although not a festive song, the single holds the record for the longest running Christmas number one after it topped the charts in November 1992 and stayed there for 10 weeks until February the next year. The 90's all conquering girl group The Spice Girls became the first band since The Beatles to score three consecutive Christmas number ones from 1996 to 1998.
British glam rockers Queen hit the top spot in 1991 with their re-release of 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. Released in the wake of Freddie Mercury's tragic death after a long battle with Aids, the track was in fact released as one half of a double A-side along with 'These Are The Days Of Our Lives'.
Interestingly, the fact the track went straight to the top charts means Queen are blessed as the only band to have landed the coveted Christmas number one spot on two separate occasions with the same song. The first time it was a festive hit was in 1975, at almost six minutes in length, it was originally deemed to long to be a hit by radio DJs, and the band's record label, but despite its critics the record stormed to the top of the charts.
1980s.
The second entry in the seasonal countdown for Christmas classic 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' which was number one in 1984.Unlike 2004's re-working, the original Band Aid was a spontaneous affair and saw organisers Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure assemble a host of top musicians including Duran Duran, Phil Collins, U2 and Paul Weller to record the track in a single day on November 24.
The track was released on November 25, and went straight to number one before going on to become the fastest-selling single of all time, hitting the top of the charts in 12 other countries, raising over £8million in aid for famine victims in Ethiopia. Although easily being the biggest-selling Christmas single of the decade, the 80s was littered with musical Christmas crackers. 1985 saw Shakin' Stevens claim the top spot with 'Merry Christmas Everyone ' and pensioners across the UK felt a warm glow when Sir Cliff was crowned 1988's festive chart-topper with 'Mistletoe & Wine'.
1970s
. The 70's was the decade the true Christmas record - and not just a big-selling pop song - was born. Ridiculous costumes, songs about the season and the novelty factor reigned in what was a vintage era for fans of merry music.It also saw one of the most hotly contested races for the number one slot in 1973, with two goliaths of Christmas singles battling it out for the prestigious title - and ultimately become the biggest-selling record of the decade. Slade's 'Merry Christmas Everybody' and Wizzard's 'I Wish it Could Be Christmas Everyday' went head-to-head for the top spot. Wizzard, fronted by Roy Wood, recorded their single in the summer in a darkened studio bedecked with tinsel and baubles, to create the appropriate atmosphere. Unlike modern pop singles, the record made its chart debut on December 1 entering at number 19 and slowly building momentum to claim pole-position.
However, although on its release the single was hotly tipped to be that year's number one, it was eventually beaten by Slade's offering. The glam rockers - headed by singer Noddy Holder - had been riding a crest of a wave after achieving phenomenal success with their unique brand of glam-rock and gatecrashed the charts, going straight in at number one.
The track stayed at the top for the next five weeks beating Wizzard into fourth spot in the process, the highlight of its reign being a memorable performance on BBC music show 'Top of the Pops' which saw the crowd invade the stage to join the band to deliver their raucous Christmas message.
1960s.
Unsurprisingly, The Beatles take the plaudits for the biggest hit of the swinging 60s with their 1963 double A-side 'I Want to Hold Your Hand/This Boy'. The track sold an astonishing 1.75million copies and spent five weeks at number one, carrying on into 1964. It was the Fab Four's third number one single and preceded the explosion of Beatles' mania in '64.However, not one Christmas number one in the entire decade had anything remotely to do with the season. The Beatles claimed three consecutive number ones but none of them mentioned, Jesus, crackers, stockings or mistletoe. There was one Beatles Christmas song, 'Christmas Time is Here Again', made in 1967, but was only available exclusively for their fan club. Although a groundbreaking decade for music, fans of genuine Christmas hits are better off skipping to the 70s or 80s for their Yule tide tunes.
So there you have in all their glory the best of the best, the crème de la crème of UK Christmas number ones. Whether you love them or loathe them you will have heard them before and, in the next few days, you will no doubt be hearing them again. The festive race for the top-spot is a uniquely British tradition. Unlike anywhere else across the world the moment the 'winner' is announced on the day is enjoyed by families everywhere.
Unfortunately, with the advent of music downloads and a steady decline in singles sales year-on-year the race for the Christmas number one could become a redundant tradition confined to the annuls of history.
One day will the once glorious tradition be forever lost only to be mentioned romantically by older generations with rose-tinted memories of Christmas past. If so, Cliff Richard better start looking for a new job.
Full list of UK Christmas Number Ones:
- (1) 1952 Al Martino Here In My Heart
- (2) 1953 Frankie Laine Answer Me
- (3) 1954 Winifred Atwell Let's Have Another Party
- (4) 1955 Dickie Valentine Christmas Alphabet
- (5) 1956 Johnnie Ray Just Walkin' In The Rain
- (6) 1957 Harry Belafonte Mary's Boy Child
- (7) 1958 Conway Twitty It's Only Make Believe
- (8) 1959 Emile Ford & The Checkmates What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For
- (9) 1960 Cliff Richard & The Shadows I Love You
- (10) 1961 Danny Williams Moon River
- (11) 1962 Elvis Presley Return To Sender
- (12) 1963 The Beatles I Want To Hold Your Hand
- (13) 1964 The Beatles I Feel Fine
- (14) 1965 The Beatles Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out
- (15) 1966 Tom Jones The Green Grass Of Home
- (16) 1967 The Beatles Hello Goodbye
- (17) 1968 Scaffold Lily The Pink
- (18) 1969 Rolf Harris Two Little Boys
- (19) 1970 Dave Edmunds I Hear You Knockin'
- (20) 1971 Benny Hill Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West)
- (21) 1972 Little Jimmy Osmond Long Haired Lover From Liverpool
- (22) 1973 Slade Merry Xmas Everybody
- (23) 1974 Mud Lonely This Christmas
- (24) 1975 Queen Bohemian Rhapsody
- (25) 1976 Johnny Mathis When A Child Is Born (Soleado)
- (26) 1977 Wings Mull Of Kintyre / Girls' School
- (27) 1978 Boney M Mary's Boy Child-Oh My Lord
- (28) 1979 Pink Floyd Another Brick In The Wall
- (29) 1980 St Winifred's School Choir There's No One Quite Like Grandma
- (30) 1981 The Human League Don't You Want Me
- (31) 1982 Renee & Renato Save Your Love
- (32) 1983 The Flying Pickets Only You
- (33) 1984 Band Aid Do They Know It's Christmas?
- (34) 1985 Shakin' Stevens Merry Christmas Everyone
- (35) 1986 Jackie Wilson Reet Petite
- (36) 1987 The Pet Shop Boys Always On My Mind
- (37) 1988 Cliff Richard Mistletoe & Wine
- (38) 1989 Band Aid II Do They Know It's Christmas?
- (39) 1990 Cliff Richard Saviours' Day
- (40) 1991 Queen Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives
- (41) 1992 Whitney Houston I Will Always Love You
- (42) 1993 Mr Blobby Mr Blobby
- (43) 1994 East 17 Stay Another Day
- (44) 1995 Michael Jackson Earth Song
- (45) 1996 Spice Girls 2 Become 1
- (46) 1997 Spice Girls Too Much
- (47) 1998 Spice Girls Goodbye
- (48) 1999 Westlife I Have A Dream / Seasons In The Sun
- (49) 2000 Bob The Builder Can We Fix It?
- (50) 2001 Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman Somethin' Stupid
- (51) 2002 Girls Aloud Sound Of The Underground
- (52) 2003 Michael Andrews featuring Gary Jules Mad World
- (53) 2004 Band Aid 20 Do They Know It's Christmas?
The UK Christmas number one is as much a British festive tradition as the Queen's Speech, roast turkey or arguing with the family over charades. Over the last 50 years a huge variety of singles ranging from novelty one-hit wonders to seasonal ballads, festive party tunes to slick pop tracks have claimed the coveted top-spot.
But what is it that makes the British public obsessed with Yule tide hits? It seems from the beginning of December until New Year's Day record buyers forget about trends and taste - who could forget Benny Hill's 1971 hit 'Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West)' - and embrace festive feel-good hits, often claiming, 'It's just a bit of fun'. Over the years, the charts have been graced with a bevy of seasonal tracks that have woven themselves into the fabric of British society. Children everywhere rushed to the shops in 2000 to get their hands on Bob The Builder's jolly ode to building 'Can We Fix It?', while Cliff Richard's 'Mistletoe & Wine' from 1988 has, sadly, intrinsically become a part of the festive season. For many Christmas revellers the holiday season has not truly started until they have found themselves on the dance-floor busting some drunken moves to Slade's 1973 hit 'Merry Xmas Everybody' or Shakin' Stevens 1885 chart-topper 'Merry Christmas Everyone'. This year there is an absence of a genuine Christmas song - the Crazy Frog 'singing' 'Jingle Bells' is most people's idea of a musical nightmare not a bit of festive fun - and instead 'X Factor' winner Shayne Ward and unlikely pop stars Nizlopi will battle it out for the top spot. Duo Nizlopi - Luke Concannon and John Parker two school friends from Warwickshire - have come out of nowhere with their folk track the 'JCB Song', about a boy who likes to ride in his dad's JCB, to try and snatch the coveted position from Shayne and his debut single 'That's My Goal'.Bookmakers have the 'X Factor' star - who was crowned the winner of the popular TV talent show last week - as the odds-on favourite to top the charts but there is still a good chance he could be beaten in the race by the quirky hit - which is currently number one.
So in the absence of a classic Christmas hit this year, here is a run down of the best-selling Christmas records from the last few years to the 60s. See if you can spot your favourite.
2000s
Last year, Band Aid 20 claimed the Christmas number one becoming the biggest selling single of the year in the process.Despite mixed reviews, the song - which was released to raise money for famine victims in Sudan, Africa - captured the imagination of the British public and went on to easily surpass the £8million raised by the original Band Aid record in 1984.
Originally the brainchild of The Sun newspaper and organised and recorded by original Band Aid founders and trustees Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure the record - which was also penned by Bob and Midge - was made to mark 20 years since the first Band Aid went ahead.
Featuring a galaxy of music stars, including Coldplay's Chris Martin, former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, Bono, The Darkness, Joss Stone, Robbie Williams, Will Young, Keane and Radiohead singer Thom Yorke, the recording of the song took place in a single day before it was rushed to be pressed and distributed to radio stations around the country.
In keeping with the tradition of Christmas singles, the quality of the music was secondary to the purpose of the track - Geldof, Martin and Bono all took swipes at critics who heaped criticism upon the song - which was to save lives.
The success of the single ultimately inspired the Live8 charity concerts, which featured many of the artists who appeared on the record, that took place across the globe on July 2 drawing attention to the plight of the population of the Third World.
1990's
In the decade that brought us Brit-Pop and the explosion of cutting edge dance music the 90s was not without it's naff Christmas hits.The decade spawned a host of Christmas chart toppers, including 1990's 'Saviours Day' released by the king of festive records Cliff Richard and Whitney Houston's 1992 hit 'I Will Always Love You' - although not a festive song, the single holds the record for the longest running Christmas number one after it topped the charts in November 1992 and stayed there for 10 weeks until February the next year. The 90's all conquering girl group The Spice Girls became the first band since The Beatles to score three consecutive Christmas number ones from 1996 to 1998.
British glam rockers Queen hit the top spot in 1991 with their re-release of 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. Released in the wake of Freddie Mercury's tragic death after a long battle with Aids, the track was in fact released as one half of a double A-side along with 'These Are The Days Of Our Lives'.
Interestingly, the fact the track went straight to the top charts means Queen are blessed as the only band to have landed the coveted Christmas number one spot on two separate occasions with the same song. The first time it was a festive hit was in 1975, at almost six minutes in length, it was originally deemed to long to be a hit by radio DJs, and the band's record label, but despite its critics the record stormed to the top of the charts.
1980s.
The second entry in the seasonal countdown for Christmas classic 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' which was number one in 1984.Unlike 2004's re-working, the original Band Aid was a spontaneous affair and saw organisers Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure assemble a host of top musicians including Duran Duran, Phil Collins, U2 and Paul Weller to record the track in a single day on November 24.
The track was released on November 25, and went straight to number one before going on to become the fastest-selling single of all time, hitting the top of the charts in 12 other countries, raising over £8million in aid for famine victims in Ethiopia. Although easily being the biggest-selling Christmas single of the decade, the 80s was littered with musical Christmas crackers. 1985 saw Shakin' Stevens claim the top spot with 'Merry Christmas Everyone ' and pensioners across the UK felt a warm glow when Sir Cliff was crowned 1988's festive chart-topper with 'Mistletoe & Wine'.
1970s
. The 70's was the decade the true Christmas record - and not just a big-selling pop song - was born. Ridiculous costumes, songs about the season and the novelty factor reigned in what was a vintage era for fans of merry music.It also saw one of the most hotly contested races for the number one slot in 1973, with two goliaths of Christmas singles battling it out for the prestigious title - and ultimately become the biggest-selling record of the decade. Slade's 'Merry Christmas Everybody' and Wizzard's 'I Wish it Could Be Christmas Everyday' went head-to-head for the top spot. Wizzard, fronted by Roy Wood, recorded their single in the summer in a darkened studio bedecked with tinsel and baubles, to create the appropriate atmosphere. Unlike modern pop singles, the record made its chart debut on December 1 entering at number 19 and slowly building momentum to claim pole-position.
However, although on its release the single was hotly tipped to be that year's number one, it was eventually beaten by Slade's offering. The glam rockers - headed by singer Noddy Holder - had been riding a crest of a wave after achieving phenomenal success with their unique brand of glam-rock and gatecrashed the charts, going straight in at number one.
The track stayed at the top for the next five weeks beating Wizzard into fourth spot in the process, the highlight of its reign being a memorable performance on BBC music show 'Top of the Pops' which saw the crowd invade the stage to join the band to deliver their raucous Christmas message.
1960s.
Unsurprisingly, The Beatles take the plaudits for the biggest hit of the swinging 60s with their 1963 double A-side 'I Want to Hold Your Hand/This Boy'. The track sold an astonishing 1.75million copies and spent five weeks at number one, carrying on into 1964. It was the Fab Four's third number one single and preceded the explosion of Beatles' mania in '64.However, not one Christmas number one in the entire decade had anything remotely to do with the season. The Beatles claimed three consecutive number ones but none of them mentioned, Jesus, crackers, stockings or mistletoe. There was one Beatles Christmas song, 'Christmas Time is Here Again', made in 1967, but was only available exclusively for their fan club. Although a groundbreaking decade for music, fans of genuine Christmas hits are better off skipping to the 70s or 80s for their Yule tide tunes.
So there you have in all their glory the best of the best, the crème de la crème of UK Christmas number ones. Whether you love them or loathe them you will have heard them before and, in the next few days, you will no doubt be hearing them again. The festive race for the top-spot is a uniquely British tradition. Unlike anywhere else across the world the moment the 'winner' is announced on the day is enjoyed by families everywhere.
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