The pop duo’s festive hit Final Christmas was revealed to have topped the charts on Friday, virtually 40 years after its launch.
Final Christmas first debuted in 1984, and was initially held off the highest spot by Band Help’s charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas?.
Whereas it’s since topped the UK singles chart on a number of events within the streaming period – this marks the primary time it’s landed the coveted primary spot at Christmas, which Andrew Ridgeley has mentioned was all the time George Michael’s hope for the monitor.
“Final Christmas has lastly ascended to the much-cherished and sought-after official Christmas primary, which was all the time the primary aim,” he informed the Official Charts Firm on Friday.
“George could be beside himself [that] in any case of those years, [we’ve] lastly obtained Christmas primary. Yog mentioned that he wrote Final Christmas with the intention of writing a Christmas primary. It’s mission completed!”
This new feat makes Final Christmas the longest ever time between a tune’s launch and its ascent to the highest of the Christmas charts, at 39 years.
“Christmas primary has been a long-held ambition for Yog and I,” Andrew added of his late bandmate. “And for the followers, too. It’ll imply lots to Wham!’s legacy – it’s the crowning glory.
“Final Christmas was conceived as a Christmas primary. Lofty ambitions, however Yog set lofty ambitions for himself as a songwriter. Our followers could have an actual sense of feat and satisfaction within the truth it’s turn into Christmas primary.”
Wham! had stiff competitors from Eurovision favorite Sam Ryder on this week’s chart.
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Sam’s festive authentic You’re Christmas To Me – which is an Amazon unique, and marks his first launch as an impartial artist – landed the quantity two spot, matching the success of his breakthrough hit House Man.
“Christmas quantity two, isn’t that bonkers?” he mentioned. “After we wrote this tune, within the blazing month of August, we didn’t even count on it to chart. However right here we’re, in a Mariah Carey and Wham! sandwich, and we’re the filling. I’m stoked!”
Addressing his fellow musicians, Sam added: “I hope this has given some vigour and a few hearth to approaching grass roots and indie artists. You are able to do it – you’ve simply obtained to set your coronary heart ablaze and get on the market.
“Imagine, have religion. We all the time hold combating. There’s all the time subsequent week!”
He additionally revealed he nonetheless has a chart-topper in his sights, stating: “Let’s go for it once more, let’s get that primary.”
Behind him at quantity three is Mariah Carey’s festive tune All I Need For Christmas Is You, whereas Noah Kahan has the week’s highest non-Christmas single with Stick Season at quantity 4.
Finishing the highest 5 is Ed Sheeran and Sir Elton John’s duet Merry Christmas, forward of The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl’s Fairytale Of New York, which was beforehand reported to be in rivalry for the highest spot, at quantity six.