New Christmas song headed for Number One amid 40th anniversary of festive classic

The battle for the Christmas Number One is well underway, and it is looking like a new track could knock a festive classic celebrating its 40th anniversary out of the way.

• READ MORE: From the archives – the worst Christmas Number Ones of all time

The top contenders for the Christmas Number One were announced last month, with Sabrina Carpenter, Gracie Abrams, Chappell Roan and former Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft among the top-listed candidates.

A number of festive classics were also named among the most likely to reach the top spot on the charts. These included Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’, Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ – which recently divided fans with a new anniversary edition remake – and WHAM!’s ‘Last Christmas’.

The latter comes as the iconic George Michael track is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and also as it topped the charts for the first time in 2023. If it were to lock in the position again, it would be the first song to ever win twice, let alone two years in a row.

However, a new track has been shared that could come as a contender: Tom Grennan’s latest release ‘It Can’t Be Christmas’.

If it were to continue climbing the charts to reach the top spot in time for December 25, the feat would mark the first time an original new song took the Number One spot since Ed Sheeran’s ‘Perfect’ did so in 2017.

As reported by Metro, it could go one step further, and become the first festive song with Christmas in the title that peaked on the charts since 1985, when Shakin’ Stevens shared ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’.

In a bid to inspire fans to stream and purchase the single to help it reach the top of the charts, Grennan has gotten a tattoo, leaving a blank space for the winner’s name to be confirmed.

“Today I’m at the tattoo shop and I thought I’m gonna make it interesting. I’m gonna get “Christmas No.1 2024 is…” and I’m gonna let you lot decide what goes on my leg,” he said in a new announcement.

‘It’s up to you. Stream it, buy the vinyl, we’ll see what happens. Do not let this flop.’

Other new contenders for Christmas Number One include Linkin Park, Sam Fender and KSI featuring Trippie Redd, as well as other festive classics like East 17’s ‘Stay Another Day’. You can find the full list here.

As reported by The Yorkshire Post, the 2024 Official Christmas Number One will be announced on Friday, December 20. A full Christmas Top 40 list will be counted down on BBC Radio 1’s The Official Chart with Jack Saunders from 4pm GMT.

A memorable contender in recent years was LadBaby. The duo – comprising husband and wife Mark and Roxanne Hoyle – landed the UK Christmas Number One for five years straight with their spoof takes on hit songs.

LadBaby previously hit the top spot in 2018 with ‘We Built This City’, in 2019 with ‘I Love Sausage Rolls’, in 2020 with ‘Don’t Stop Me Eatin’’, and 2021 with the Ed Sheeran and Elton John collaboration ‘Sausage Rolls For Everyone’. In 2022, they broke a UK chart record previously held by The Beatles as they scored their fifth Christmas Number One with ‘Food Aid’.

Last year, however, they confirmed they would be stepping down.