Wham!’s festive tune Final Christmas by no means bought to primary within the yr of its launch 1984, however it has scored a historic first, turning into the primary monitor to occupy the festive chart’s high slot for a second consecutive yr.
40 years after its debut, the tune penned by George Michael beat off competitors by Mariah Carey, Gracie Abrams, Tom Grennan and Ariana Grande to high the chart. This follows its success in reaching the identical place final yr, following a marketing campaign by Wham! followers.
Michael’s bandmate Andrew Ridgeley advised the BBC of his pleasure that his late good friend’s expertise had been recognised: “He would have been totally delighted [that] his fabulous Christmas composition has grow to be such a traditional, nearly as a lot part of Christmas as mince pies, turkey and pigs in blankets.
“It’s testomony to a extremely fantastic Christmas tune that in lots of people’s minds evokes and represents Christmas as we might all want it to be.”
The BBC stories that the Official Charts Firm confirms the tune has been streamed 12.6million instances within the week main as much as Christmas.
A brand new documentary Wham!’s Final Christmas Unwrapped aired on the BBC final week, exploring how Michael created the tune and performed each instrument himself, earlier than the band along with their mates travelled to Saas-Fe in Switzerland to movie the video.
On their return, Michael joined the remainder of Bob Geldof’s musical recruits for Band Help, the charity single that beat Final Christmas to the highest of the chart that yr. Michael admitted his ego was bruised by not having the festive primary, however he demonstrated his generosity with the choice to donate all royalties from his personal document to the Band Help trigger.
Michael died on Christmas Day 2016, and within the documentary, his mates remembered fondly how necessary this time of yr was to him.
