Wham!’s festive track Final Christmas by no means bought to primary within the 12 months of its launch 1984, but it surely has scored a historic first, turning into the primary monitor to occupy the festive chart’s prime slot for a second consecutive 12 months.
40 years after its debut, the track penned by George Michael beat off competitors by Mariah Carey, Gracie Abrams, Tom Grennan and Ariana Grande to prime the chart. This follows its success in reaching the identical place final 12 months, following a marketing campaign by Wham! followers.
Michael’s bandmate Andrew Ridgeley advised the BBC of his pleasure that his late pal’s expertise had been recognised: “He would have been totally delighted [that] his fabulous Christmas composition has turn out to be such a traditional, virtually as a lot part of Christmas as mince pies, turkey and pigs in blankets.
“It’s testomony to a very great Christmas track that in lots of people’s minds evokes and represents Christmas as we’d all want it to be.”
The BBC reviews that the Official Charts Firm confirms the track 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 track and performed each instrument himself, earlier than the band along with their pals 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 12 months. 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 report to the Band Help trigger.
Michael died on Christmas Day 2016, and within the documentary, his pals remembered fondly how necessary this time of 12 months was to him.
