Australian pop icon Kylie Minogue is on course to secure the coveted UK Christmas number one single, currently thrashing the legendary duo Wham! in the midweek chart race.
The Midweek Chart Showdown
Official midweek figures reveal that Kylie's new festive track, 'XMAS', is leading by a significant margin of 75 per cent over Wham!'s perennial favourite, 'Last Christmas'. Industry insiders now expect the 58-year-old singer to be crowned chart queen when the final results are announced on Friday.
If she succeeds, it will halt the late George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley's hit from achieving a historic third consecutive Christmas number one, after it claimed the top spot in both 2022 and 2023.
Charity Challenger and Streaming Giants
Not far behind Wham! is the powerful charity single 'Lullaby' by Together for Palestine'. The track, featuring over 15 UK and Palestinian artists including Bastille's Dan Smith, Celeste, and Little Mix's Leigh-Anne Pinnock, is raising urgent, life-saving funds for children in Gaza. Notably, its chart position is being bolstered by actual purchases, not just streams, as supporters buy the record to donate to the cause.
The race also features other festive giants. Mariah Carey's 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' (1994) is currently at number four, while The Pogues' 'Fairytale of New York' (1987) holds fifth place.
How Streaming Changed the Game
Kylie's campaign has been formidable. She performed the song to almost seven million viewers on Strictly Come Dancing and promoted it on BBC Radio 2. A key advantage is the track's status as an Amazon Music exclusive, ensuring prominent placement on Alexa playlists and generating crucial streams.
The chart battle underscores how streaming has revolutionised the Christmas number one contest. Martin Talbot, chief executive of the Official Charts Company, explained: 'Streaming has completely transformed the way the Christmas No1 is decided. Classic songs have a real shot at returning to the top each year, thanks to their enduring popularity on playlists.'
The rules now count 100 streams as equivalent to one sale, a shift from the physical sales era that favours established hits with massive streaming numbers.
An industry source commented: 'Kylie had a tough job. Beating Wham! and 'Last Christmas' was an uphill struggle, as it's one of the most played festive songs. But Kylie's track is very, very catchy and seems to have taken on a life of its own. She has also been very determined to get the Christmas crown.'
