The John Lewis 2026 Christmas advert has launched, featuring Sam Fender's cover of The Rolling Stones' 'You Can't Always Get What You Want', a song personally approved by Mick Jagger.
The campaign, with the message 'Don't give up on giving', follows a grandmother named Gloria who struggles to find Christmas gifts for her grandchildren. After considering giving up and putting money in envelopes, she is encouraged by a wooden dog toy named Pickles, voiced by Paul Whitehouse, to travel to London for inspiration. She eventually creates a 'Gran Cave' at home where she and her grandchildren Maggie and Freddie can dance together while music plays on a vinyl record player.
Sam Fender's Cover and Personal Touch
Sam, 32, described it as a 'privilege to rework such an iconic song by such a legendary band'. His rendition includes a choir of children from his old school, John Spence Community High School, and a brass section arranged with the Easington Colliery Band. 'In the spirit of Christmas, we re-recorded the children's choir with the kids from my old school, John Spence Community High School, and we arranged a brass section with the Easington Colliery Band,' he said.
The song was originally released by The Rolling Stones in 1969 from their eighth studio album 'Let It Bleed'. Mick Jagger, who wrote it with Keith Richards, shared his thoughts: 'I'm a fan of Sam's work, so I was pleased to hear he was covering one of my songs. I think he's done a great job with it.'
Sales and Charity Donations
John Lewis will sell physical copies of Sam's cover on seven-inch vinyl and CD on its website, backed with his 2020 cover of 'Winter Song', available physically for the first time. All profits from record sales will go to the charity Action for Children, while Sam will also sell physical copies on his website with profits donated to the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Sam, who has received five Brit Awards, two Ivor Novello Awards and the Mercury Prize, joins a line of artists who have performed for the John Lewis Christmas campaign, including Alison Limerick and Labrinth last year, Andrea Bocelli in 2023, Lola Young five years ago, Elton John in 2018, and Lily Allen in 2013.
