List of UK Singles chart Christmas number ones - wikipedia List of UK Singles chart Christmas number ones `` Christmas number one '' redirects here. For the similar competition in Ireland, see List of Irish Singles Chart Christmas number ones. Ed Sheeran achieved the most recent Christmas number one with `` Perfect ''. In the United Kingdom, Christmas number ones are singles that are top of the UK Singles Chart in the week in which Christmas Day falls. Novelty songs, charity songs or songs with a Christmas theme have regularly been at the top of Christmas charts. Traditionally the volume of record sales in the UK peaks at Christmas, with the Christmas number one being considered especially prestigious, more so than any other time of year. Many of the Christmas number ones were also the best - selling song of the year. Due to the common practice of dating a chart by the date on which the week ends, the Christmas chart is dated the end of the week containing 25 December, but comprises sales for the week before that. The most recent Christmas number one single is `` Perfect '' by Ed Sheeran. Contents 1 History 2 Records 3 List 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 Further reading History The official UK Singles Chart began in 1952 after appearing in the New Musical Express ; the positions of all songs are based on week end sale totals ( from Sunday to Saturday until 2015, then from Friday to Thursday ). Before 1987 they were released on a Tuesday due to the need for manual calculation. The emergence of a serious contest for the Christmas number - one spot began in 1973, when the glam rock bands Slade and Wizzard deliberately released festive songs in an effort to reach the top of the charts at Christmas, with Slade 's `` Merry Xmas Everybody '' beating out Wizzard 's `` I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday '' for the number one spot that Christmas. Since 2002 the Christmas number one has been dominated by reality television contests, with the winners often heading straight to number one in the week before Christmas. This trend began when Popstars : The Rivals contestants released the top three singles on the Christmas chart. From 2005 to 2008, 2010 and 2013 to 2014, the winners of The X Factor took the number - one spot on seven occasions. In 2007, the X Factor single was so much of a prohibitive favourite for number one that bookmakers started taking bets on which song would be the `` Christmas Number Two '' instead. Rage Against the Machine 's 1992 single `` Killing in the Name '' outsold Joe McElderry in 2009 following a successful Facebook campaign. This made them the first group to get a Christmas number one with a download - only single, and resulted in the most download sales in a single week in UK chart history. Similar campaigns in 2010 promoting acts such as Biffy Clyro, John Cage and The Trashmen were unsuccessful. The following year, participants from reality television show The Choir outsold X Factor winners Little Mix and a host of social network campaigns for various novelty acts, and in 2012, a supergroup cover of `` He Ai n't Heavy, He 's My Brother '', supporting charities associated with the Hillsborough disaster, took the accolade ahead of The X Factor 's James Arthur. Following the UK Charts ' move to Fridays, the 2015 Christmas number one was revealed on Christmas Day ; that year 's chart was the first in a decade to not feature the X Factor winner 's single in either first or second. Records The Beatles are the only act to have four Christmas number ones, three consecutively starting from 1963. On two occasions, 1963 and 1967, they had both the Christmas number one and the number two, the only act to have achieved this. As part of two acts, George Michael repeated the feat with Band Aid and Wham ! in 1984, and Ed Sheeran did so in 2017 with duets with Beyoncé and Eminem. Paul McCartney has been top eight times with various acts. Cliff Richard has spent four Christmasses at number one ; two as a solo act, one with The Shadows and one as part of Band Aid II. The Spice Girls later equalled the record of having three consecutive Christmas number ones, from 1996 to 1998. Spice Girl Melanie C achieved a fourth Christmas number one as a member of The Justice Collective in 2012, which also gave Robbie Williams his third. `` Bohemian Rhapsody '' by Queen, which reached the number - one spot at Christmas 1975 and 1991, is the only record to have reached the top twice. `` Mary 's Boy Child '' is the only song to be Christmas number one for two different artists ( Harry Belafonte in 1957 and Boney M. in 1978 ), although `` Do They Know It 's Christmas ? '' has been Christmas number one for three generations of Band Aid. The original version of `` Do They Know It 's Christmas ? '' is the second best selling single in UK history. List Al Martino, the first person to reach the Christmas top spot The Beatles had four Christmas number ones during the 1960s, three of which were consecutive. Bob Geldof, creator of charity supergroup Band Aid who were Christmas number one in three different incarnations `` Bohemian Rhapsody '', by Queen, reached the number one slot twice, in 1975 and 1991 Cliff Richard, who reached the number one slot at Christmas four times The Spice Girls had three consecutive Christmas number ones in the 1990s. Rage Against The Machine, whose song `` Killing in the Name '' achieved the Christmas number one in 2009, 17 years after the song 's original release Year Artist Song Weeks at No. 1 1952 Martino, Al Al Martino `` Here in My Heart '' 9 1953 Laine, Frankie Frankie Laine `` Answer Me '' 8 1954 Atwell, Winifred Winifred Atwell `` Let 's Have Another Party '' 5 1955 Valentine, Dickie Dickie Valentine `` Christmas Alphabet '' 1956 Ray, Johnnie Johnnie Ray `` Just Walkin ' in the Rain '' 7 1957 Belafonte, Harry Harry Belafonte `` Mary 's Boy Child '' 7 1958 Twitty, Conway Conway Twitty `` It 's Only Make Believe '' 5 1959 Ford, Emile Emile Ford and the Checkmates `` What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For ? '' 6 1960 Richard, Cliff Cliff Richard and The Shadows `` I Love You '' 1961 Williams, Danny Danny Williams `` Moon River '' 1962 Presley, Elvis Elvis Presley `` Return to Sender '' 1963 Beatles, The The Beatles `` I Want to Hold Your Hand '' 5 1964 Beatles, The The Beatles `` I Feel Fine '' 5 1965 Beatles, The The Beatles `` Day Tripper '' / `` We Can Work It Out '' 5 1966 Jones, Tom Tom Jones `` Green, Green Grass of Home '' 7 1967 Beatles, The The Beatles `` Hello, Goodbye '' 7 1968 Scaffold, The The Scaffold `` Lily the Pink '' 1969 Harris, Rolf Rolf Harris `` Two Little Boys '' 6 1970 Edmunds, Dave Dave Edmunds `` I Hear You Knocking '' 6 1971 Hill, Benny Benny Hill `` Ernie ( The Fastest Milkman in the West ) '' 1972 Osmond, Jimmy Jimmy Osmond `` Long Haired Lover from Liverpool '' 5 1973 Slade `` Merry Xmas Everybody '' 5 Mud `` Lonely This Christmas '' Queen `` Bohemian Rhapsody '' 9 1976 Mathis, Johnny Johnny Mathis `` When a Child Is Born ( Soleado ) '' 1977 Wings `` Mull of Kintyre '' / `` Girls ' School '' 9 1978 Boney M. `` Mary 's Boy Child -- Oh My Lord '' 1979 Pink Floyd `` Another Brick in the Wall ( Part 2 ) '' 5 1980 St Winifred 's School Choir `` There 's No One Quite Like Grandma '' 1981 Human League, The The Human League `` Do n't You Want Me '' 5 1982 Renée and Renato `` Save Your Love '' Flying Pickets, The The Flying Pickets `` Only You '' 5 1984 Band Aid `` Do They Know It 's Christmas ? '' 5 1985 Stevens, Shakin'Shakin ' Stevens `` Merry Christmas Everyone '' 1986 Wilson, Jackie Jackie Wilson `` Reet Petite '' Pet Shop Boys `` Always on My Mind '' Richard, Cliff Cliff Richard `` Mistletoe and Wine '' Band Aid II `` Do They Know It 's Christmas ? '' Richard, Cliff Cliff Richard `` Saviour 's Day '' 1991 Queen `` Bohemian Rhapsody '' / `` These Are the Days of Our Lives '' 5 Houston, Whitney Whitney Houston `` I Will Always Love You '' 10 Mr Blobby `` Mr Blobby '' East 17 `` Stay Another Day '' 5 1995 Jackson, Michael Michael Jackson `` Earth Song '' 6 Spice Girls `` 2 Become 1 '' Spice Girls `` Too Much '' 1998 Spice Girls `` Goodbye '' 1999 Westlife `` I Have a Dream '' / `` Seasons in the Sun '' 2000 Bob the Builder `` Can We Fix It ? '' Williams, Robbie Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman `` Somethin ' Stupid '' 2002 Girls Aloud `` Sound of the Underground '' 2003 Andrews, Michael Michael Andrews and Gary Jules `` Mad World '' Band Aid 20 `` Do They Know It 's Christmas ? '' 2005 Ward, Shayne Shayne Ward `` That 's My Goal '' 2006 Lewis, Leona Leona Lewis `` Moment Like This ! A Moment Like This '' 2007 Jackson, Leon Leon Jackson `` When You Believe '' 2008 Burke, Alexandra Alexandra Burke `` Hallelujah '' 2009 Rage Against the Machine `` Killing in the Name '' Cardle, Matt Matt Cardle `` When We Collide '' 2011 Military Wives with Gareth Malone `` Wherever You Are '' 2012 Justice Collective, The The Justice Collective `` He Ai n't Heavy, He 's My Brother '' 2013 Bailey, Sam Sam Bailey `` Skyscraper '' 2014 Haenow, Ben Ben Haenow `` Something I Need '' 2015 Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir `` A Bridge over You '' 2016 Clean Bandit featuring Sean Paul and Anne - Marie `` Rockabye '' 9 2017 Sheeran, Ed Ed Sheeran `` Perfect '' See also List of UK Singles Chart Christmas number twos List of Christmas hit singles in the United Kingdom List of Irish Singles Chart Christmas number ones List of songs which have spent the most weeks on the UK Singles Chart List of UK Albums Chart Christmas number ones Notes Jump up ^ In addition to the two groups that were the focus of the show ( Girls Aloud and One True Voice ), who charted at No. 1 and No. 2 respectively, the No. 3 on the chart was `` Cheeky Song ( Touch My Bum ) '' by The Cheeky Girls, who had also been contestants on Popstars. ^ Jump up to : Released as a double A-side. Jump up ^ `` Mistletoe and Wine '' by Cliff Richard was announced as the 1988 Christmas number one a day later than usual, on Monday 26 December. Jump up ^ A cover of a Biffy Clyro song, originally titled `` Many of Horror ''. Jump up ^ The Justice Collective was the name taken by a group of British musicians and football personalities who released the song in aid of various charities associated with the Hillsborough disaster. Jump up ^ `` A Bridge over You '' is a combination of the Simon & Garfunkel song `` Bridge over Troubled Water '' and Coldplay 's `` Fix You ''. Jump up ^ Versions of `` Perfect '' featuring Beyoncé ( `` Perfect Duet '' ) and Andrea Bocelli ( `` Perfect Symphony '' ) counted towards the placement ; however, due to chart rules, only Sheeran was officially credited. References Jump up ^ Douglas, Jayne ( 23 December 2001 ). `` Have a chart - topping Christmas ''. BBC News. Retrieved 7 March 2011. ^ Jump up to : Meighan, Nicola ( 2004 ). `` Why do we still love Christmas number ones ? ''. BBC. Retrieved 17 April 2017. Jump up ^ `` Sound of silence vies to be Christmas number one ''. The Daily Telegraph. 16 October 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2012. ^ Jump up to : Savage, Mark ( 22 December 2017 ). `` Ed Sheeran is number one for Christmas ''. BBC News. Retrieved 23 December 2017. though chart rules mean Beyonce is denied a credit on the Christmas number one, with Sheeran 's original counted as the lead track. Jump up ^ `` The story of the single ''. BBC News. 23 March 2001. Retrieved 21 April 2008. Jump up ^ `` FAQs ''. Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2010. Jump up ^ `` Who We Are - How the Official Charts are compiled ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 December 2017. Jump up ^ `` UK Singles Charts : History of the Charts ''. When We Were Kids. Retrieved 10 December 2009. Jump up ^ Shennan, Paddy ( 13 December 2011 ). `` Will Christmas Number One hopes ' The W Factor ' ( The Wombles ) or ' MW Factor ' ( The Military Wives ) beat The X Factor ? ''. Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 23 August 2012. ^ Jump up to : `` Girls Aloud top festive chart ''. BBC News. 23 December 2009. Retrieved 30 November 2011. Jump up ^ Swash, Rosie ( 16 November 2007 ). `` X Factor faces online Christmas chart challenge ''. The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261 - 3077. OCLC 60623878. Retrieved 30 November 2011. ^ Jump up to : `` Rage Against the Machine beat X Factor winner in charts ''. BBC News. 20 December 2009. Retrieved 20 December 2009. Jump up ^ `` X Factor 's Matt Cardle beats Biffy Clyro, Surfin ' Bird and John Cage to UK Christmas Number One ''. NME. 19 December 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2010. Jump up ^ `` Military Wives Choir capture Christmas number one ''. BBC News. 25 December 2011. Retrieved 25 December 2011. Jump up ^ Sexton, Paul ( 23 December 2011 ). `` Military Wives & Italian Donkey in Race for U.K. 's No. 1 Christmas Single ''. Billboard. Retrieved 25 December 2011. ^ Jump up to : `` Hillsborough single is Christmas number one ''. BBC News. 24 December 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2012. Jump up ^ `` The Official Chart on BBC Radio 1 to move to Fridays from July - Greg James to present the weekly show from 4 - 6pm ''. BBC. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2017. Jump up ^ `` The Christmas No 1 !, The Official Chart with Greg James - BBC Radio 1 ''. BBC. Retrieved 22 December 2015. Jump up ^ Furness, Hannah ( 21 December 2015 ). `` NHS Choir in the lead in race for Christmas number one ''. Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 23 December 2015. Jump up ^ Blake, Jimmy ( 22 December 2015 ). `` Christmas number one : Why the X Factor is an outsider ''. Newsbeat. Retrieved 3 April 2016. Jump up ^ `` The demise of the X Factor Christmas Number 1 ''. The Independent. 21 December 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` All the Christmas number ones ''. Children 's BBC. 16 December 2002. Retrieved 21 April 2008. Jump up ^ `` Do They Know It 's Christmas ? ''. BBC Radio 2 : Sold on Song. BBC. Retrieved 22 December 2015. Jump up ^ `` The UK 's top 50 million - selling singles ''. NME. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2015. Jump up ^ Myers, Justin ( 13 December 2013 ). `` Every Official Christmas Number 1 ever ! ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 October 2015. Jump up ^ `` Christmas Number Ones -- Singles ''. EveryHit. Retrieved 19 April 2008. Jump up ^ `` Thirty years of Christmas No 1s ''. The Guardian. London. Retrieved 19 April 2008. Jump up ^ Masterton, James ( 20 December 2004 ). `` Christmas Commentary from James Masterton ''. London : LAUNCHcast. Archived from the original on 31 December 2004. Retrieved 6 June 2011... This actually did happen back in 1988 when Christmas Day fell on a Sunday ( the usual chart day ). This resulted in the chart show being broadcast a day late on Monday 26th and with the industry agreeing that the crowning of Cliff Richard as that years Christmas Number One would take place then... Jump up ^ `` Paul McCartney guests on Hillsborough charity single with Robbie Williams ''. The Guardian. 23 November 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2012. ^ Jump up to : `` NHS Choir beat Bieber to UK Christmas number one ''. BBC News. 25 December 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2015. Jump up ^ `` Ed Sheeran claims Christmas Number 1 : `` It 's an actual dream '' ``. Official Charts Company. 22 December 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017. Further reading Robinson, Peter ( 10 December 2015 ). `` Drugs, austerity and Thatcher -- what Christmas No 1s tell us about Britain ''. The Guardian. Clarkson, Natalie ( 15 December 2014 ). `` What 's the most important factor when making a Christmas number one ? ''. Virgin. UK Christmas number - one singles 1950s 1960s `` Here in My Heart '' ( 1952 ) `` Answer Me '' ( 1953 ) `` Let 's Have Another Party '' ( 1954 ) `` Christmas Alphabet '' ( 1955 ) `` Just Walkin ' in the Rain '' ( 1956 ) `` Mary 's Boy Child '' ( 1957 ) `` It 's Only Make Believe '' ( 1958 ) `` What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For ? '' ( 1959 ) `` I Love You '' ( 1960 ) `` Moon River '' ( 1961 ) `` Return to Sender '' ( 1962 ) `` I Want to Hold Your Hand '' ( 1963 ) `` I Feel Fine '' ( 1964 ) `` Day Tripper '' / `` We Can Work It Out '' ( 1965 ) `` Green, Green Grass of Home '' ( 1966 ) `` Hello, Goodbye '' ( 1967 ) `` Lily the Pink '' ( 1968 ) `` Two Little Boys '' ( 1969 ) 1970s 1980s `` I Hear You Knocking '' ( 1970 ) `` Ernie ( The Fastest Milkman in the West ) '' ( 1971 ) `` Long Haired Lover from Liverpool '' ( 1972 ) `` Merry Xmas Everybody '' ( 1973 ) `` Lonely This Christmas '' ( 1974 ) `` Bohemian Rhapsody '' ( 1975 ) `` When a Child Is Born '' ( 1976 ) `` Mull of Kintyre '' ( 1977 ) `` Mary 's Boy Child - Oh My Lord '' ( 1978 ) `` Another Brick in the Wall '' ( 1979 ) `` There 's No - one Quite Like Grandma '' ( 1980 ) `` Do n't You Want Me '' ( 1981 ) `` Save Your Love '' ( 1982 ) `` Only You '' ( 1983 ) `` Do They Know It 's Christmas ? '' ( 1984 ) `` Merry Christmas Everyone '' ( 1985 ) `` Reet Petite '' ( 1986 ) `` Always on My Mind '' ( 1987 ) `` Mistletoe and Wine '' ( 1988 ) `` Do They Know It 's Christmas ? '' ( 1989 ) 1990s 2000s `` Saviour 's Day '' ( 1990 ) `` Bohemian Rhapsody '' / `` These Are the Days of Our Lives '' ( 1991 ) `` I Will Always Love You '' ( 1992 ) `` Mr. Blobby '' ( 1993 ) `` Stay Another Day '' ( 1994 ) `` Earth Song '' ( 1995 ) `` 2 Become 1 '' ( 1996 ) `` Too Much '' ( 1997 ) `` Goodbye '' ( 1998 ) `` I Have a Dream '' / `` Seasons in the Sun '' ( 1999 ) `` Can We Fix It ? '' ( 2000 ) `` Somethin ' Stupid '' ( 2001 ) `` Sound Of The Underground '' ( 2002 ) `` Mad World '' ( 2003 ) `` Do They Know It 's Christmas ? '' ( 2004 ) `` That 's My Goal '' ( 2005 ) `` A Moment Like This '' ( 2006 ) `` When You Believe '' ( 2007 ) `` Hallelujah '' ( 2008 ) `` Killing in the Name '' ( 2009 ) 2010s 2020s `` When We Collide '' ( 2010 ) `` Wherever You Are '' ( 2011 ) `` He Ai n't Heavy, He 's My Brother '' ( 2012 ) `` Skyscraper '' ( 2013 ) `` Something I Need '' ( 2014 ) `` A Bridge over You '' ( 2015 ) `` Rockabye '' ( 2016 ) Complete list 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s UK Music Charts UK Singles Number ones 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s Number one artists Most number ones Christmas Posthumous Scottish Instrumental Simultaneous UK and US Top 10 singles ( By artist ) Best - selling 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s ( decade ) 2010s 1900s 2000s ( century ) All time Yearly Most downloaded Most streamed Million - sellers Platinum singles ( pre-2000 ) Platinum singles ( post-2000 ) Most weeks on chart One - hit wonders Records UK Albums Number ones 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s Most number ones Christmas Posthumous Simultaneous UK and US Best - selling 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s ( decade ) 2010s 2000s ( century ) All time Yearly Most weeks on chart One - hit wonders Genre charts Number ones Christian & Gospel Classical ( albums / compilations ) Dance ( singles / albums ) Indie ( singles / albums ) Indie Breakers ( singles / albums ) R&B ( singles / albums ) Rock & Metal ( singles / albums ) Specialist Classical Other charts Current Album Downloads Albums Streaming Audio Streaming Compilations Midweeks Record Store Singles Downloads UKHot40 Vinyl Albums Vinyl Singles The Vodafone Big Top 40 Former 1952 -- 1969 1Xtra Classical Singles EPs Fab 40 Fresh 40 Hit40UK Mersey Beat The Net 40 The Network Chart Show NME Pepsi Chart Pick of the Pops Progressive Record Mirror Subscription Plays Top Pops Related Music Week Official Charts Company The Official Chart UK Video Charts The Virgin Book of British Hit Singles Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_UK_Singles_Chart_Christmas_number_ones&oldid=816927635 '' Categories : Christmas number - one singles in the United Kingdom Lists of number - one songs in the United Kingdom Christmas music Hidden categories : Use dmy dates from December 2017 Articles with hCards Featured lists Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Bahasa Indonesia Português Edit links This page was last edited on 24 December 2017, at 19 : 09. 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Question: who holds the record for the most uk christmas number 1s
Answer: The Beatles