Taylor Swift tops first UK Record Store Chart of 2021
Taylor Swift tops first UK Record Store Chart of 2021
Taylor Swift quickly followed up Folklore in December with Evermore.
The first of two 2020 studio albums from Taylor Swift is in turn the first top the UK Record Store Chart in the new year.
Folklore leads an obviously quiet week for new releases, with acclaimed 2020 albums from the likes of Laura Marling, Phoebe Bridgers and Working Men’s Club still proving popular, while the more recent McCartney III from Paul McCartney is at #11.
It’s now nine years since The Official Charts Company launched this chart as vinyl sales surged during the last decade, a trend which continued in 2020 as the format grew for the 13th consecutive year. It is compiled from the best selling albums at 100 of Britain’s leading independent music shops.
Andrew Ridgeley has said Last Christmas finally going to number one 36 years after its release is a “fitting tribute” to his Wham! bandmate George Michael’s “songwriting genius”.
The ballad sets a new record for the time taken for a single to reach the top spot, the Official Charts Company said.
It has notched up 9.2 million streams over the past week, four years after Wham! frontman turned solo singer Michael died.
I am delighted, somewhat amazed & profoundly pleased that WHAM!’s iconic Christmas classic Last Christmas has finally achieved the accolade of becoming a No 1. It’s a fitting tribute 2 George’s songwriting genius and 1 of which he would’ve been immensely proud & utterly thrilled.
Wham!âs Last Christmas finally reaches top of the singles chart By PA News
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Pop duo Wham! â Andrew Ridgeley (left) and George Michael â on stage at Wembley Stadium in 1986 (PA)
Wham! song Last Christmas has shot to the top of the singles chart, 36 years after its release.
The ballad sets a new record for the time taken for a single to reach the top spot, the Official Charts Company said.
It has notched up 9.2 million streams over the past week, four years after Wham! frontman turned solo singer George Michael died.
When it was released in December 1984, Last Christmas was beaten to the top spot by Band Aidâs charity single Do They Know Itâs Christmas?
Last Christmas racked up 9.2 million streams over the past week
1 January 2021 • 6:00pm
Released in 1984, Last Christmas spent five weeks at Number 2 that year, pipped to the Official Christmas Number 1 post by Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas?
Credit: Michael Putland/Getty Images
Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ has finally reached Number 1 on the official charts a record 36 years after it was released.
The festive favourite has climbed from third to first in the chart after racking up 9.2 million streams over the past week, reaching the summit on the fourth anniversary of George Michael’s death.
On Friday evening, Andrew Ridgeley said: I am delighted, somewhat amazed and profoundly pleased that Wham! s iconic Christmas classic, Last Christmas has finally achieved the ultimate accolade of becoming a number 1 - albeit 36 years after its first release which is, perhaps more than anything, a testament to its timeless appeal and charm.
Official Chart Record Breaker! Last Christmas sets record for longest time to reach the top
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE Official Charts Company
Wham’s Last Christmas finally claims Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart 36 years after its release and breaks a new Official Chart record in the process, the Official Charts Company can confirm.
The festive favourite climbs from 3 to 1 after racking up 9.2 million streams over the past week, reaching the summit on the fourth anniversary of George Michael’s death.
Last Christmas sets a new record for the longest time taken for a single to reach Number 1, at 36 years, overtaking Tony Christie’s (Is This The Way To) Amarillo, which took 33 years and 4 months to claim the top spot (March, 2005).