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: Wham s festive smash finally hits number one – 36 years after original release – GTFM gtfm.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from gtfm.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Wham s Last Christmas has finally topped the UK charts - 36 years after its release.
Written and produced by George Michael, it was kept off the number one slot by Band Aid s Do They Know It s Christmas? when it was first released in 1984.
But, on the fourth anniversary of the death of the band s co-founder, the song has hit the top spot after being streamed 9.2 million times in the last week.
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In doing so, it set a new record for the longest time taken for a single to reach number one, beating the 33 years, four months Tony Christie s (Is This The Way To) Amarillo took when it hit the top in 2005.