Official Charts has announced the artistes in running for the title of Christmas Number 1 2022 to include LadBaby, Stormzy, Mariah Carey and a host of others.
The race for the Official Christmas Number 1 will soon be upon us, the big climax to the 70th anniversary year of the Official Singles Chart, it says on it website.
The 2022 Christmas Number 1 single, it goes on, will be announced Friday, December 23 live on BBC Radio 1’s The Official Chart Show with Jack Saunders.
According to Official Charts, the Official Christmas Number 1 single has previously been secured by everyone from the Spice Girls (three times on the trot) to Shakin’ Stevens, The Beatles to Band Aid, and Girls Aloud, Bob The Builder and Mr Blobby.
Last year, LadBaby (aka YouTube star Mark Hoyle and his wife Roxanne) became the first act in UK chart history to clinch a fourth consecutive Christmas Number 1 in 2021 with the help of Ed Sheeran and Elton John. Sausage Rolls For Everyone beat a host of Christmas classics from the likes of Mariah Carey and Wham! to the top spot, raising funds for food bank charity The Trussell Trust.
Official Christmas Number 1 2022 contenders:
Baddiel, Skinner & Lightning Seeds – Three Lions (It’s Coming Home For Christmas)
Joel Corry featuring Tom Grennan – Lionheart (Come On England)
Chart stars Joel Corry and Tom Grennan have been on the ascent up the Official Singles Chart for the past four weeks with their Top 40 collab Lionheart. Can it be booted further still with this footy rework?
The Farm – All Together Now
Last week Liverpool band The Farm exclusively revealed to OfficialCharts.com that they’ve blocked their ‘90s football anthem All Together Now from being associated with the 2022 Qatar World Cup by turning down its usage in a McDonald’s ad campaign for the tournament.
Peter Crouch & Paul Potts – Crouchy Conducts The Classics
Adopting a more political standpoint on the World Cup, legendary England footballer Peter Crouch teams up with Britain’s Got Talent winner Paul Potts on an album of orchestral festive chants (somehow, it works!)
Liam Hodge – World Cup For Christmas
Elsewhere, Isle of Wight singer Liam Hodge has also written a new World Cup song, saying: “It’s all a bit of fun and I am not overly ambitious or seeking fame and glory but I wouldn’t say no to a Christmas Number 1 or a World Cup for Christmas!”
New releases and possible climbers
Lewis Capaldi – Pointless
Lewis Capaldi is set to release the latest track from his upcoming Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent album – Pointless – on December 2. The second single lifted from the release, could this Ed Sheeran co-write claim the Christmas Number 1? Don’t forget, Ed’s managed it twice before himself; with 2017 Beyoncé collab Perfect and 2021’s Sausage Rolls For Everyone, alongside LadBaby and Elton John.
Stormzy – Firebabe
Stormzy’s confident that his This Is What I Mean album cut Firebabe – featuring vocalist Debbie Ehirim – has the makings of a future festive classic.
Sam Smith – Night Before Christmas
As smooth as that last Baileys coffee on Christmas Eve, Sam Smith hopes their new original yuletide tune Night Before Christmas can become a modern Christmas classic. Having recently spent four weeks at Number 1 with Unholy, the odds are certainly in their favour.
Tyson Fury – Sweet Caroline
Continuing the football theme, boxer Tyson Fury has odds of 3/1 on becoming 2022’s festive Number 1 with some bookies. Could Sweet Caroline, his cover of the 1979 Top 10 Neil Diamond classic, scale the chart to reach the summit come December 23?
Becky Hill – Only You
Nothing says Christmas quite like a twinkly acoustic cover. Enter: Becky Hill, with her take on Yazoo’s 1982 track Only You for the McDonald’s 2022 Christmas ad. The Flying Pickets’ acapella version of the track was actually Christmas Number 1 in 1983 – but can Becky achieve similar success 19 years later?
Lauren Spencer Smith – Single On The 25th
Opting against a buoyant festive bop, Lauren Spencer Smith gets in her feels with Single On The 25th; a reflective track detailing a loneliness many feel at this time of year. Catch us crying into the cranberry jam over this one.
The Vamps – Seat At The Table
A Driving Home For Christmas of sorts, Seat At The Table sees The Vamps return to their hometown for the holidays; wanting to ‘raise a glass for future and past.’ This sparkly little tune couldn’t be cuter.
Cliff Richard – Heart Of Christmas
Cliff is back with his brand-new yuletide album, Christmas With Cliff. Could the lead track – Heart Of Christmas – become his fourth festive chart-topper? Previously, Cliff managed the feat with I Love You (1960), Mistletoe and Wine (1988) and Saviour’s Day (1990).
George Ezra – Come On Home For Christmas
Released as an Amazon Original exclusive last year, and peaking at Number 10, George Ezra’s take on Charles Brown’s all-too-forgotten 1960 single is now available on all streaming platforms for the first time. Could its inclusion on the Christmas edition of his Gold Rush Kid album secure it a brand-new peak this year?
JVKE – golden hour
Viral TikTok star JVKE is making huge gains on the Official Singles Chart with his breakout single golden hour; and it’s showing no sign of stopping. A tender piano-led ballad, this ethereal track could easily be adopted as a festive classic by association, akin to Michael Andrews and Gary Jules’ 2003 Christmas Number 1 Mad World.
Meghan Trainor – Made You Look
As Meghan Trainor’s viral doo-wop hit continues to climb the chart, we’re wondering if it could go all the way just in time for Christmas. There is something sort of festive about it, no?
Taylor Swift – Anti-Hero
It’s her! Hi! Currently tracking for a fifth consecutive week atop the Official Singles Chart, could Taylor Swift’s endearingly self-critical Anti-Hero retain its reign and prove a Christmas Number 1 contender? Stranger things have happened…
LadBaby – TBC
With the UK experiencing a cost of living crisis, and LadBaby’s previous Christmas Number 1 singles raising funds and awareness for hunger charity The Trussell Trust, it seems high time for LadBaby to return with an attempt to score a fifth consecutive festive chart-topper. While we don’t have confirmation of a release just yet, we’ll make sure you’re first to know if it happens. Stay tuned!
Ravi Adelekan & Friends (Paloma Faith, Bastille, Metronomy, The Big Moon and more) – A Million Dreams
A Million Dreams sees huge names including Paloma Faith and Bastille team-up in support of Ravi Adelekan; a young boy diagnosed with a benign brain tumour in 2021.
The Half Timers – Coming Home For Christmas
Yet another World Cup-themed Christmas track, 100 percent of profits from The Half Timers’ release will be donated to FareShareUK; a UK-wide network fighting hunger and tackling food waste. This one’s already building up some traction on the telly, so definitely one to keep an eye on.
Basil Brush featuring Mr Blobby, Rainbow and more – Boom! Boom! It’s Christmas Again!
The country’s been crying out for a second Blobby-related Christmas Number 1, and our prayers may well have been answered.
Others on the list include:
Peter Crouch & Paul Potts – Crouchy Conducts The Classics
Ruby Whittle – Getting Ready For Christmas
Mariah Carey – All I Want For Christmas Is You
Wham! – Last Christmas
The Prodigy – Their Law
The K***s – F*ck The Tories
Trickster & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – Thank F**k It’s Christmas
Amazon Originals
“Alexa, play Christmas music” –
Stormzy – Firebabe (Orchestration) (Amazon Christmas Originals)
Maisie Peters – Together This Christmas (Amazon Christmas Originals)
Lizzo – Someday At Christmas (Amazon Christmas Originals)
Sam Ryder – Jingle Bells (Amazon Christmas Originals)
Ella Henderson – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (Amazon Christmas Originals)
Birdy x Skinny Living – I’ll Be Home For Christmas (Amazon Christmas Originals)
The Staves – Christmas Wish (Amazon Christmas Originals)
Laura Mvula – Purple Snowflakes (Amazon Christmas Originals)
