Who’s in the running for 2017’s Christmas Number One?

A winter institution heats up

It’s December, Michael Buble has defrosted, the X Factor winner has been decided and the charity choirs have assembled. That’s right, it’s Christmas, and the race for Christmas Number One is on. Here are the runners and riders.

The Favourite

Ed Sheeran feat. Beyonce – ‘Perfect’

In March, Ed Sheeran released the fastest-selling pop album by a male artist in the UK of all time. He then occupied 16 of the Top 20 spots in the UK singles charts, and broke the record for the most weeks spent in the Billboard 100 with ‘Shape Of You’. Now, he’s re-release his September single, ‘Perfect’, with added Beyonce, clearly with an eye on Christmas Number One glory.

Odds: 4/7

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The X Factor Winner

Rak-Su – ‘Dimelo’

There was a time when the X Factor winner was an unstoppable force in the Christmas Number One race. Since 2005, the winner of the TV talent comp has hit peak position seven times, triggering a backlash in the successful Rage Against The Machine Christmas Number One Facebook campaign of ‘09, when the distinctly unfestive ‘Killing In The Name Of’ hit Number One.

Watford four-piece Rak-Su took the prize this year, and even though hardly anyone watched, bookies are still predicting they have a decent chance.

 

Odds: 4/1

The Grassroots Campaign

Wham! – ‘Last Christmas’

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On December 25 2016, pop legend George Michael passed away. A year later, fans want to get his his stone-cold festive classic ‘Last Christmas’ back to the top of the charts. The song failed to reach number one in 1984 (losing to Band Aid – also featuring George Michael), but now the Wham! fandom want the track to achieve the accolade posthumously.

Odds: 5/1

The Charity Single

Choirs With Purpose feat. Michelle McManus – ‘We All Stand Together’

Choirs With Purpose is a collaboration project between various charity choral societies aiming for Christmas number one. The supergroup includes last year’s winners, the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS choir, and the Parrs Wood High School Harmony Group, who performed their beautiful cover of ‘My Everything’ at the One Love Manchester benefit concert earlier this year. Their single is a cover of Paul McCartney & The Frog Chorus’s ‘We All Stand Together’.

Odds: 8/1

The Christmas Classic

Mariah Carey – ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’

Since streaming was introduced to the singles chart qualifying criteria, ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ basically charts every single year – because who doesn’t want a bit of Mariah with their mince pies?

Odds: 8/1

 

The other Beyonce one

Eminem & Beyonce – ‘Walk On Water’

Beyonce’s given birth to twins this year, and she has two stabs at the Christmas Number One slot too. Eminem missed out on his last best chance at Christmas Number One when ‘Stan’ was demolished by Bob The Builder in 2000. Bob’s career’s long since dried up, but Em’s still going strong.

Odds: 8/1

 

All odds from Ladbrokes, correct Monday December 4

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