Kylie Minogue claims Christmas number one with XMAS, first female artist to top four decades
Amazon Music exclusive release helps propel XMAS past Wham!’s Last Christmas for UK Christmas crown; Minogue becomes first woman to lead the charts in four decades
Kylie Minogue has been crowned this year's Christmas number one in the United Kingdom with the track XMAS, the Official Charts Company said on Sunday. The jaunty festive anthem about the presents underneath the tree and kissing someone special out in the snow toppled Wham!’s Last Christmas, which had held the crown in 2023 and 2024. Arriving 37 years after her first UK number one hit, I Should Be So Lucky, XMAS also makes Minogue the first female artist to reach the top spot in four separate decades. The track is taken from a new expanded edition of her 2015 album Kylie Christmas and was released exclusively through Amazon Music.
Officials noted that the campaign leaned heavily on digital and physical formats. Martin Talbot, chief executive of the Official Charts Company, said: “Kylie really, really targeted this particular race. When you have a superstar of her status really going for it, she's always going to be in with a chance.” The release’s Amazon Music exclusive positioning, combined with strong plays on YouTube and a limited edition of vinyl and CD singles, helped push XMAS to the top, even though it was not available on Spotify or Apple Music.
The chart race stayed tight through the week; at one point, the top five songs were separated by roughly 10,000 copies. In addition to Kylie, legends such as Mariah Carey and Brenda Lee remained in contention as listeners loaded up their Christmas playlists with festive favorites. Wham! had hoped to become the first act to top the Christmas chart three times with the same song, a feat that would have underscored Last Christmas’ staying power. The track had already topped the chart in 2023 and again last year, aided by strong streaming and enduring popularity.
Despite Kylie’s UK triumph, Last Christmas has reached a global milestone by topping Billboard’s Global 200 for the first time, illustrating the song’s worldwide resonance. BBC Radio 1’s Jack Saunders, who hosts the chart show, credited the tune’s enduring appeal to its message of togetherness and nostalgia: “It’s a fantastic pop song, but it also captures the true heart and soul of what Christmas means to people.”
Other tracks in the running for this year’s Christmas No. 1 included Together For Palestine’s charity single, Lullaby, which raises funds for Gaza aid. Based on the traditional Palestinian folk song Yamma Mwel El Hawa (Mama, Sing to the Wind), it features new lyrics by Peter Gabriel and was recorded by a coalition of Palestinian artists alongside British stars like Neneh Cherry, Celeste and Dan from Bastille. Nai Barghouti, who appears on the track, said the song’s global support underscored its importance: “To me, the Lullaby will always be number one.”
Kylie described her post-tour plans as she celebrated the chart win. She told reporters that she intended to spend the holidays quietly, with family in Australia, and that she planned to pursue a familiar Christmas ritual: “We’ll be obsessing over a jigsaw.” She recounted last Christmas’ family puzzle sessions and hinted that a new 1,000-piece puzzle from a local op shop would be tackled again this year, with the family negotiating turns and sections as the pieces came together. The singer also noted that her 66-date Tension World Tour had just wrapped, and that she would likely soak in a lower-key festive period while preparing for whatever comes next.
The 2024 chart season highlighted the enduring pull of seasonal nostalgia alongside fresh hits from established superstars. Even as XMAS topped the chart, the contest showcased how modern releases can leverage exclusive marketing windows, physical formats, and complementary video and streaming strategies to reach audiences during the peak Christmas week. The Official Charts Company’s Talbot emphasized that high-profile campaigns—especially those coordinated across multiple platforms—can influence outcomes in a way that blends traditional sales with digital listening.
For Kylie, the Christmas No. 1 marks a historic milestone in a career defined by reinvention and longevity. Her achievement ties into a broader trend in which new and classic Christmas songs coexist on the public’s playlists, underscoring how seasonal music remains a dynamic field for artists with broad appeal. As listeners turn the page to Boxing Day fixtures and continue to celebrate with family, the year’s chart narrative leaves room for both celebratory pop moments and enduring holiday staples to shape the musical landscape.
