this is the decline of xfactor, not just unable to challenge for top spot, but nowhere near. and this against normal songs, not charity singles or campaigns.

In some sense, it's the ultimate victory for the Rage Against the Machine campaign

But it took another 6 years after the RATM campaign for it to have any lasting effect

 

If anything streaming beat the X factor (and that totally obscure Louisa winner single) and they know that that’s why they moved the final up and released earlier

Edited December 21, 20178 yr by 777666jason

who is going to have #1 album this week? Eminem or Ed?

it will be really close

It will be close and most likely Eminem will get it in the end but Ed Sheeran will be very close and most likely the first number 1 album of 2018.

I wouldn't honestly describe this week as a 'battle', there was maybe some uncertainty a few weeks back but there's little to no doubt who will win and there hasn't really for the whole week. Really interesting battles are where it's still going down to the wire on the last day like Joe vs Rage, Justin vs NHS Choir, I know they both have charity and reality TV links but it's still exciting to see and it's what makes the Christmas chart more memorable than other charts. Though I agree that it's nice to at least see two new releases in contention and some people actually going for it unlike last year's wasteland or when X Factor had it locked down for years. I still wouldn't call it a vintage Christmas chart and the point of the article I think needs time to judge if it comes true, I just hope there's always now some form of competition for the number 1 now X Factor's influence is all but dead.

 

Re: the point about Christmas songs in the article, little bit premature saying when One More Sleep, Santa Tell Me and Christmas Lights made the top 40 amongst the other classics? :unsure: Christmas songs are hard to do as if you want a cheesy, Xmas is amazing type song, it's hard to make it stand out when there's already the likes of Wizzard, Slade, Mariah etc. that are streamed every year, I think it works if the artists put their own stamp on it and tbf, some of those are catching on a bit, I still don't think the prospect of a new Christmas song is dead, Sia's just...weren't particularly strong at all. There's a reason The Pogues always does so well, you can't really say there's another Christmas song quite like it.

Bit harsh this anaylsis, at the end of the day if there was a song that was huge and broke through which was festive it would hit the top spot.

 

Sia and Gwen could yet become festive stables in the coming years even if they don't chart high!

 

Not with how bad their material and screeching is

 

Let's be honest, when was the last Christmas song released worthy of a number. Leona released a great song but the last one before that worthy of number one was probably 'the darkness'

I Believe In Father Christmas is such a good song, it makes me sad it doesn't do better.

It would be quite a spectacle to see Mariah finally make #1... then fall out of the chart the week after.

She already had 1-out falling in Netherlands on the next week after Christmas-2016.

Edited December 21, 20178 yr by Good Old Days

I don't see Thursday update? James Masterton says

 

Ed - 68k

Eminem - 52k

Wham! - 45k

The Christmas no.1 would have been more unpredictable if the OCC had decided not to publish any sales updates over the week. It would have kept us all guessing.

The Christmas no.1 would have been more unpredictable if the OCC had decided not to publish any sales updates over the week. It would have kept us all guessing.

Why they do it and kill any interest in the weekly charts ?

I don't see Thursday update? James Masterton says

 

Ed - 68k

Eminem - 52k

Wham! - 45k

I’d like to see the albums so I can see if Ed is closing in on Eminem or if the latter has increased his lead

I don't see Thursday update? James Masterton says

 

Ed - 68k

Eminem - 52k

Wham! - 45k

You don't see it because we don't have one! :P

 

Thanks for the info, not bad sales for the top 3 really, especially when you consider that Rockabye only sold 57k last year and the streaming ratio has been decreased since.

Another interesting read on why Mariah is still Queen of the Christmas charts Mariah Christmas Queen Seems everyone has differing opinion on this subject either crediting the influence of streaming for older tracks, lack of newer songs from big Artists and the fact it is becoming harder to write an original Christmas song.

 

That's a really good article there - Greg and the other sources make very good points which combined are the reason for the lack of new xmas tracks - especially the points of Leonas track being different, Sias songs becoming classics in a few years and the point about tradition.

There are plenty of what I think of as classic Xmas songs that I'm surprised don't chart higher, for instance:

I Believe in Father Christmas

Christmas Wrapping (Or is it Rapping?)

Little Town

Stop the Cavilary (How do you spell that word?)

It's Christmas Time by Status Quo

 

And not to mention this year; Sia's Snowman (OK, I think it's considered more an album track in this instance, but it's my favourite from her album)

 

Snowman (and the rest of the album is so good!!)

Not with how bad their material and screeching is

 

I have t listened to Gwens album but Sias is fantastic. Hollyoaks just played Under The Mistletoe from it, in a few years hopefully more will play its songs and it becomes popular!

I’d like to see the albums so I can see if Ed is closing in on Eminem or if the latter has increased his lead

 

I'm desperate to know today's albums mids lol - love weeks like this when so many casual buyers are in the shops and sales are increasing Day by day and it's so unpredictable!!

I have t listened to Gwens album but Sias is fantastic. Hollyoaks just played Under The Mistletoe from it, in a few years hopefully more will play its songs and it becomes popular!

 

Nah, really bad lyrics and screeching voxals. No one's here for it. It hurts the ears.

The lyrics aren't bad at all - I understand the screeching comment because of Sias voice.