Since Last Christmas is no longer the biggest-selling single to not reach #1, which song does that record belong to now?

Moves Like Jagger then Wonderwall and Blue Monday.

Well done Wham on getting #1 I am not the biggest fan of Last Christmas, Wham and George Michael both had better songs than it imo, but if Mariah recently made #1 it makes sense Wham does too.

 

Top 3 retro faves

 

03. Girls Aloud - See The Day

 

It took me years to find out that 'See The Day' was a cover so I'd already formed an appreciation of it before even knowing that, a bit underrated from them.

 

The See The Day original by Dee C Lee is stunning, I have long liked that song even before Girls Aloud covered it, surprised me when I found out its from 1985 as it sounds more 60s I think. Girls Aloud's cover of it was quite good though, I liked it at the time.

Edited January 1, 20215 yr by Road Salt Mixer

Does anyone know when we’re gonna be finding out the top 100 biggest-selling singles and albums of 2020?

Edited January 2, 20215 yr by daniellovesmusic

Does anyone know when we’re gonna be finding out the top 100 biggest-selling singles and albums of 2021?

In a year's time :basil:

The singles chart needs a massive overhaul. December has seen 2 ancient songs at number 1 and a novelty record. The first number 1 of 2021 (if Wham aren't already considered this) might be a song released what 13 weeks ago.

 

The chart is beyond stale and it's no wonder the album chart is on its knees when the singles chart is encouraging no one to pick up or even listen to an album of an interesting or engaging new/fresh artist.

 

Everyone on here tuts at the album sales and market yet is applauding such old songs doing well on the singles chart. I mean I know album sales are struggling but Rihanna wouldn't be shifting the amount of copies of Loud she did back in the day if Only Girl, What's my Name etc were getting no exposure because the singles chart was crammed with ancient songs. The only albums that are selling are by album acts because the singles chart is so awfully stale that people only buy from trusted names they know now.

Edited January 1, 20215 yr by sammy01

It's one month per year, calm down x

Yeah, maybe you should have a word with the British public who CHOOSE to stream (which is the main form of music consumption nowadays btw) Christmas music in massive capacities every December if you’re not happy with it :P

 

Why is it fair that big hits get to hang around for over a year in the charts but Christmas songs coming back for one month a year is too far. That’s just the way the charts are nowadays, and it would be disingenuous to pretend Christmas music isn’t the most popular every festive season.

The singles chart needs a massive overhaul. December has seen 2 ancient songs at number 1 and a novelty record. The first number 1 of 2021 (if Wham aren't already considered this) might be a song released what 13 weeks ago.

 

The chart is beyond stale and it's no wonder the album chart is on its knees when the singles chart is encouraging no one to pick up or even listen to an album of an interesting or engaging new/fresh artist.

 

Everyone on here tuts at the album sales and market yet is applauding such old songs doing well on the singles chart. I mean I know album sales are struggling but Rihanna wouldn't be shifting the amount of copies of Loud she did back in the day if Only Girl, What's my Name etc were getting no exposure because the singles chart was crammed with ancient songs. The only albums that are selling are by album acts because the singles chart is so awfully stale that people only buy from trusted names they know now.

It's interesting to see this narrative continuing to be pedalled because the key point is missed every time - the British public are choosing to stream Christmas songs! The interest in "normal" songs is lower than usual in December because people want to get into the festive spirit. Taking the Christmas songs out entirely would completely remove what the public are wanting to listen to, and this isn't the same as ACR which you've compared it to before. The Christmas songs already have a handicap because of their age yet they're still doing enough to dominate!

 

It's also worth looking at past years. Mariah and Wham! were both high up the chart the past few years but neither made #1, partly because there were bigger hits keeping them off. There just didn't happen to be enough huge hits this year. There wasn't a Dance Monkey, an Own It, a Before You Go, a Perfect, a Sweet But Psycho, a thank u next, etc. There's also the fact that this year has been quite unlike any other, and people have wanted to start Christmas sooner, hence the bigger domination of the Christmas tracks from an earlier stage.

 

The novelty record is typical of the Christmas #1. I don't know what can be done about that.

 

The album chart isn't great at any time of the year. Younger people are less interested in buying CDs, that's just the way it is, that's why albums targeted more at a younger generation tend to be more streaming heavy. It's nothing to do with the singles chart, it's to do with technology and streaming services. This is why the bigger physical sellers are Michael Ball & Alfie Boe, Neil Diamond, Paul McCartney, etc.

 

The singles chart is also not the only place that songs get exposure. Capital still played plenty of "normal" songs alongside festive favourites. Radio 1 almost never playlist Christmas songs, so there's loads of "normal" music on there too. Spotify don't block non-festive songs. The OCC cannot force people to stop listening to Christmas songs because the "chart looks stale lol."

In my opinion I think they have the record. but I might be wrong

Tom Jones?

It's one month per year, calm down x

 

It's 5 weeks or more and that's a 10th of the year when sales are at their highest and the most important time for artists to sell records.

 

It's interesting to see this narrative continuing to be pedalled because the key point is missed every time - the British public are choosing to stream Christmas songs! The interest in "normal" songs is lower than usual in December because people want to get into the festive spirit. Taking the Christmas songs out entirely would completely remove what the public are wanting to listen to, and this isn't the same as ACR which you've compared it to before. The Christmas songs already have a handicap because of their age yet they're still doing enough to dominate!

 

It's also worth looking at past years. Mariah and Wham! were both high up the chart the past few years but neither made #1, partly because there were bigger hits keeping them off. There just didn't happen to be enough huge hits this year. There wasn't a Dance Monkey, an Own It, a Before You Go, a Perfect, a Sweet But Psycho, a thank u next, etc. There's also the fact that this year has been quite unlike any other, and people have wanted to start Christmas sooner, hence the bigger domination of the Christmas tracks from an earlier stage.

 

The novelty record is typical of the Christmas #1. I don't know what can be done about that.

 

The album chart isn't great at any time of the year. Younger people are less interested in buying CDs, that's just the way it is, that's why albums targeted more at a younger generation tend to be more streaming heavy. It's nothing to do with the singles chart, it's to do with technology and streaming services. This is why the bigger physical sellers are Michael Ball & Alfie Boe, Neil Diamond, Paul McCartney, etc.

 

The singles chart is also not the only place that songs get exposure. Capital still played plenty of "normal" songs alongside festive favourites. Radio 1 almost never playlist Christmas songs, so there's loads of "normal" music on there too. Spotify don't block non-festive songs. The OCC cannot force people to stop listening to Christmas songs because the "chart looks stale lol."

 

Mariah and Wham were just as popular in the early 2000s they just weren't included in the charts as they didn't have cd singles or once downloaded people had the song so didn't contribute sales each year like repeat streaming does.

 

I have no problem excluding them from the charts, if you did a lot of other songs would get more exposure and airplay at this time of year. If Taylor Swift and Ed can't battle against Christmas playlists then no one can.

 

We are at the point where no viable artist looking for singles chart success is ever going to bother releasing in late Nov/Dec and that's the exact time they should be to try and transition their fanbase and the general public to their albums and a physical market.

 

Nothing positive comes from a 30 odd year old song about Christmas being number 1 on January 2nd. Just holding up any news songs or artist who might be breaking through.

charts have to reflect people's consumptions, it doesn't have to be positive, negative or anything

Late to the party but YAY!!!! So happy for Wham! So crazy to think that if Christmas was on a Thursday, Wham would've missed their chance. Is Last Christmas a 2020 or 2021 number one? The full chart week was in 2020 but the announcement was in 2021. :thinking:

 

Hopefully The Pogues, Leona and Kelly Clarkson get their chance over the decade but I won't hold my breath. :lol: Maybe next year there might be a push for The Pogues since this year has proven what can be achieved.

Do Wham also get the longest gap between No.1's? 34 years? or is there any act who had a bigger gap between number ones?

 

Including oldies like wham! Elvis has the record I think (though those were returns to the top spot), not including oldies then Tom Jones, then Robin Gibb (including Bee Gees as part of his run).

 

For Wham! then strictly-speaking wouldnt Everything She Wants still hold the record for biggest-seller not to hit the top spot? The way I understand double A sides when assessing sales is the OCC includes both sides for total sales (see Beatles double A sides) so it should still be listed along with Last Christmas. If they choose to split off Last Christmas from ESW and just list it as the seller then ESW should get the pre-download sales solo. Let's not forget it topped the US chart in it's own right and Last Christmas didn't chart at all, I think.

charts have to reflect people's consumptions, it doesn't have to be positive, negative or anything

 

Then why do we have ACR and the 3 track rule?

Then why do we have ACR and the 3 track rule?

 

 

For stupid reasons.

 

The fact that AIWFCIU and LC got to #1 despite being on ACR should tell you all about what the general public wants to listen to in December. This year there was no normal smash hit to compete with the Christmas songs in the charts. The artists and the labels should try harder if they want big hits in December. But to be honest, I think the labels are happy making bank with Christmas music in December.

 

I'm in my thirties and perhaps I'm getting old, but in the last few years I love Christmas music more and more. By November I'm itching to start listening to it. I try to wait until the last Friday in November, but It's difficult. I don't care for a lot of newly released music (especially rap, hip-hop variety) and switching to Christmas playlists is kind of a relief.

 

Seriously, ACR and 3 tracks rule are dumb. If one artist can make 20 songs chart at the same time, more power to them. If that's what the people are streaming, great.

 

A mild recurrency rule would suffice to keep the charts reasonably fresh: Once the song is half a year old (26 weeks), is out of the TOP 20 and in the decline for three weeks in a row, it goes recurrent. There should also be rules for songs recharting. Christmas songs should be exempt from the recurrency rules.

Mariah and Wham were just as popular in the early 2000s they just weren't included in the charts as they didn't have cd singles or once downloaded people had the song so didn't contribute sales each year like repeat streaming does.

 

I have no problem excluding them from the charts, if you did a lot of other songs would get more exposure and airplay at this time of year. If Taylor Swift and Ed can't battle against Christmas playlists then no one can.

 

We are at the point where no viable artist looking for singles chart success is ever going to bother releasing in late Nov/Dec and that's the exact time they should be to try and transition their fanbase and the general public to their albums and a physical market.

 

Nothing positive comes from a 30 odd year old song about Christmas being number 1 on January 2nd. Just holding up any news songs or artist who might be breaking through.

That's just the way the digital era works. Times change. Streaming has made its own mark.

 

Once again, removing Xmas songs from the chart would not help airplay beyond a couple more chart plays? Stations would still play many Xmas songs around their regular playlists. If Ed and Taylor can't battle against the Xmas playlists, too bad, it's what people are consuming. Besides, as proven in previous years, big smashes CAN hold their own. It's not like willow or Afterglow are doing massive numbers and that's now after the Xmas songs have gone...

 

Does anything positive have to come of Last Christmas at #1? It was the top track ot the week. That's literally all #1 means.

 

Then why do we have ACR and the 3 track rule?

Neither rule is comparable to the nuclear option of removing all Christmas songs. ACR dulls the impact of older hits but does not remove them from the chart. The three track rule dulls the impact of big new albums but does not remove all of its non-singles from the chart (as many here thought would be a good solution at the time). These are compromises between a fair, reflective chart and a place where new music can shine. Removing Xmas songs is not a compromise, it's outright excluding what people are consuming.

It's 5 weeks or more and that's a 10th of the year when sales are at their highest and the most important time for artists to sell records.

 

'Sales' are at their highest... because of the popularity of Christmas songs lmao

Including oldies like wham! Elvis has the record I think (though those were returns to the top spot), not including oldies then Tom Jones, then Robin Gibb (including Bee Gees as part of his run).

 

For Wham! then strictly-speaking wouldnt Everything She Wants still hold the record for biggest-seller not to hit the top spot? The way I understand double A sides when assessing sales is the OCC includes both sides for total sales (see Beatles double A sides) so it should still be listed along with Last Christmas. If they choose to split off Last Christmas from ESW and just list it as the seller then ESW should get the pre-download sales solo. Let's not forget it topped the US chart in it's own right and Last Christmas didn't chart at all, I think.

LC was never released as a single in the US (at least not in the 80s anyway). :D

'Sales' are at their highest... because of the popularity of Christmas songs lmao

 

Not on the album chart. No one is checking for a Brenda Lee album despite her having a current top 10.

 

That's my point a chart full of old Christmas songs is helping no one. Is Mariah's album released this year rising up into the top 10 thanks to AIWFCIY? Did Lewis Capaldi spend an eternity in the albums top 10 thanks to his continuous presence on the singles/airplay charts, yes.

 

December is the time artists are supposed to sell albums but it isn't going to happen if their songs can't get any decent exposure.

 

Just think 10-15 years ago all the big artists that were releasing their big singles/albums in November and December. It is no surprise that if Rihanna, Ed, Adele, Beyonce have albums ready they haven't dropped them in the Q4 when you would normally bank on it.