I will say that due to not engaging with Amazon Music, I have not heard a single one of their Christmas songs since they started doing these exclusives and generally consider them rather objectionable through their playlist practices, what will it mean to people when the Christmas #1 is something they haven't heard simply due to not using a commercial service? Which is the case for anyone who meets one of two criteria: a) is not a fan of Kylie and b) has not been engaging with any Amazon music playlist. It is going to be a lot more people than the vast majority of Christmas #1s.

The last thing I want to see is the concept of exclusives being normalised across streaming platforms. This generally stops songs from becoming generally known even more than currently.

The fading of the big Christmas classics is something that will naturally come with time, but you don't create new classics by limiting their reach, in fact that's the exact opposite of what you do.

8 minutes ago, Iz 🌟 said:

I will say that due to not engaging with Amazon Music, I have not heard a single one of their Christmas songs since they started doing these exclusives and generally consider them rather objectionable through their playlist practices, what will it mean to people when the Christmas #1 is something they haven't heard simply due to not using a commercial service? Which is the case for anyone who meets one of two criteria: a) is not a fan of Kylie and b) has not been engaging with any Amazon music playlist. It is going to be a lot more people than the vast majority of Christmas #1s.

The last thing I want to see is the concept of exclusives being normalised across streaming platforms. This generally stops songs from becoming generally known even more than currently.

The fading of the big Christmas classics is something that will naturally come with time, but you don't create new classics by limiting their reach, in fact that's the exact opposite of what you do.

While I agree to extent, all the Amazon exclusives have been available to listen to and watch the videos for on YouTube - and it’s no different to radio stations prioritising on their playlists which we as a consumer have no way of choosing.

To that point, you don’t have to listen to Amazon to seek the song out when it’s been put on the playlists of all the major radio stations. My parents have heard it several times without having any streaming services to their name. It could be argued that previous Amazon exclusives people don’t recognise but that could be because the songs themselves don’t do enough to stand out, (which could be said for most music in general) whether you like it or not, you can’t argue that XMAS isn’t battering you in the face to be heard.

21 minutes ago, Iz 🌟 said:

The last thing I want to see is the concept of exclusives being normalised across streaming platforms. This generally stops songs from becoming generally known even more than currently.

This Kylie song is unlikely to live long in the memory or become a Christmas classic. I very much doubt it will be number 1 next week and will struggle to remain top 5 with the Christmas classics over taking it with Christmas day not being until next Thursday.

I think Xmas has reached out there moreso than the others have done despite being an exclusive - it's all over the radio, it's had a strictly performance, a Capital Jingle Ball performance which was also televised, she's been doing the rounds and there's been a lot of media coverage around her vying for the Christmas number one.

I think it's earned its stripes to get there and I think people are aware of it, moreso than say Ellie Goulding's one from a few years ago, which literally felt like it coasted its way to the top with nobody hearing or or caring about it.

1 minute ago, Jessie Where said:

I think Xmas has reached out there moreso than the others have done despite being an exclusive - it's all over the radio, it's had a strictly performance, a Capital Jingle Ball performance which was also televised, she's been doing the rounds and there's been a lot of media coverage around her vying for the Christmas number one.

I think it's earned its stripes to get there and I think people are aware of it, moreso than say Ellie Goulding's one from a few years ago, which literally felt like it coasted its way to the top with nobody hearing or or caring about it.

Ellie Goulding’s an interesting one, I sort of see it like Girls Aloud’s See the Day. After Ellie’s cover, it spawned other covers and I noticed the song alot more. I don’t think I’d ever heard the song before Ellie, much like See the Day

Just now, Knightr634 said:

Ellie Goulding’s an interesting one, I sort of see it like Girls Aloud’s See the Day. After Ellie’s cover, it spawned other covers and I noticed the song alot more. I don’t think I’d ever heard the song before Ellie, much like See the Day

100 💯💯💯💯 !! She made the sang more popular again. I think a lot of people heard it that year, too, and most people don't understand/ know about the amazon exclusive playlisting thing getting people these no.1s. They'll have just assumed it was the most popular sang and bigger than Mariah.

I think the exclusives thing for ahora is the only thing tjat can revitalise the Xmas no.1 in the streaming age. Otherwise, playlists mean it will be the same, American classics every year ... unless people get sick if hearing so much Xmas music and stop playing those playlists....

 

10 minutes ago, britpop 1 said:

This Kylie song is unlikely to live long in the memory or become a Christmas classic. I very much doubt it will be number 1 next week and will struggle to remain top 5 with the Christmas classics over taking it with Christmas day not being until next Thursday.

That's the same for loads of Xmas no.1s though - Mr Blobby, Bob the Builder x2 , I Love Sausage Roll x5 , Mad World (Bells End should really have been thr no.1 thst week), etc etc

1 minute ago, December Dong said:

That's the same for loads of Xmas no.1s though - Mr Blobby, Bob the Builder x2 , I Love Sausage Roll x5 , Mad World (Bells End should really have been thr no.1 thst week), etc etc

I think Mad World is remembered. For me Mad World vs The Darkness, Rage vs X-Factor and this week have been the only notable "battles" this century (before X-Factor came and monopolised the whole thing)

19 minutes ago, Knightr634 said:

While I agree to extent, all the Amazon exclusives have been available to listen to and watch the videos for on YouTube

Definitely not all of them, I recall several times where I was trying to listen to Amazon exclusive songs but they were literally impossible to find outside of Amazon.

(They tend to not be very good so no great loss...)

If she does it it will be impressive for Kylie, not necessarily number 1 but I do feel she will still have a strong hold next week though, will it do well next year probably not but I do think it has the best chance of being the first amazon exclusive to actually have a chance of going top 40 in its second year

17 minutes ago, Jessie Where said:

I think Xmas has reached out there moreso than the others have done despite being an exclusive - it's all over the radio, it's had a strictly performance, a Capital Jingle Ball performance which was also televised, she's been doing the rounds and there's been a lot of media coverage around her vying for the Christmas number one.

I think it's earned its stripes to get there and I think people are aware of it, moreso than say Ellie Goulding's one from a few years ago, which literally felt like it coasted its way to the top with nobody hearing or or caring about it.

While I do agree with this, I also agree with the previous post which is that XMAS is unlikely to become an enduring Christmas classic - I'm not sure it will become a radio staple and I don't think many people outside of Kylie's fanbase will still be playing the song in a few years' time. Although of course it does all depend on whether it makes streaming services' future Christmas playlists!

Edited Friday at 12:555 days by Mangø

I can currently hear XMAS on the radio at work, I can’t work out which station it is, they’re playing it downstairs on the mezzene floor which is why I can hear it but can’t quite hear which radio station. I think it might be Greatest Hits Radio.

Any longevity XMAS has in future years will purely depend on whether or not it’s playlisted. Playlisting impacts the Christmas charts even more than the usual chart.

This means she will take the record off Cher as the oldest female with a number 1. Kate and Mariah's don't count coz they did it with old songs

2 minutes ago, Xmel05 said:

This means she will take the record off Cher as the oldest female with a number 1. Kate and Mariah's don't count coz they did it with old songs

You can't dismiss a song just because it's old it still counts 🤣

Edited Friday at 13:035 days by 777666jason

Maybe oldest female with a new song lol.

But we still don’t know yet

That's fine let's make up records for all artist we like then just to fit the narrative 🤣🤣🤣

On 17/12/2025 at 13:16, colourfulsevens said:

Have just spoken to OCC head guy Martin Talbot. I'm interviewing him for Metro.co.uk, an inside scoop on the reality of the race for Christmas number one this year - what it's like in the office, who he wants to get to number one this year, his favourite Christmas songs, what he thinks of old songs sticking around on the charts due to streaming. Piece should be going up Friday morning.

The OCC obviously can't change anything, they just to display the data they receive, but it seems their fingers are crossed for Kylie.

Here's the interview. No spoilers as it was done on Wednesday. Will be updated when the number one is announced later today.

https://metro.co.uk/2025/12/19/chart-boss-warns-kylie-minogue-giving-wham-a-run-money-25599513/

19 minutes ago, Knightr634 said:

I can currently hear XMAS on the radio at work, I can’t work out which station it is, they’re playing it downstairs on the mezzene floor which is why I can hear it but can’t quite hear which radio station. I think it might be Greatest Hits Radio.

Greatest Hits Radio only plays music from the 70s, 80s and 90s so it won't have been that.

16 minutes ago, Xmel05 said:

This means she will take the record off Cher as the oldest female with a number 1. Kate and Mariah's don't count coz they did it with old songs

Kylie's a year and a half older than Mariah anyway though.

21 minutes ago, colourfulsevens said:

Here's the interview. No spoilers as it was done on Wednesday. Will be updated when the number one is announced later today.

https://metro.co.uk/2025/12/19/chart-boss-warns-kylie-minogue-giving-wham-a-run-money-25599513/

Did they ask her questions like, what was it like to miss out on the no.1 and, what was it like getting a new number one/ xmas no.1 etc? And they edit the article after with the correct questions/ answers added?

 

4 minutes ago, Xmel05 said:

This means she will take the record off Cher as the oldest female with a number 1. Kate and Mariah's don't count coz they did it with old songs

She's older than Cher in Believe?!?!

Edited Friday at 13:365 days by December Dong