Kylie minogue in Tight Race for Christmas Number One, Charity Single Gains Momentum
LONDON, December 15, 2025 – A festive showdown is unfolding in the United Kingdom as pop icon Kylie Minogue battles for the coveted Christmas number one spot with Wham! and a surging charity single supporting aid efforts in Gaza. The Official Charts Company reports a remarkably close contest, with less than 10,000 units separating the top five contenders as of today.
Minogue’s brand new single, “XMAS,” currently leads the pack, boasting a 7,000-unit advantage over Wham!’s perennial favorite, “Last Christmas.” However, the gap is narrowing, with the charity single “Lullaby,” featuring a supergroup of artists including Dan Smith of Bastille and Celeste, trailing closely behind Wham! by just 231 sales.
“I think I’d cry,” Minogue confessed to BBC News, reflecting on the possibility of securing her frist number one single since “Slow” in 2003. “It’s been an amazing year, so that would be the cherry on top.”
The Amazon Effect and a Yuletide Routine
Minogue’s campaign benefits from an exclusive partnership with Amazon.every time a user requests Christmas songs through an Amazon smart speaker, “XMAS” is prioritized, automatically registering as a chart-eligible stream. The song also features a choreographed dance routine spelling out “X-M-A-S,” playfully dubbed a “yuletide YMCA.”
“XMAS” was originally recorded during sessions for Minogue’s 2015 album, kylie Christmas, but remained unfinished until now. The artist expressed relief at finally completing the track, fearing another artist might release a song with the same title.Official Charts Company provides further details on the race.
A Charity Single with a Powerful Message
The charity single, “Lullaby,” is a reimagining of the conventional Palestinian folk song “Yamma Mwel El Hawa (Mama, Sing to the Wind),” featuring new English lyrics penned by Peter Gabriel. Proceeds from the single will be donated to aid organizations supporting people in Gaza.
Nai Barghouti, a Palestinian singer featured on the track, emphasized the song’s significance. “the lyrics are always a strong confirmation of what it means to be Palestinian – a never-ending sense of resilience, defiance, beauty, dignity and hope.” She added that achieving chart success would be “a small beam of light in such darkness.”
The Contenders: A Look at the Competition
Beyond the top three, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is predicted to land at number four, while The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl’s beloved “Fairytale of New York” currently holds the fifth position. “Fairytale of New York” is experiencing a surge in popularity thanks to a limited-edition zoetrope vinyl release.
Here’s a snapshot of the current standings:
| Rank | Artist | Song title | Units Ahead/Behind Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kylie Minogue | XMAS | – |
| 2 | Wham! | last Christmas | 7,000 Behind |
| 3 | Together For Palestine | Lullaby | 231 Behind Wham! |
| 4 | Mariah Carey | All I want For Christmas Is You | Predicted #4 |
| 5 | The Pogues ft. Kirsty MacColl | Fairytale of New york | Predicted #5 |
“Last Christmas” holds the record for the most weeks on the UK singles chart without reaching number one, and a win this year would mark its historic third time at the top – a first for any song. Guinness World Records details the song’s chart history.
The final chart results will be announced on Christmas Day. As streaming data continues to accumulate, the outcome remains uncertain, promising a thrilling conclusion to this year’s Christmas number one race.
What are your predictions for the Christmas number one? Do you think a charity single can take the top spot this year?
