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"Last Christmas" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Wham! | ||||
from the album Music from the Edge of Heaven and The Final | ||||
A-side | "Everything She Wants" (various) | |||
B-side |
| |||
Released | 3 December 1984 | |||
Recorded | Summer 1984 | |||
Studio | Advision, London [3] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:27 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | George Michael | |||
Producer(s) | George Michael | |||
Wham! singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Last Christmas" on YouTube | ||||
Back cover | ||||
"Last Christmas" is a song by British pop duo Wham! Written and produced by George Michael,it was released on 3 December 1984 via CBS Records internationally and as a double A-side via Epic Records with "Everything She Wants" in several European countries. The song has been covered by many artists since its original release,most notably by Whigfield,Crazy Frog,Billie Piper,Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande.
Upon its initial release in 1984,"Last Christmas" spent five consecutive weeks at number two in the UK Singles Chart—it was held off the top spot at Christmas by Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" (on which Michael also performed). After many chart runs in subsequent years,which included three more weeks at number two,and which saw the recording become part of RCA Records' catalogue,the song finally reached number one in the UK Singles Chart on New Year's Day 2021 (chart week ending date 7 January 2021),more than 36 years after its initial release; [4] in doing so,it became the fifth UK number one single for the duo. Prior to it reaching number one,"Last Christmas" had for many years held the record as the highest-selling single never to top the charts by the Official Charts Company (OCC) with 1.9 million copies sold (not including streams). This record is now held by "Moves like Jagger" by Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera. [5] [6] The song reached number one in the UK after it was streamed 9.2 million times in the last week of 2020 and sold 1,555 downloads,resulting in a total of 40,149 combined sales. [7] Having been the Christmas number two again in 2022,"Last Christmas" finally achieved the accolade of Christmas number one in 2023,39 years after its initial release. [8] Combining sales and streams,it also became the third biggest song of all time in the UK. [9]
Outside the United Kingdom,the song topped the charts in Denmark,Germany,Ireland,Slovenia and Sweden,and peaked within the top ten of the charts in several countries including Australia,Canada and the United States. Wham! donated all of their royalties to relief efforts for the Ethiopian famine. [10] In a UK-wide poll in December 2012,it was voted eighth on the ITV television special The Nation's Favourite Christmas Song [11] and was voted most popular song of the 1980s in Channel 5's Christmas 2020 countdown Britain's Favourite 80's Songs. [12] It was the most-played Christmas song of the 21st century in the UK until it was overtaken by "Fairytale of New York" in 2011. [13]
"Last Christmas" had its beginnings in 1983,while George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley were visiting Michael's parents. It was written by Michael in his childhood bedroom. [3] Michael played Ridgeley the introduction and chorus melody to "Last Christmas",which Ridgeley later called "a moment of wonder". [14] [6]
The song was recorded in August 1984,at Advision Studios,London,England. George Michael wrote,performed,produced and played every single instrument on the track. With a LinnDrum drum machine,a Roland Juno-60 synth and sleigh bells,they began recording the song in the summer,Michael having "plastered [the studio] in Christmas decorations to set the mood". [6] The only other people in the studio were engineer Chris Porter and two assistants,Paul Gommersal and Richard Moakes. According to Porter,lyrically "you've got the happiness of the rhythm track,but against that you've got the sadness of the unrequited love". [3]
Wham! already had two number one singles on the UK Singles Chart during 1984,and news that they were planning a Christmas single meant that a battle for the coveted Christmas number one spot in Britain seemed set to be between Wham! and the year's other big act,Frankie Goes to Hollywood,who had achieved a third No. 1 in early December with "The Power of Love". However,the Band Aid single written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure,produced the No. 1 single "Do They Know It's Christmas?",while Wham!'s offering peaked at No. 2 for much of the period. Wham! donated all "Last Christmas" / "Everything She Wants" royalties,the former of which exceeded £250,000 (equivalent to £850,000in 2021),to the Ethiopian famine relief fund. [10] [15]
In subsequent years,the song entered the UK Top 40 on 15 occasions,reaching the Top 10 no fewer than six times (including a run of five consecutive years between 2016 and 2020). In 1985 and 2017 it equalled its best ever chart position of number two,before finally topping the charts on 1 January 2021,36 years after its original 1984 release. In the process,"Last Christmas" achieved the chart record for the longest time taken for a single to peak at the top of the UK Singles Chart after its first release,a feat that had previously been held by "(Is This The Way To) Amarillo? by Tony Christie,which topped the chart in March 2005,33 years and four months after its initial release in November 1971. [6] The record has since been surpassed in June 2022 by Kate Bush with "Running Up That Hill",which took 37 years. [16]
Coincidentally,with the death of George Michael on 25 December 2016,"Last Christmas" reached No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart for five weeks (8 December 2016 –5 January 2017). On 8 January 2021,"Last Christmas" became the very first record to disappear completely from the chart,having held the No. 1 spot the week before,exiting the Official Charts Company Top 100 chart with no placing on the chart (week ending 14 January 2021). [17] [18] As "Last Christmas" replaced "Don't Stop Me Eatin'" by LadBaby,which had dropped down the singles chart to number 78 on 1 January,it was the first time in chart history that two back-to-back number ones had disappeared not only from the BBC Radio 1 top 40,but the top 75 as well. [19]
Year | Peak pos. | Chart run |
---|---|---|
1984 | 2 | 13 weeks (15 Dec 1984 –9 March 1985) [20] |
1985 | 6 | 7 wks (14 Dec 1985 –25 January 1986) [21] |
1986 | 45 | 5 wks (13 Dec 1986 –10 January 1987) [22] |
2007 | 14 | 5 wks (8 Dec 2007 –5 January 2008) [23] |
2008 | 26 | 5 wks (6 Dec 2008 –3 January 2009) [24] |
2009 | 34 | 4 wks (12 Dec 2009 –2 January 2010) [25] |
2010 | 53 | 4 wks (11 Dec 2010 –1 January 2011) [26] |
2011 | 26 | 4 wks (10 Dec 2011 –31 December 2011) [27] |
2012 | 34 | 5 wks (8 Dec 2012 –5 January 2013) |
2013 | 36 | 5 wks (7 Dec 2013 –4 January 2014) |
2014 | 28 | 5 wks (6 Dec 2014 –3 January 2015) [28] |
2015 | 18 | 5 wks (10 Dec 2015 –7 January 2016) [29] |
2016 | 7 | 5 wks (8 Dec 2016 –5 January 2017) [30] |
2017 | 2 | 6 wks (30 Nov 2017 –4 January 2018) [31] |
2018 | 3 | 5 wks (6 Dec 2018 –3 January 2019) [32] |
2019 | 3 | 6 wks (28 Nov 2019 –2 January 2020) [33] |
2020 | 1 | 8 wks (19 Nov 2020 –7 January 2021) [34] |
2021 | 2 | 8 wks (18 Nov 2021 –6 January 2022) [35] |
2022 | 1 | 8 wks (17 Nov 2022 –5 January 2023) [36] |
2023 | 1 | 9 wks (16 Nov 2023 - 11 Jan 2024) [37] |
By February 2020 [update] ,"Last Christmas" had sold over 1.90 million copies,being at that time the biggest-selling single in UK chart history not to reach number one,and the 10th best-selling UK single overall. [3] [38] As of December 2023,"Last Christmas" has sold over 1.93 million physical copies and downloads,becoming the eighth best-selling single of all time in the UK overall. It was certified sextuple platinum in December 2023. [39]
In December 2019,it peaked at No. 1 on both the UK Official Vinyl Singles Chart [40] and on the Official Video Streaming Chart. [41] The following week,the song set a new UK chart record and was streamed 17.1 million times,the most number of plays in a week. [42] It became the UK's best-selling vinyl single release in 2019. [43] In December 2023,for the first time in the song's history,it won the coveted Christmas number 1 spot on The Official Chart Show with Jack Saunders. [44]
In Germany,the song is the most successful Christmas single of all time,having spent 169 weeks on the German Singles Chart and attained a peak position of No. 1 on 24 December 2021. [45] It has charted every year since 1997. [46] In January 2008,the song fell from No. 4 to No. 64 there,also making it the biggest fall out of the top 10 on the singles chart. [47]
In Ireland the single went to number one for one week in December 1984 before being replaced at the top by Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?". It also went back to number one in Ireland at the end of December 2022. [48]
The single was originally released in two different formats in Japan with different cover art,a 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl (Long version) both with "Credit Card Baby" as their B-side. The former entered the top 20 of the Oricon Singles Chart peaking at No. 15,while the latter reached No. 47. [49] The single was released in 1993 on CD single in the country and peaked at No. 17,selling nearly 40,000 copies that week. [50] It was reissued in November 2001 and 2004 as a two-track CD with the single edit and the "pudding mix". [51] [52] As a result of the success,"Last Christmas" is the eighth best-selling single of all time in Japan released by a non-Japanese act,with total physical sales of 683,000 units. [53]
In the Netherlands,the song never reached No. 1,peaking at No. 2 in January 1985 (behind Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?"). In the Dutch Singles Top 100 (one of three charts in the Netherlands that claims to be the "official" chart,but it is the only one that is not broadcast and remains unpublished except on its own official web page),the song has now entered on 16 different occasions,including every year since 2006. Its highest position after 1984 was No. 4 (during the 2016 and 2018 Christmas season). [54] [55] In the Dutch Mega Top 50 (which was first published in 1993),the song re-appeared in 1997,2000,2007,2008,and 2013.
"Last Christmas" was not released commercially as a single in the United States until November 2014,when it was made available on 12" vinyl as a Record Store Day exclusive. [56] Since then,the song has re-entered the Billboard Holiday Songs Chart on a regular basis,peaking at No. 3 on 7 December 2019. [57] [58]
In November 2016,total US sales of the digital track stood at 751,000 downloads according to Nielsen SoundScan,placing it 10th on the list of best-selling Christmas/holiday digital singles in US SoundScan history. [59] The song debuted at No. 50 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the chart dated 7 January 2017,after George Michael died. [60] In December 2018,the song re-entered the Hot 100,reaching No. 25 in January 2019, [61] and then a new peak of No. 11 in the first issue of 2020. On the issue dated 2 January 2021,"Last Christmas" reached No. 9 on the Hot 100,its first foray into the top 10 and returning Wham! to the top 10 after a 35-year break. The following year,on the issue dated 1 January 2022,the song reached No. 7. [62] [63] [64] On the issue dated 24 December 2022,the song reached a new peak of No. 6 on the Hot 100. [65] On the year's last issue of the Billboard Hot 100,dated 31 December 2022,"Last Christmas" reached top five. [66] On Billboard's first issue of 2023,dated 7 January,the song reached a new peak of No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. [67] According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),it was certified double platinum in December 2019 and has sold 2 million digital units. [68]
In 2017,2018,2019 and 2021,"Last Christmas" reached No. 1 in the Swedish singles chart. [69]
The video to "Last Christmas" directed by Andrew Morahan,shows Wham! members Michael and Ridgeley accompanying girlfriends to see friends at an unspecified ski resort cottage;the cable-car that is visible in two shots is from Saas-Fee,Switzerland,where the video was filmed on 21 November 1984. [3] [70] It becomes clear early on that the character of Ridgeley's girlfriend (played by model Kathy Hill) [3] was previously in a relationship with Michael and that the song is aimed at her. She can be spotted throughout the video by the fact that she is usually wearing red,but everyone else is wearing more muted colours.
There is a brief flashback to a prior Christmas,showing Michael's character presenting Kathy Hill's character with a jewelled brooch. In the present time,Ridgeley is wearing the brooch,suggesting that Hill gave the same gift (perhaps by regifting it) to her new love after she and Michael parted ways. When Hill wears the brooch after receiving it from Michael's character,it is "right side up",and when Ridgeley's character wears it,he wears it "upside down". On numerous occasions,Michael presents a thoughtful expression,suggesting his conflicting emotions. As Michael is decorating the Christmas tree some decoration falls to the floor where Michael's ex-girlfriend is sitting and the ex-couple shares a few seconds of a knowing look at each other.
Her seeming indifference to Ridgeley's open displays of affection makes the viewer wonder if Ridgeley's heart is the next to be broken. At the end of the video,everyone leaves the cottage and when the group get out of the cable-car,they are all properly "paired off" with Michael and his new girlfriend looking happy.
The video also featured the duo's backing singers Pepsi and Shirlie. [3]
It has since been rescanned in 4K definition from the original 35mm film. The music video,originally shot on film,was released on 13 December 2019 in 4K Ultra HD resolution. [71] The music video's original film director Andy Morahan had found seven out of the eight rolls of original 35mm rushes and worked closely with teams at Cinelab London and VFX artist Russ Shaw at Nice Biscuits post production to recreate the video using the higher-resolution film. [72]
Weekly charts | Monthly charts
Year-end charts
All-time charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [177] | 7× Platinum | 490,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada) [178] | 9× Platinum | 720,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [179] | 6× Platinum | 540,000‡ |
Germany (BVMI) [180] | 3× Platinum | 1,500,000‡ |
Greece (IFPI Greece) [181] | Gold | 10,000^ |
Italy (FIMI) [182] sales since 2009 | 3× Platinum | 300,000‡ |
Japan (RIAJ) [183] physical sales | 2× Platinum | 655,000 [184] |
Japan (RIAJ) [185] Chaku-Uta Full (R) digital 2004–2011 | Platinum | 250,000* |
Japan (RIAJ) [186] Chaku-Uta (R) digital 2002–2019 | 3× Platinum | 750,000* |
Netherlands (NVPI) [187] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [188] | 3× Platinum | 90,000‡ |
Portugal (AFP) [189] | Platinum | 10,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [190] | 2× Platinum | 120,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [39] | 6× Platinum | 3,600,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [191] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000‡ |
Streaming | ||
Greece (IFPI Greece) [192] | Platinum | 2,000,000† |
Sweden (GLF) [193] | 10× Platinum | 80,000,000† |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Version(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Europe | 3 December 1984 |
| Epic | [194] | |
12-inch vinyl | Pudding mix | [195] | |||
Various | 10 December 1984 |
|
| Epic, CBS | [196] |
Japan | 15 December 1984 | 7-inch vinyl |
| Epic | [197] |
21 December 1984 | 12-inch vinyl | Original "long version" | [195] | ||
World | December 1985 | 7-inch vinyl |
| [198] | |
12-inch vinyl | Pudding mix | [198] | |||
U.K. | December 1986 | 7-inch vinyl |
| [199] | |
Japan | 9 December 1988 |
|
| [200] | |
Europe | December 1988 |
| [201] | ||
Japan | 21 November 2001 | CD single | [202] | ||
17 November 2004 | [203] | ||||
U.K. | 22 November 2004 | Digital download |
| Sony | [204] |
United States | 28 November 2014 | 12-inch vinyl |
| Columbia | [205] |
Various | 13 December 2019 | 7-inch vinyl |
| RCA | [206] |
U.K. | 15 December 2023 |
|
| Sony Music | [207] |
7-inch vinyl | 85 version | [208] | |||
Note: When released in 1984 "Last Christmas" and "Everything She Wants" were a double A-side. In some countries, the longer edit (4:34) of "Last Christmas" from 1984 was used on side two of the second 12-inch. The only difference between the 1988 and 1989 reissues is the text (Christmas '88" and Christmas '89") on the back of the record.
The film Last Christmas (2019) prominently features the music of George Michael, including this song. [209]
The song is featured in the video game Just Dance 2017 as a duet between two dancers, one of whom is dressed as Santa Claus. [210] and in the movie, Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever which was played twice.[ citation needed ]
On behalf of the writers of the song "Can't Smile Without You", made popular by Barry Manilow, publishing company Dick James Music sued Michael for plagiarism in the mid-1980s, claiming that "Last Christmas" lifted its melody from the former. The case was dismissed when a musicologist presented 60-odd songs from the past century that had a comparable chord sequence and melody. [3] [211]
"Last Christmas" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Whigfield | ||||
from the album Whigfield and Whigfield II | ||||
Released | 4 December 1995 [212] | |||
Length | 4:16 | |||
Label | X-Energy | |||
Songwriter(s) | George Michael | |||
Producer(s) | Larry Pignagnoli | |||
Whigfield singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Last Christmas" on YouTube |
Italian dance act Whigfield covered "Last Christmas" and released it as a double A-side with "Big Time" in the UK in December 1995. The single was also released as a double A-side single in Germany with "Close to You". In other countries, "Last Christmas" was released on its own with various remixes. The single reached number 21 in the UK, which was Whigfield's final release on Systematic Records. It also appears on various Special Edition versions of her debut album Whigfield and also on Whigfield II .
Whigfield's cover of "Last Christmas" climbed into the top 10 in both Denmark and Spain, peaking at numbers six and five, respectively. It was also a top-20 hit in Finland and a top-30 hit in Ireland and the United Kingdom. In the latter country, "Last Christmas" / "Big Time" peaked at number 21 during its first week on the UK Singles Chart, on 10 December 1995. [213] It was additionally a top-40 hit in Belgium, as well as on the European Hot 100 Singles, on which the song reached number 38.
The music video for Whigfield's cover was directed by Italian director Giacomo De Simone. It features Whigfield performing the song in a winter landscape.
12-inch single, Italy (1995) | CD single, UK (1995) | |
---|---|---|
1. "Last Christmas" (MBRG Version) – 5:25 | 1. "Last Christmas (Major Cut) – 4:10 | |
2. "Last Christmas" (Major Version) – 4:10 | 2. "Big Time (Dancing Divas Club Mix) – 6:54 | |
3. "Big Time" (Album Version) – 3:21 | 3. "Saturday Night (Spike Vocal) – 7:28 | |
4. "Last Christmas" (David Version) – 8:00 | 4. "Saturday Night (Afternoon Mix) (Fishbone Beat's Remix) | |
5. "Last Christmas" (Minor Version) – 4:10 | ||
CD single, Italy (1995) | CD maxi, Scandinavia (1995) | |
1. "Last Christmas" (Major Version) | 1. "Last Christmas" (MBRG Version) – 5:25 | |
2. "Last Christmas" (MBRG Version) | 2. "Last Christmas" (Major Version) – 4:10 | |
3. "Last Christmas" (David Version) | 3. "Last Christmas" (Minor Version) – 4:20 | |
4. "Last Christmas" (Minor Version) | 4. "Last Christmas" (Major Mild Eq. Version) – 4:10 | |
5. "Close To You" (Down Town Remix) | 5. "Last Christmas" (K. David Version) – 8:00 |
Chart (1995) | Peak position |
---|---|
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [214] | 38 |
Denmark (IFPI) [215] | 6 |
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles) | 38 |
Europe Eurochart Hot 100 | 61 |
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) [216] | 12 |
Ireland (IRMA) | 24 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade) [217] | 2 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [218] | 34 |
Scotland (OCC) [219] | 21 |
Spain (AFYVE) [220] | 4 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [221] | 53 |
UK Singles (OCC) [213] | 21 |
"Last Christmas" | |
---|---|
Promotional single by Ashley Tisdale | |
Released |
|
Recorded | 2006 |
Genre | |
Length |
|
Label | Warner Bros. |
Songwriter(s) | George Michael |
Producer(s) | Mark Hammond |
"Last Christmas" was recorded in 2006 for Warner Bros. Records by Ashley Tisdale. The song was released to US radios on 11 November 2006 and as a digital download on 21 November 2006. This song was the first single released by Ashley Tisdale in her deal with Warner Bros. Records and became her official first holiday single. Tisdale performed the single in 2007 on Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Christmas in Rockefeller Center , and in 2009 in the Citadel Outlets of Los Angeles, California. The song was one of the B-sides on the European CD singles of Tisdale's first single "Be Good to Me" and Tisdale's second single "He Said She Said", from the album Headstrong . [223] The song has been included on several compilation albums, including Disney Channel Holiday and A Very Special Christmas 7 .
Chart (2011) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Holiday Digital Song Sales ( Billboard ) [224] | 47 |
"Last Christmas" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Crazy Frog | ||||
from the album Crazy Frog Presents More Crazy Hits Ultimate Edition | ||||
Released | December 2006 | |||
Recorded | 2006 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:27 | |||
Label | Ministry of Sound | |||
Songwriter(s) | George Michael | |||
Crazy Frog singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Last Christmas" on YouTube |
"Last Christmas" was covered in 2006 by Crazy Frog and released as a Christmas single.
Chart (2006) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [225] | 30 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [226] | 19 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [227] | 6 |
France (SNEP) [228] | 19 |
Ireland (IRMA) [229] | 16 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [230] | 48 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [231] | 19 |
UK Singles (OCC) [232] | 16 |
"Last Christmas" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Cascada | ||||
from the album It's Christmas Time | ||||
Released | 21 November 2007 | |||
Recorded | 2007 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:27 | |||
Label |
| |||
Songwriter(s) | George Michael | |||
Cascada singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Last Christmas" on YouTube |
"Last Christmas" was recorded in 2007 by Cascada. It was released on iTunes in November 2007. The single had only a digital release but six days later, it was released on the single "What Hurts the Most" which was the first single from their second album. It was also released as part of their Christmas album, It's Christmas Time.
Chart (2007) | Peak position |
---|---|
Germany (Official German Charts) [233] | 83 |
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [234] | 63 |
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) [235] | 111 [lower-alpha 1] |
UK Dance (OCC) [236] | 22 |
Chart (2010) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Dance/Electronic Digital Songs Sales (Billboard) [237] | 43 |
"Last Christmas" | |
---|---|
Single by Glee cast | |
from the album Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album | |
Released | 23 November 2009 16 November 2010 (re-release) |
Recorded | 2009 |
Genre | Pop |
Length | 3:37 |
Label | Columbia |
Songwriter(s) | George Michael |
The song was covered by the cast of Glee, led by Lea Michele, Cory Monteith with Amber Riley, and was released in 2009 exclusively on iTunes as a charity single, then in 2010 on Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album . The song entered the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the first time a cover version of the song appeared on that chart.
Chart (2009–22) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [238] | 60 |
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [239] | 46 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [240] | 63 |
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [241] | 27 |
US Holiday Airplay ( Billboard ) [242] | 39 |
US Holiday Digital Songs ( Billboard ) [243] | 3 |
"Last Christmas" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Joe McElderry | ||||
from the album Classic Christmas | ||||
Released | 4 November 2011 | |||
Recorded | October 2011 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Label | Decca | |||
Songwriter(s) | George Michael | |||
Joe McElderry singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Last Christmas" on YouTube |
British singer Joe McElderry covered the song in 2011. This version was released as a single on 19 December 2011, [244] an EP was also released digitally in Ireland on 4 November 2011, and in the UK on 7 November 2011. Joe McElderry's version is taken from his third studio album, Classic Christmas , released 28 November 2011. 7th Heaven Remix & Production have done a remix for the song.
A short music video was made using footage which was filmed for the Classic Christmas's album advertising, it features McElderry outside in the snow, collecting logs and taking them to a large house preparing for a Christmas party, a similar video was made for McElderry's version of "O Come All Ye Faithful". The advert and both videos were directed by Steve Lucker. [245]
"Last Christmas" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Ariana Grande | ||||
from the album Christmas Kisses | ||||
Released | 19 November 2013 | |||
Recorded | 2013 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:24 | |||
Label | Republic | |||
Songwriter(s) | George Michael | |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Ariana Grande singles chronology | ||||
|
"Last Christmas" is a song by American singer Ariana Grande. The song serves as the lead single from Grande's Christmas Kisses . It was released on 19 November 2013 in the iTunes Store. [246]
Grande's cover draws primarily from pop music, contemporary R&B and soul and also includes newly written lyrics in place of some of the originals. [247] [248] The verses have been described as "bouncier" than the original melody. [247]
Chart (2013–2024) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [249] | 95 |
Global 200 ( Billboard ) [250] | 157 |
Japan (Japan Hot 100) [251] | 73 |
Lithuania (AGATA) [252] | 93 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [253] | 59 |
Portugal (AFP) [254] | 90 |
South Korea (Circle) [255] | 23 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [256] | 91 |
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) [257] | 92 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [258] | 96 |
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [259] | 26 |
US Holiday 100 ( Billboard ) [260] | 32 |
US Holiday Digital Song Sales ( Billboard ) [261] | 1 |
US Holiday Streaming Songs ( Billboard ) [262] | 22 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [263] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [264] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
"Last Christmas" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Carly Rae Jepsen | ||||
Released | 20 November 2015 | |||
Recorded | November 2015 [265] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:32 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | George Michael | |||
Producer(s) | Ben Romans | |||
Carly Rae Jepsen singles chronology | ||||
|
"Last Christmas" was covered by Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen in 2015 and was released to digital retailers on 20 November 2015 through 604 Records (in Canada) and Interscope Records and School Boy Records (internationally). [266] Jepsen's rendition was praised by critics for combining stylistic elements similar to the original with modern production. [267] She performed the song live at the annual NBC television special Christmas in Rockefeller Center airing on 2 December 2015, [268] and on the episode of The Late Late Show with James Corden airing on 16 December 2015. [269]
Bianca Gracie of Idolator described the song as "quintessential Carly" for highlighting Jepsen's unique vocals and synth production and wrote that her cover will "charm your... socks off". [270] Nolan Feeney of Time echoed those sentiments, noting that "Last Christmas" is "the kind of brokenhearted yet warm and sweet song [Jepsen] excels at". [271] Jackson McHenry of Vulture applauded Jepsen for her straightforward approach to the song and avoiding the "vocal gymnastics" that bog down some Christmas covers. [272]
A more critical review came from music blog Popcrush, who deemed the cover overproduced, saying "The slick production is a disservice to both Jepsen's vocals and the original's emotional heft.". [273]
Chart (2015–20) | Peak position |
---|---|
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders) [274] | 21 |
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia) [275] | 40 |
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40) [276] | 20 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [277] | 100 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [278] | 80 |
US Holiday Digital Song Sales (Billboard) [279] | 43 |
George Michael was an English singer-songwriter, record producer and philanthropist. Regarded as a pop culture icon, he is one of the best-selling musicians of all time, with his sales estimated at between 100 million to 125 million records worldwide. Michael was known as a creative force in songwriting, vocal performance, and visual presentation. He achieved 10 number-one songs on the US Billboard Hot 100 and 13 number-one songs on the UK Singles Chart. Michael won numerous music awards, including two Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards, twelve Billboard Music Awards, and four MTV Video Music Awards. He was listed among Billboard's the "Greatest Hot 100 Artists of All Time" and Rolling Stone's the "200 Greatest Singers of All Time". The Radio Academy named him the most played artist on British radio during the period 1984–2004. Michael was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.
"All I Want for Christmas Is You" is a song by American singer Mariah Carey from her fourth studio album and first holiday album, Merry Christmas (1994). Written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff, the song was released as the lead single from the album on October 29, 1994, by Columbia Records. The track is an uptempo love song that includes bell chimes, backing vocals, and synthesizers. It has received critical acclaim, with The New Yorker describing it as "one of the few worthy modern additions to the holiday canon". The song has become a Christmas standard, with a significant rise in popularity every December.
"Run Rudolph Run" is a Christmas song written by Chuck Berry but credited to Johnny Marks and M. Brodie due to Marks's trademark on the character of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It was published by St. Nicholas Music (ASCAP) and was first recorded by Berry in 1958, released as a single on Chess Records.
"Everything She Wants" is a song by British pop duo Wham!, originally released as a single in 1984 on Epic Records on a double A-side with "Last Christmas". It was written and produced by George Michael, a member of the duo, becoming their third consecutive million-selling number-one hit in the United States.
"I'm Your Man" is a song by British pop duo Wham!, released in 1985 on Epic Records in the UK and most of the world, and Columbia Records in the US. It was written and produced by George Michael.
"Jingle Bell Rock" is an American Christmas song first released by Bobby Helms in 1957. It has received frequent airplay in the United States during every Christmas season since then, and is generally considered Helms' signature song. "Jingle Bell Rock" was composed by Joseph Carleton Beal and James Ross Boothe, although both Helms and session guitarist on the song Hank Garland disputed this. Beal was a Massachusetts-born public relations professional and longtime resident of South Ocean Avenue in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Boothe was an American writer in the advertising business.
"Feliz Navidad" is a Christmas song written and first recorded in 1970 by Puerto Rican singer-songwriter José Feliciano. With its simple, heartfelt lyrics - the traditional Spanish Christmas/New Year greeting "Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad", followed by text in English words "I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart" - it has become a Christmas classic and has gained popularity around the world.
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin. It was originally recorded by John for his eighth studio album, Caribou (1974), and was released as a single that peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and reached number 16 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" is a Christmas song written by Johnny Marks and recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958; it has since been recorded by numerous other music artists. By the song's 50th anniversary in 2008, Lee's original version had sold over 15 million copies around the world with the 4th most digital downloads sold of any Christmas single. In 2019, Lee's recording of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In November 2023, Lee released a music video for the song, and in December 2023 the song topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, marking Lee's third number-one single and making Lee the oldest artist ever to top the Hot 100 at age 78, later breaking the record once again one week later at the age of 79. The song also set the record for the longest period of time between an original release and its topping the Hot 100, as well as the longest time between number-one singles by an artist: 63 years, one month and two weeks.
"Saturday Night" is a song by Italian Eurodance project Whigfield, fronted by Danish-born Sannie Charlotte Carlson. It was first released in 1992 in Italy and 1993 in Spain through Prodisc. Throughout 1994, it was released across the rest of Europe and experienced worldwide success. The song was written by Italian producers Larry Pignagnoli and Davide Riva and produced by Pignagnoli. In 1995, the song was included on Whigfield's debut album, Whigfield.
"Another Day" is a song by Italian Eurodance project Whigfield, fronted by Danish-born Sannie Charlotte Carlson. It was released in August 1994 by X-Energy, ZYX Music and Systematic as the second single from her debut album, Whigfield (1995). Written by producers Larry Pignagnoli and Davide Riva, with Annerley Gordon and Ray Dorset, the song was the follow-up single to Whigfield's 1994 hit single, "Saturday Night", and peaked at number seven in the United KIngdom. "Another Day" also became a top-10 hit in Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Spain, Switzerland and Zimbabwe. On the Eurochart Hot 100, it reached number nine.
"Big Time" is a song by Italian Eurodance project Whigfield, which was fronted by Danish-born singer Sannie Charlotte Carlson. It was written by Annerley Gordon, Alfredo Larry Pignagnoli, Davide Riva and Paul Sears and produced by Pignagnoli and Riva. The song was released in July 1995 by X-Energy Records as the fifth single from her debut album, Whigfield (1995). For the British market, the song was released as a double A-side single with "Last Christmas", a cover of the English duo Wham!, and reached number 21 on the UK Singles Chart. In other countries, "Big Time" peaked within the top 10 in Canada and was a top-20 hit in Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.
Carly Rae Jepsen is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and musician. After studying musical theatre for most of her school life and while in university, Jepsen garnered mainstream attention after placing third on the fifth season of Canadian Idol in 2007. In 2008, Jepsen released her folk-influenced debut studio album Tug of War in Canada before it was internationally released in 2011.
"Think of You" is a song recorded by Italian Eurodance project Whigfield, which was performed by Danish-born Sannie Charlotte Carlson. It was released in May 1995 as the third single from her first album, Whigfield (1995), and scored success on the charts in Europe. The single reached number seven in the UK and was a top 10 hit also in Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Spain and Zimbabwe. On the Eurochart Hot 100, "Think of You" reached number four.
"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" is a popular Christmas song written in 1963 by Edward Pola and George Wyle. It was recorded and released that year by pop singer Andy Williams for his first Christmas album, The Andy Williams Christmas Album. However, the song was not released as a promotional single by Williams' record label that year, as they instead opted to promote his cover of "White Christmas" as the official promo single from the album. "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" has consistently made it onto pop singles charts around the world in the 2010s and 2020s. It peaked at No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 2020 and at No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart in 2021.
English musical duo Wham! released three studio albums, four compilation albums, four video albums, 12 music videos, 14 singles, two remix albums and two documentary films.
"Call Me Maybe" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen from her EP Curiosity (2012) and later appeared on her second studio album and first international album Kiss (2012). The song was written by Jepsen and Tavish Crowe as a folk song, but its genre was modified to pop following the production by Josh Ramsay. It was released as the lead single from the EP on September 20, 2011, through 604 Records. Jepsen was signed to Schoolboy Records, releasing her single in the United States through the label, as the first single from Kiss. Musically, "Call Me Maybe" is a teen pop, dance-pop and bubblegum pop track that alludes to the inconvenience that love at first sight brings to a girl who hopes for a call back from a new crush.
Canadian singer and songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen has released seven studio albums, two remix albums, four EPs, 28 singles, 10 promotional singles, and 24 music videos. In 2007, Jepsen finished third in the fifth season of the talent series Canadian Idol. She subsequently signed a recording contract with Fontana and MapleMusic.
"Santa Tell Me" is a Christmas song by American singer Ariana Grande. It was released by Republic Records on November 24, 2014 and was included on the Japanese exclusive reissue of Grande's first EP Christmas Kisses (2013), as well as a "naughty version" on Grande's second EP Christmas & Chill (2015). The song was written by Grande, Savan Kotecha, and Ilya Salmanzadeh, who also served as its producer.
"I Really Like You" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen for her third studio album, Emotion (2015). It was written by Jepsen, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Peter Svensson, and Steve DaMar; and produced by Svensson. The song was released as the album's lead single on 2 March 2015.
Editado e Distribuido em Portugal por CBS (Portugal) Música e Discos, Lda
Made in HollandThe Dutch-manufactured pressing contains the names of the band and of the song.
Wham "Last Christmas" - 21 Nov 1984