The single draws on the party energy of classic disco-pop, complete with a choreographed routine that spells out “X-M-A-S”. The track has been heavily promoted on streaming platforms and primetime TV, including a performance on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing semi-final, further boosting its visibility in the crucial run-up to Christmas.

According to midweek data from The Official Charts Company, Minogue’s ‘XMAS’ is around 7,000 chart units ahead of Wham!’s Last Christmas just a few days into the race. That early lead has been reinforced by the release of multiple physical formats, including limited edition 7-inch gold vinyl, 12-inch zoetrope vinyl and CD singles, which carry particular weight in the modern Christmas chart landscape.

If ‘XMAS’ holds its lead through to the publication of the Official Christmas Chart, it would become Minogue’s first UK Number 1 single since ‘Slow’ topped the charts in 2003. The result would also cap a landmark year that has already seen her claim an 11th UK Number 1 album with Kylie Christmas (Fully Wrapped), a revamped edition of her 2015 festive record featuring new material.

Minogue faces stiff competition from Wham!, whose ‘Last Christmas’ has taken the Christmas Number 1 title for the past two years and remains a dominant force on streaming services. Also in contention is ‘Lullaby’ (often shortened to Lull), a charity single for Palestine featuring contributors including Brian Eno, Celeste and members of Bastille and Little Mix, which sits only a few hundred sales behind Wham! in early updates.

With physical sales, streaming patterns and last-minute campaigns all capable of reshaping the chart, the outcome of the Christmas Number 1 race remains uncertain. For now, however, Minogue has emerged as the frontrunner, raising the prospect of a long-awaited return to the top of the UK singles chart on the most coveted week of the year.

Fans have praised the single on social media, with one fan sharing, “The song is addictive”. Many fans have called out the singles’ exclusivity to Amazon Music, requesting that they be released on other streaming platforms. The music video is free to watch on Youtube.

Featured Image Credits: J.E.T. 603

The lead single from her latest album ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’, it was released on the same day as the album and first got to Number One on October 16. It spent three weeks there before being replaced by ‘Golden’ from Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters, which Taylor’s single replaced again two weeks later.

Previously, ‘Anti-Hero’, from Taylor Swift’s album ‘Midnights’ had been her longest-running UK Number One, spending six consecutive weeks at the top spot. She had also become the first women since Miley Cyrus to top the albums and singles charts simultaneously.

Altogether, Taylor has topped the UK charts with five different tracks. Her first was ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ in 2017, spending two weeks at Number One, followed by ‘Anti-Hero’ in 2022, then ‘Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version)’ in 2023, and ‘Fortnight’ the following year, both which spent a week at Number One, and now ‘The Fate Of Ophelia’.

‘The Life Of A Showgirl’ has become Taylor Swift’s 14th Number One album in the UK, spending four non-consecutive weeks at the top. She has the most Number One albums for an international artist, joint-second place with The Rolling Stones. Only The Beatles and Robbie Williams have more, both with 15.

The Official Charts has listed Taylor Swift as one of the artists likely to get Christmas Number One this year, with three of her songs currently charting – ‘The Fate Of Ophelia’, ‘Opalite’, and ‘Elizabeth Taylor’.

Also expected to be in the running are Olivia Dean with ‘The Christmas Song’, Labrinth with ‘Where Love Lives’ (which is the soundtrack for this year’s John Lewis advert), Tom Fletcher with ‘One Of Us’ from Paddington: The Musical, and RAYE with ‘Where Is My Husband!’ which has spent 11 weeks in the charts so far.

Other festive classics such as ‘Last Christmas’ by Wham! and ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ could be Christmas Number One, with both singles currently charting at Number Three and Four respectively.

Meanwhile, Taylor Swift has recently shared the trailer for her new concert film, The Eras Tour: The Final Show, set to come out on Disney+ on December 12, alongside the first two episodes of a six-episode docuseries.

The concert film captures the entire concert from her last ‘Eras Tour‘ stop at the BC Place stadium in Vancouver, Canada, last December, including ‘The Tortured Poets Department‘ set.

The six episode docuseries captures behind the scenes content from the tour and is titled The End of an Era, with the first two episodes coming out December 12. A trailer for this series has also been shared online.

Online, the singer has also been gaining popularity with the song ‘All I Ever Asked’. The track delves into the complexities of relationships, reflecting on the yearning for basic respect and understanding from a partner. In February 2025, Chinouriri collaborated with American singer-songwriter Sombr to release a new version of ‘All I Ever Asked’. Over social media, the singer has expressed her happiness about the milestone and encouraged fans to go listen to the song stating that she believes in it and in herself.

@rachelchinouriri LETS GO! Another Sabrina show tonight in Dublin! I’m on at 7pm!! I’m so grateful, very grateful! #sabrinacarpenter #allieverasked #rachelchinouriri #fyp All I Ever Asked – Rachel Chinouriri

Chinouriri’s journey to this achievement has been marked by a series of artistic endeavors. ‘What a Devastating Turn of Events‘ received critical acclaim for its exploration of themes such as heartbreak, personal growth, and self-reflection. The album’s success further established her presence in the music industry, leading to notable performances at festivals like Glastonbury and collaborations with artists such as Cat Burns.

The artist has also recently embarked a UK Tour with American singer Sabrina Carpenter, which will be taking the two to London over the weekend to grace the London O2 Arena stage. The tour will also be stopping in Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow. Fans who already saw the artist’s opening performance in Dublin have been congratulating her and expressing their newly found love for her music.

The chart debut of ‘What a devastating turn of events‘ signifies a momentous point in Chinouriri’s career, reflecting her dedication to her craft and the growing resonance of her music with audiences. As she continues to evolve as an artist, this accomplishment serves as a testament to her talent and the universal appeal of her songwriting.

The artist will be participating in Record Store Day this year with an exclusive release of her 2022 EP ‘Better off without‘ which includes the song ‘All I Ever Asked’.

However, Liam and Noel Gallagher still face tough competition. Last week’s chart leader, Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’, is trailing by just 500 chart units (number two), while Chappell Roan’s ‘Pink Pony Club’ remains a strong contender at number three.

Currently, Lamar‘s ‘Not Like Us‘ is topping the charts for the first time, having charted at number two last week, after a long climb that peaked after the artist’s much acclaimed Super Bowl Half time Show. It is the artist’s first song to achieve the number one position in the UK, after two albums have also claimed number one, most recently his latest release titled ‘GNX‘.

Chappell Roan‘s ‘Pink Pony Club‘ has also been climbing charts, and it has to yet to achieve the number one position. It debuted in mid-September of last year and currently the number three position is the highest it has ever been. If it achieved the number one position, it would mark the artist’s first song to ever do so, after ‘Good Luck Babe’ peaked at number two last year. ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess‘, Chappell Roan’s debut album, has spent various non-consecutive weeks at number one.

Currently, Official Charts predicts Oasis’s ‘Whatever’ as number one, ‘Not Like Us’ by Lamar at number two, Chappell Roan at number three, Lady Gaga with ‘Abracadabra‘ at number four, and Benson Boone’s ‘Beautiful Things’ at number five. They also predict that chart topper ‘Messy’, currently charting at number two, will fall off the charts at the tenth position.

Furthermore, American singer Tate McRae could see a significant boost following the release of ‘So Close to What’. Her track ‘sports car‘ is on course to reach a new peak inside the Top 10 at number six, while ‘Revolving Door’ is set for a strong debut in the Top 20 at number seventeen.

Sam Fender’s ‘People Watching‘ is expected to re-enter the Top 10 after the release of his highly anticipated third album. Meanwhile, ‘Arm’s Length’ could climb higher, currently charting at number 13, and ‘Little Bit Closer’ is poised to make its chart debut. Official Charts has named Fender’s latest release the album with the biggest opening of the year with only a few days of tracking.

Another new entry to charts is expected to be Selena Gomez’s collaboration with fiancé Benny Blanco and rising pop star Gracie Abrams, ‘Call Me When You Break Up’, which is projected to debut on charts this week, marking Selena’s first Top 20 single in six years.

Abrams’s ‘That’s So True‘, which charted last week as number three has fallen to the fourteenth position, while ‘Apt’ by Rosé and Bruno Mars currently charts at number eight. While we predicted last week that Lady Gaga’s ‘Abracadabra’ would challenge Young’s ‘Messy’ for number one, the America Singer has yet to climb to that position and currently charts at number three.

1. Lola Young – ‘Messy‘

It is British pop sensation Lola Young’s fourth week as number one, after climbing charts for ten weeks. The song originally debuted at number 87, weeks after it was released on streaming platforms; its success is mainly to be attributed to its popularity on the TikTok platform, where it went viral last year. It is the artist’s first and only song to achieve the number one position, as well as her first song to ever chart.

2. Kendrick Lamar – ‘Not Like Us‘

Lamar’s latest album, ‘GNX‘, debuted at number one in the UK upon its release. ‘Not Like Us’ originally debuted on UK charts in May of last year at number 10 and eventually fell out of the top 20, charting at 94 two weeks ago. But with Lamar’s recent (and widely discussed) Super Bowl halftime performance, the song has once again climbed charts.

3. Lady Gaga – ‘Abracadabra‘

Last week, we had predicted that Gaga’s spell with ‘Abracadabra’ would claim the number one position over Young’s ‘Messy’, since it has debuted at number six with only a couple days of chart units. However, ‘Abracadabra’  has still to climb a couple positions before it can mark the artist’s fifth number one song.

4. Chappell Roan – ‘Pink Pony Club‘

After 13 weeks charting in the UK, this is ‘Pink Pony Club’s peak. The song was originally released in 2023, but it gained more and more popularity throughout the past year when Chappell Roan’s debuted album ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess‘ peaked at number one. If the song managed to climb up the charts and reach number one, it would mark the artist’s first song to achieve the position.

5. Chrystal – ‘The Days‘

‘The Days’ is Chrystal’s first song to make it on the UK’s Official Songs Charts. It debuted at number 96 in late 2024 and has since been climbing up the charts, peaking at number four for three consecutive weeks. The song was originally released on TikTok, where it gained world wide attention.

‘Short n Sweet’ was included in Official Charts’ List of Biggest Albums of 2024, second only to Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department‘ and The Weeknd’s ‘The Highlights‘, it achieved the third position despite being released relatively late in the year.

as a thank you for giving this album 2 Grammy’s :’)
short n’ sweet deluxe is now available for pre order.. out February 14th!

and yes that does say featuring Miss Dolly Parton…. she wouldn’t want me to swear but holy shit!!!!!https://t.co/eazkwkJzcI pic.twitter.com/2Vc3u6sb9s

— Sabrina Carpenter (@SabrinaAnnLynn) February 4, 2025

The album was released in late August, and it debuted at number one right away. ‘Short n Sweet’ marked Carpenter’s second album to chart in the UK despite the singer had already released multiple albums under a different label. In a recent interview with Vogue, Carpenter discussed the influence her previous label, Hollywood Records, had on her music and revealed that she was originally supposed to release more albums with them. She said: “I definitely didn’t fulfill my contract, thank God.”

After leaving Hollywood Records, Carpenter signed with Island Records. She released ‘Emails I can’t send‘ in 2022, originally debuting at 76 and only charting for one week. The album however gained more popularity as Carpenter gained more attention earlier last year; the song ‘Nonsense’ also received acclaim from critics and fans, specifically for its ever-changing outro which went viral many times on TikTok, and peaked at 32 soon followed by ‘Feather’ which peaked at nineteen. This year, ‘Emails I can’t send‘ peaked at 41.

Carpenter also released a Christmas special titled ‘Fruitcake‘ which peaked at number five in the UK.

Before releasing ‘Short n Sweet‘, Carpenter had already reached new levels of fame and success with the singles that led up to the album, which made the singer a real UK chart-topping queen. ‘Espresso’, ‘Please, Please, Please’ and ‘Taste’ became this past summer’s anthems and spent weeks at the top position of UK charts, breaking records. ‘Espresso’ spent 38 weeks in the top 100 and seven at number one, followed by ‘Please, Please, Please’ spent 18 weeks on charts and nine at number one, and ‘Taste’ spent 24 weeks on charts and nine at number one.

‘Short n Sweet‘ has, so far, spent twenty four weeks in the top 100 and only recently left the top three, chasing at number four for one week. With the release of the deluxe version set for tomorrow, the album is likely to achieve the number one position again in next week’s Album Chart. It would mark the record’s third week at number one. The deluxe is set to contain five tracks, including an exciting feature with Dolly Parton on a new version of ‘Please, Please, Please’ and four brand new tracks.

Lady Gaga’s upcoming album, titled ‘Mayhem‘, is set to be released on March 7. It will mark the artist’s seventh studio album. Last year at the premiere for ‘Gaga Chromatica Ball’ in Los Angeles, she revealed: “I am in the studio every single day. I have written so many songs, I’ve been producing so many songs, and it’s nothing like anything that I’ve ever made before. I love to break genre, and I love to explore music. There’s something really beautiful about knowing that you will be loved no matter what you do.”

New York-born Lady Gaga debuted on the UK music scene with the song ‘Just Dance’ which peaked at number one back in 2009 and charted for 53 weeks. The singer then peaked at number one once again with ‘Poker Face’ and in the same year ‘Bad Romance’, a song that defined a generation, and again in 2009 ‘Telephone’. All these songs are included in Gaga’s debut album ‘The Fame‘, which was released in 2009 and became a chart staple charting for 331 weeks (it is currently charting at number 61!).

But Lady Gaga’s success didn’t stop with ‘The Fame‘, as this iconic number one debut was followed by three number one albums: ‘Born this way‘ in 2011, ‘Artpop‘ in 2013 and ‘Chromatica‘ in 2020. With ‘Mayhem‘, the artist is looking at another number one album.

More recently, the artist peaked at number one on UK Songs Charts with ‘Shallow’ featuring Bradley Cooper, from the soundtrack of the film A Star is Born in which Gaga plays the lead character, and ‘Rain on Me’ featuring Ariana Grande.

So far the singles released off the artist’s upcoming album have done incredibly well: ‘Abracadabra’ debuted at number six, ‘Die With a Smile’ featuring Bruno Mars peaked at number two and charted, so far, for 25 weeks and ‘Disease’ peaked at number seven and charted for 14 weeks.

Only time will tell if ‘Abracadabra’ will mark seventh number one song.

“I want to say thank you so much for making Messy Number 1 on the Official Chart! I love you all so much, you guys mean the absolute world to me. I’m so happy!”

‘Messy’ scored its second week topping charts with 6.2 million streams over the last seven days.

We were feeling Messy and caught @lolayounggg backstage at @TheGNShow to give her her Number 1 Award

Read more: https://t.co/6EyjSmWdMRpic.twitter.com/QpDv9NOiZI

— Official Charts (@officialcharts) January 31, 2025

24 years old Young first rose to fame in 2021, when her cover of Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder’s ‘Together In Electric Dreams’ became the soundtrack for John Lewis’s Christmas commercial of that year; in the same year, she was nominated for a BRITs Rising Star Award and the following year, in 2022, she was placed at number four on the BBC’s Sound of the Year list.

Young’s debut album, released in 2019, is titled ‘Intro‘ and it was followed by several singles and EPs. In 2023, her second album ‘My Mind Wanders and Sometimes Leaves Completely‘ was released; despite failing to appear in the Official Album Charts, the album peaked at 37 on the Official Physical Albums Chart which looks at the amount of physical copies of an album sold rather than streaming units.

The chart-topping single ‘Messy’ was released as the lead single for Young’s latest release, an 11-tracks album titled ‘This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway‘, which will likely make its debut on Official Albums Charts in the upcoming weeks. The album has in fact re-entered the Official Albums Download Charts a couple of weeks ago, after it first debuted at number 75 upon its release.

In a recent interview with BBC, Young has shared the backstory of the song and stated it was really personal to here, saying:

“The response has been amazing and it’s been really exciting to see all the love that Messy has been receiving, I love the song, it’s a song I wrote that’s really personal and really important to me. So I’m really happy that it’s resonating so much.”

In the same interview, she then went on to say that the meaning of the song is contradictory, and the it feels like “basically like you’re not enough for somebody and also in turn not enough for yourself”.

Following his debut album, released on January 24, it is no surprise that London rapper Central Cee claims the No. 1 spot on the Charts this week. His collaborative single ‘GBP’ with Atlanta rapper 21 Savage has debuted at the top of the Hip Hop and R&B Charts, also securing No. 6 on the UK Singles Charts. The track’s success underscores its significance as a transatlantic collaboration, blending UK and US rap into a confident, gritty single.  

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A post shared by Abel (@theweeknd)

Beaten by ‘GBP’ for the top position is the Weeknd and Playboi Carti’s second collaboration ‘Timeless.’ Opening with retro synths that evoke 1980s video game soundtracks, Carti’s laid-back flow paired with The Weeknd’s melodic sensibility has helped the song go viral particularly on TikTok. 

‘Denial is a River’ stands out as a key track from Doechii’s 2024 album ‘Alligator Bites Never Heal.’ The song blends personal narrative with broader themes of self-deception and betrayal. The 1990s Hip-Hop influences, combined with conversational dialogue at the beginning of the track, give the single a reflective tone, propelling it to No. 3 on the Hip-Hop Charts this week.  

A thread of visuals that Tyla released this year from her debut album, “Tyla.” https://t.co/YwblUTVUtE pic.twitter.com/yTSoIVwbrE — Camp Fit Pics (@CampFitPics) December 3, 2024

South African singer Tyla brings her vibrant sound with her song ‘Push 2 Start’, released in October 2024 as part of the deluxe edition of her debut studio album. The reggae-infused afrobeats blended with amapiano-R&B elements create infectious rhythms. Lyrically, the song is packed with metaphors, particularly surrounding cars and driving, emphasising her desire for a committed and engaging relationship.

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A post shared by Apple Music (@applemusic)

‘Luther’ marks the eighth collaborative track between Kendrick Lamar and SZA, released last year ahead of their USA Tour this April and Superbowl Halftime Show. The love ballad blends contemporary R&B and Hip-Hop elements with lush string sections and 808 beats. Lamar delivers a heartfelt confession of love, while SZA’s choruses offer a woman’s perspective, adding depth to the storytelling.   

 

 

 

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A post shared by SZA (@sza)

SZA also claims sixth position with the track ‘BMF’, from her deluxe album SOS Deluxe: Lana. The song merges R&B and dance, with a retro bossa nova feel that transitions into a more upbeat, transformative sound. Drawing inspiration from ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ and Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believin’, ‘BMF’ exemplifies SZA’s ability to blend various genres with infectious energy and relatable lyrics. 

Taking seventh spot is American artist Tyler the Creator and English singer Loly Young with ‘Like Him’. From Tyler’s seventh studio album, ‘Chromakopia’, the song delves into Tyler’s absent father and the impact of this absence on his identity. It is characterised by soulful elements and piano-led production, creating an emotionally charged atmosphere and making this an introspective exploration of personal identity. 

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A post shared by Kendrick Lamar (@kendricklamar)

Another standout track from Kendrick Lamar’s 2024 album ‘GNX’, ‘TV Off’ featuring Lefty Gunplay, takes the eighth spot on the charts. The song critiques societal norms and materialism, with the recurring phrase “turn this TV off” acting as a metaphor for disengaging from mindless consumption. This single showcases Lamar’s continued influence in the genre.   

NIGHTS LIKE THIS. pic.twitter.com/sFjF3eHEzc

— The Kid LAROI Updates (@thekidlaroii) January 11, 2024

The Kid LAROI’s viral hit ‘Nights Like This’ claims the No. 9 spot, continuing its impressive 32-week run on the Hip-Hop and R&B Charts. Its melancholic yet catchy blend of pop-rap and R&B features atmospheric synths and moody bassline, making it one of the standout tracks on his ‘FCK LOVE (Savage)*’ album released last year

Finally, The Weeknd’s ‘Save Your Tears’ holds strong on the UK Charts despite being released as part of his 2020 album ‘After Hours’. The track’s blend of retro synth-pop and new wave influences, along with its heavily reverb, auto-tuned vocals, add a dreamy, detached feeling and has contributed to its continued success on the charts. 

This week’s chart positions highlight the importance of collaborations between artists and emotional storytelling shaping the modern Hip-Hop and R&B scene. As artists continue to push boundaries and experiment with new sounds, the charts serve as a reflection of the exciting and diverse musical landscape of today.

In an interview with NME, Fender has discussed the single, stating:

“[The song] originally came from one of those magic moments where you’re just messing around, and a song literally falls out of the sky. It’s about being avoidant and flighty. But also, just a simple pop song, which I love.”

The song marks Fender’s third release off ‘People Watching‘. The artist had announced the album in October 2024, and since he has released the title track, which peaked at number four on UK charts, and ‘Wild Long Lie’ which did not appear on UK charts. The former is currently charting at number twenty, nine weeks after its first debut on charts.

‘People Watching’ marks Fender’s third release of a full-length album. In 2019, he released his debut album titled ‘Hypersonic Missiles‘ which peaked at number one on UK charts ands pent 123 weeks on charts so far, currently charting at number 94. Off of the record, four songs appeared on charts: Fender’s chart debut with ‘Play God‘ which peaked at number 89, the record’s title track which peaked at 48, ‘Will We Talk’ which peaked at 43 and ‘The Borders‘ which peaked at 59.

Following his successful debut with ‘Hypersonic Missiles‘, Fender went on to release ‘Seventeen Going Under‘ in 2021; the album marked the artist’s second consecutive number one record. ‘Seventeen Going Under‘ spent one week at number one and an overall of 97 weeks in the top 100, and is currently charting at number 92. After becoming a viral sensation on social media, the record’s title track peaked at number three in the UK, marking Fender’s highest peak so far as well as his longest-charting single with 93 weeks.

Shortly after announcing the release of his third album Fender embarked on a tour in anticipation of it, which took him around the UK. Highly anticipated is also Fender’s upcoming stadium tour which is set to take place this summer and will stop in London and in Newcastle.

Fender was nominated today for two BRITs awards and has invited his fans to vote for him in the ‘Best Rock/Alternative Act’ Category over his social media profiles.

Super surprised to be nominated for two @BRITs. Best Alternative/Rock act is voted for by the fans. Info on how to vote here https://t.co/CQTiSraJMF
Big love legends – you know what to do pic.twitter.com/W0sV4oqpZQ

— Sam Fender (@samfendermusic) January 23, 2025