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Artist News Releases
Pogues favourite for Christmas number one
By CMU Editorial | Published on Monday 26 November 2012
The Pogues’ classic festive hit ‘Fairytale Of New York’, famously deprived the Christmas number one spot after its original release in 1987 by those pesky Pet Shop Boys, is favourite to be at the top of the singles chart on 25 Dec this year following confirmation of a 25th anniversary re-release.
The Kirsty MacColl featuring song often features in the Christmas chart these days thanks to its constant availability on iTunes, but this year a re-release and accompanying marketing campaign could push it up to the top.
Christmas number one chart races in recent years, of course, have been seen as a battle against the ‘X-Factor’ machine after the ITV show decided to release the debut single from the talent show’s winner each year in Christmas week.
Though, after various anti-X campaigns, most notably the one that saw Rage Against The Machine’s decidedly radio un-friendly ‘Killing In The Name’ beating whatever it was that Joe McElderry released after winning ‘X’ in 2009, last year producers of the show decided to stage their final a week earlier, meaning that winners Little Mix topped the singles chart the week before Christmas.
Though, as 25 Dec was on a Sunday last year, the girl group was technically at number one for most of Christmas Day, even though the Military Wives were crowned the official Christmas number one at 7pm with ‘Wherever You Are’.
It’s thought ‘X-Factor’ bosses will again release their winner’s single the week before the Christmas number one race this year, despite earlier rumours that the ‘X’ machine might re-enter the festive chart battle by making the winning song a charity release. That puts The Pogues at 25-1 favourites for the Christmas number one, though they are expected to face tough competition from Girls Aloud and the charity cover of ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’, released in aid of the fund to help families of those killed during the 1989 Hillsborough tragedy in their legal fight for justice.
