This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Artist News Media Top Stories
X-Factor winner scores Christmas number one
By Chris Cooke | Published on Sunday 22 December 2013
The ‘X-Factor’ machine has regained the Christmas Number One crown after re-entering the festive chart battle for the first time in three years.
The winner of the talent show’s 2013 season, Sam Bailey, has just topped this year’s Christmas chart with her debut single ‘Skyscraper’, a charity single that has – according to the Official Charts Company – outsold its nearest rival this week, Pharrell’s ‘Happy’, by more than two to one.
Commenting on receiving the Xmas number one accolade, once an annual tradition for the ‘X-Factor’ victor, Bailey said: “Being number one is absolutely amazing! It really is the icing on the cake and it means Great Ormond Street Children’s Charity and Together For Short Lives will benefit even more from the single, which makes it extra special”.
Meanwhile Charts Company boss Martin Talbot told CMU: “Congratulations to Sam Bailey, the UK’s Official 2013 Christmas number one! ‘X Factor’ winner one weekend, Christmas number one the next. Life can’t get much better than that, especially when you have taken the crown with one of the biggest weekly sales totals of the year”.
Those looking for a festive tune in this week’s chart need to slip down to number three where another former ‘X’ star, Leona Lewis, can be found with her Christmas-themed single ‘One More Sleep’. Or down to number 20, where there’s another song that originates from a tedious ITV show, a cover of ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day’ by the pop-has-beens that appeared in ‘The Big Reunion’.
Or they could make do with Robbie Williams’ ‘Swing Both Ways’ record at number one in the album charts, which isn’t Christmassy, though he did top the Christmas chart with a swing album once before (in 2001), so at least it’s sort of a festive tradition.
