For the first time in years, the Christmas music hierarchy has shifted.
According to USA Today, Wham!’s 1984 classic “Last Christmas” has climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, edging out Mariah Carey’s perennial juggernaut “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which has reliably dominated the chart every December since the ranking launched in 2020.
The global chart, which tracks sales and streaming activity across more than 200 territories, crowned “Last Christmas” as the most-played song in the world this week—an unexpected but symbolic moment for a track that has steadily grown into a modern Christmas staple.
Carey’s song follows closely behind at No. 2, marking a rare instance where her reign at the top has been temporarily interrupted.
Andrew Ridgeley, George Michael’s Wham! bandmate, acknowledged the milestone in a Dec. 17 Instagram post, calling the achievement deeply meaningful. “This is a remarkable moment for me, Wham!, George Michael, and Sony Music UK,” Ridgeley wrote. “It is the best Christmas gift we and George could ever have wished for.”
George Michael’s estate echoed that sentiment, reflecting on the late singer’s enduring connection to the season. Michael passed away on Christmas Day in 2016 at age 53. “George adored Christmas, and he would have truly loved seeing Wham! back at No. 1 this year,” his team shared. “It fills our hearts that this brilliant, timeless song continues to resonate with audiences while captivating new listeners around the world.”
Initially released in December 1984, “Last Christmas” was written, performed, and produced entirely by Michael. Though it famously stalled at No. 2 on the UK charts upon release, blocked by Band Aid’s charity single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”, its legacy has only expanded in the streaming era.
The track has since become a worldwide chart mainstay, reaching Christmas No. 1 status in the UK decades later and topping charts across Europe.
This year’s Global 200 top 10 also features other Christmas favorites, including Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock,” Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me,” Kelly Clarkson’s “Underneath the Tree,” and Michael Bublé’s “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.”