Ed Sheeran, last year, emulated Clean Bandit in 2016 by having the UK’s Christmas Number One Single . It’s a tradition that dates back to 1952 and is still a big thing in the music industry, even though downloads have replaced the seven-inch vinyl that used to spin at 45rpm on the turntable of record players in times when coffee bars were more popular than sushi bars and no-one had heard of KFC, Wetherspoons or Nando’s.
There is no doubt that ARIANA GRANDE’s announcement that she’ll returning to Manchester in 2019 has boosted sales of Thank U, Next and there is little sign of the Festive-themed single loosening its grip on the top of the Charts before the holiday. The Christmas number one will be officially announced on December 21 and Ariana is only a best 2/5 with Ladbrokes to maintain top spot.
Sweet But Psycho has already been number one in nine countries – including Germany, Norway and Sweden – for newcomer AVA MAX. It’s the first single on which the American has had top billing and she looks the main threat to the more-established Grande’s domination on the Christmas charts being only a general 4/1 to have the seasonal number one.
Of course, no self-respecting Christmas chart would be complete without a charity single and the big seller this year is LAD BABY’s cover of the Starship Classic We Built This City. Lad Baby is YouTube vlogger Mark Hoyle with all proceeds going to the Trussell Trust. We Built This City is 11/2 with Betfred in this annual race to enter the annuls of musical history alongside the likes of Wizard, Slade, Sir Cliff Richard and John Lennon.
MARK RONSON‘s comeback single Nothing Breaks Like A Heart, with MILEY CYRUS guesting, is 20/1 with Ladbrokes but may have arrived too late on the scene. MARIAH CAREY‘s classic All I Want For Christmas was pipped to the number one spot when it was first released 24 years ago but the warbling diva’s best-known contribution to the industry remains steadfast in its longevity and is also only a best 20/1 (Betway) to finally achieve the objective for which it was intended. Or how about Baby Shark Song (PINGFONG)? The iconic tune you can’t get out of your head, no matter how hard you try, is a best 33/1. It was hoped that the brand-new ABBA single I Still Have Faith In You would be released before Christmas and the Swedish super-band are still quoted at a general 50/1 to be Christmas Number One but it appears that the long-awaited new material from Bjorn, Benny, Frida and Agnetha won’t now make an appearance until 2019.
Christmas Number One 2018 Current Betting
Ariana Grande 2/5
Ava Max 4/1
Lad Baby 11/2
Mariah Carey and Mark Ronson/Miley Cyrus 20/1
The Fire Tones, Take That, Pinkfong and The Buzzcocks 33/1
50/1 and Upwards Others
(Odds Correct at 10.15am December 17)
