Every UK Christmas Number 2
Songs that finish second in the UK Singles Charts often become the best known and most popular Christmas songs. Three of the best examples are: 1987's "Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl, "Last Christmas" by Wham! and 1994's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey. Other songs in the list are well known but not necessarily associated with Christmas such as "Y.M.C.A.", "Downtown" and the novelty song "My Ding-a-Ling". (Also see our every Christmas Number One list.)
The Beatles are the only group to have both Christmas numbers one and two in the same year which they achieved twice, in 1963 and 1967. Although, George Michael, Ed Sheeran and Elton John have all appeared first and second as part of different acts. Cliff Richard has finished in the Christmas number two spot four times, which is the most of any act. In 1984 Wham!’s “Last Christmas”was held off the top spot by Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" (on which George Michael also performed).
The highest selling Christmas number-two is Wham!'s "Last Christmas" followed by The Beatles' "She Loves You".
Christmas Number 2s List - 1952 to 2022
| Year | Artist | Christmas Number Two |
|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Joe Stafford | You Belong to Me |
| 1953 | David Whitfield | Answer Me |
| 1954 | David Whitfield | Santo Natale |
| 1955 | Bill Haley & The Comets | Rock Around the Clock |
| 1956 | Guy Mitchell | Singing the Blues |
| 1957 | Johnny Otis and his orchestra with Marie Adams | Ma He's Making Eyes at Me |
| 1958 | Lord Rockingham's XI | Hoots Mon |
| 1959 | Adam Faith | What Do you Want? |
| 1960 | Elvis Presley | It's Now or Ever |
| 1961 | Frankie Vaughn | Tower of Strength |
| 1962 | Cliff Richard | The Next Time/Bachelor Boy |
| 1963 | The Beatles | She Loves You |
| 1964 | Petula Clark | Downtown |
| 1965 | Cliff Richard | Wind Me Up (Let Me Go) |
| 1966 | The Seekers | Morningtown Ride |
| 1967 | The Beatles | Magical Mystery Tour (EP) |
| 1968 | The Foundations | Build Me Up Buttercup |
| 1969 | Kenny Rogers and The First Edition | Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town |
| 1970 | McGuinness Flint | When I'm Dead and Gone |
| 1971 | T. Rex | Jeepster |
| 1972 | Chuck Berry | My Ding-a-Ling |
| 1973 | Gary Glitter | I Love You Love Me Love |
| 1974 | Bachman-Turner Overdrive | You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet |
| 1975 | Greg Lake | I Believe in Father Christmas |
| 1976 | Showaddywaddy | Under the Moon of Love |
| 1977 | Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band | The Floral Dance |
| 1978 | The Village People | Y.M.C.A. |
| 1979 | ABBA | I Have a Dream |
| 1980 | John Lennon | (Just Like) Starting Over |
| 1981 | Cliff Richard | Daddy's Home |
| 1982 | Shakin' Stevens | Blue Christmas (EP) |
| 1983 | Slade | My Oh My |
| 1984 | Wham! | Last Christmas/Everything She Wants |
| 1985 | Whitney Houston | Saving All My Love For You |
| 1986 | The Housemartins | Caravan of Love |
| 1987 | The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl | Fairytale of New York |
| 1988 | Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan | Especially for You |
| 1989 | Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers | Let's Party |
| 1990 | Vanilla Ice | Ice Ice Baby |
| 1991 | Diana Ross | When You Tell Me That You Love Me |
| 1992 | Michael Jackson | Heal the World |
| 1993 | Take That | Babe |
| 1994 | Mariah Carey | All I Want For Christmas is You |
| 1995 | The Mike Flowers Pops | Wonderwall |
| 1996 | Dunblane | Knockin' On Heaven's Door |
| 1997 | Teletubbies | Teletubbies say "Eh-oh!" |
| 1998 | Chef | Chocolate Salty Balls (P.S. I love You) |
| 1999 | Cliff Richard | The Millennium Prayer |
| 2000 | Westlife | What Makes a Man |
| 2001 | Gordon Haskell | How Wonderful You Are |
| 2002 | One True Voice | Sacred Trust |
| 2003 | The Darkness | Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End) |
| 2004 | Ronan Keating and Yusuf Islam | Father and Son |
| 2005 | Nizlopi | JSB Song |
| 2006 | Take That | Patience |
| 2007 | Katie Melua and Eva Cassidy | What a Wonderful World |
| 2008 | Jeff Buckley | Hallelujah |
| 2009 | Joe McElderry | The Climb |
| 2010 | Rihanna and Drake | What's My Name |
| 2011 | Little Mix | Cannonball |
| 2012 | James Arthur | Impossible |
| 2013 | Pharrell Williams | Happy |
| 2014 | Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars | Uptown Funk |
| 2015 | Justin Bieber | Love Yourself |
| 2016 | Rag'n'Bone Man | Human |
| 2017 | Eminem featuring Ed Sheeran | River |
| 2018 | Ava Max | Sweet but Psycho |
| 2019 | Stormzy featuring Ed Sheeran and Burna Boy | Own It |
| 2020 | Mariah Carey | All I Want for Christmas is You |
| 2021 | Ed Sheeran and Elton John | Merry Christmas |
| 2022 | Wham! | Last Christmas |