Christmas Number 1 Contenders 2024: Tom Grennan - It Can't Be Christmas

As the time for the UK's biggest chart race - the Official Christmas Number 1 - is close to getting underway, Official Charts is kicking off the festive season's favourite pop battle by spotlighting this year's key players.

First up, one of our most reliable homegrown pop acts, Tom Grennan!

This year, Tom is the face of the Amazon Music Original offerings for 2024 - an annual practice that has now become one of the most popular ways to get a song in the mix for Christmas Number 1 come December.

Case in point? Former Eurovision hero Sam Ryder, who soared all the way to Number 2 on Christmas Number 1 week 2023 with his own Amazon Music Original, You're Christmas To Me, which was pipped to the post by WHAM! and Last Christmas, but actually ended up outperforming the Queen of Christmas herself, Mariah Carey. 

Now, Tom Grennan is getting in on the action for 2024. Much like Sam last year, Tom has endeavoured to write a brand-new composition for entry into the hallowed Christmas canon.

"It can't be Christmas, I must be dreaming," Tom croons on the soul-influenced new festive track, clearly inspired by the likes of Chris Rea, all about the malaise of spending the most wonderful time of the year without your significant other. "I hear the bells all by myself, say it ain't true! It can't be Christmas without you."

And as for it's chances for Christmas Number 1 this year? It Can't Be Christmas is already blazing a train up the Official Singles Chart - only available to stream via Amazon Music, It Can't Be Christmas made its Official Singles Chart debut two weeks ago, entering at Number 83. The next week, it quickly vaulted up to Number 49, and this Friday is looking to not only jump into the Top 40, but all the way into the Top 10.

The Official Chart Update predicted that It Can't Be Christmas is currently on track to bounce up 40 places to Number 9. It's also currently the UK's Number 1 Trending Song, sitting comfortably atop the Official Trending Chart.

It Can't Be Christmas would mark Tom's fifth overall UK Top 10 single, and his second as a solo act. He's previously entered the Top 10 with 2021's stirring A Little Bit Of Love (7), the breezy Let's Go Home Together with Ella Henderson (10), as the featured vocalist on Calvin Harris's By Your Side (9) and most recently with KSI on 2022's Not Over Yet (4), which remains his highest-charting song in the UK.

Upon the release of It Can't Be Christmas, Tom said; "I love everything about Christmas, spending time with friends and family, eating great food, and listening to Christmas music.

"So it was a no brainer for me to team up with Amazon Music to create a festive song of my own. I hope you enjoying listening to “It Can’t Be Christmas (Amazon Music Original)” as much as I enjoyed making it."

Only time will tell if Tom can successfully engage the British public like Sam Ryder did last year (playing 26 live gigs across 6 days on Christmas Number 1 week, a truly valiant effort. We hope Tom has a LOT of petrol money saved), but it seems like he's off to a very good start. Watch this space!

It can't be Christmas without an Amazon Music Original, of course...

When will the 2024 Christmas Number 1 be revealed?

This year's Official Christmas Number 1 race 2024 kicks off Friday December 13 with sales and streams counting up until midnight (11.59pm) on Thursday, December 19.   

Tune in to The Official Chart on BBC Radio 1 on Friday December 20 from 4pm to hear the Christmas Top 40 countdown and the exclusive reveal of the Official Christmas Number 1 2024. 

The full Top 100 Official Christmas Singles Chart and Albums Chart will be published on OfficialCharts.com from 5.45pm. 

Join the conversation now using the hashtag #XmasNo1. Follow @OfficialCharts on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. For all the latest race updates join the Official Charts mailing list for Breaking News on this year’s race and beyond.