ELO's Mr. Blue Sky joins Christmas Number 1 race as social media campaigner urges users to join Bluesky platform

A new contender has entered the 2024 Christmas Number 1 race: Mr. Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra, Official Charts can exclusively confirm.

The Mr. Blue Sky for Christmas Number 1 campaign is the brainchild of 'Rage Against The Machine 4 Christmas Number 1' campaigner Jon Morter and comes with a double purpose. First, it aims to promote the social media platform Bluesky as an alternative to Elon Musk's X, formerly known as Twitter.

And second, it's a celebration of ELO's legacy as their farewell tour is set to arrive in the UK next year.

Announced today exclusively on Official Charts' new Bluesky channel, the push to get Mr. Blue Sky to Number 1 is being spearheaded by DJ and social media campaigner Jon Morter who masterminded arguably the greatest Christmas Number 1 battle this century when Rage Against The Machine beat X Factor's Joe McElderry to the festive top spot in 2009. Morter received an overwhelming positive response when he suggested it to his Bluesky followers.

BREAKING: Feels like an appropriate place to announce this one... 👀🎅 www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/e...

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— Official Charts (@officialcharts.bsky.social) 27 November 2024 at 10:50

Jon Morter tells Official Charts: "It certainly became apparent after I'd made the suggestion that many [users] on the Bluesky app want to make it happen to help promote the new place [now that] many are going away from X/Twitter." 

Jon adds: "It's fair to say that Elon Musk has ruined what was once a brilliant social network, so Bluesky now feels like a real bona fide replacement. Many seem to feel this, and if nothing else it will be a lot of fun to see if Bluesky users can have an impact on the annual Christmas Number 1 race.

"After all, that's where the campaign started, so let's see what happens!"

How cool would it be to see MR. BLUE SKY as this year's Christmas No.1? It's already receiving odds from credible bookmakers to go to the top, but we need YOUR help! Are you in? If so please RESKEET and like this post so we can get an idea of numbers! #MrBlueSky #MrBlueSkyXmas #XmasNo1

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— Mr. Blue Sky for Christmas No.1 (@mrblueskyno1.bsky.social) 21 November 2024 at 20:41

MORE: Where every ELO song and album has charted in the UK

When it was released in 1978, Mr. Blue Sky peaked at Number 6 on the Official Singles Chart. Revisit the chart from that week.

ELO made it to Number 1 a couple of years later with Xanadu, a collaboration with Olivia Newton-John from the musical movie of the same name. 

The new campaign's instigator, Jon Morter, is no stranger to a festive chart battle. 

In 2009, Jon and his then-wife Tracy launched a Facebook campaign to make Rage Against the Machine's Killing in the Name that year's Christmas Number 1.

The aim was to prevent the latest winner of The X Factor, Joe McElderry, from taking the crown with his winner's single The Climb. Joe was the hot favourite because at the time, each of the four previous Christmas Number 1s had been X Factor winner's singles.

However, the Morters' zeitgeist-grabbing campaign succeeded in getting Rage Against the Machine to Christmas Number 1. The following June, the American band celebrated in style by giving a free concert for 40,000 fans at London's Finsbury Park. 

Then in 2012, Jon played his part in getting Justice Collective's charity single He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother to Christmas Number 1.

The all-star cover version, which featured artists including Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams and Melanie C, raised money for various charities associated with the Hillsborough disaster.

MORE: Check out the contenders for this year's Christmas Number 1

Jon's new campaign to get Mr. Blue Sky to Christmas Number 1 faces strong competition from a raft of festive favourites including Wham! and Mariah Carey.

There is also this year's Band Aid 40 offering, Do They Know It's Christmas? 2024 Ultimate Mix, which blends vocalists from three versions of the iconic track; 1984’s original, 2004’s Band Aid 20 iteration and 2014’s Band Aid 30 rendition. 

In the mix, too, are brand new holiday songs from Ed Sheeran, Perrie and Tom Grennan.

Kicking off on Friday 13 December 2024, the winner of this year’s Official Christmas Number 1 title will be announced on Friday 20 December, live on BBC Radio 1's The Official Chart with the full Christmas Top 100 published on OfficialCharts.com.

Whoever you're backing, get behind your favourites before 23.59pm Thursday 19 December.

In the meantime, keep up to date right here with all the very latest, exclusive Official Christmas Number 1 news.