The fascinating chart history of The Pogues' Fairytale of New York

Fairytale of New York has hit every single position in the UK Top 20 in its lifetime...aside from Number 1.

One of the biggest stories swirling around this year's 2023 Official Christmas Number 1 race is the passionate campaign to get The Pogues ft. Kirsty MacColl's Fairytale of New York to Number 1 for the first time ever.

Following the sad news last month that The Pogues singer Shane MacGowan had died last month aged 65 after battling long-term health conditions, fans of the anarchic Irish punk poets clambered together and decided to organise the best possible tribute to the singer-songwriter; finally getting his greatest commercial achievement the Number 1 that has so long evaded it.

Now a viable contender for 2023's Official Christmas Number 1 (the most important and hotly-contested UK chart-topper of the year), it's time to dig into the fascinating chart history of Fairytale of New York on the UK's Official Singles Chart, and why it (finally) reaching Number 1 would be such an achievement.

MORE: The Pogues enter Christmas Number 1 race with special physical single release

It's a well-known fact that Fairytale of New York has never reached Number 1 in the UK, despite its enduring popularity. Hitting Number 2 upon its original release in 1987 (losing out on the top spot to Pet Shop Boy's classic cover of Elvis' Always On My Mind), Fairytale of New York has become one of the most recogniseable festive staples on the Official Singles Chart every Christmas.

In fact, Official Charts can confirm that, in the 36 years since the song's initial release, Fairytale of New York has actually hit every single possible in the UK Top 20...except Number 1, of course.

So, if the song does in fact rise to become the Christmas chart-topper, it will have the rare honour of peaking at every single Number in the Top 20 - from Number 20, all the way to Number 1.

When will 2023's Official Christmas Number 1 single be announced?

The Official Christmas Number 1 race 2023 kicked off Friday December 15, the final cut-off for sales and streams to count is midnight (11.59pm) on Thursday, December 21. So whoever you're backing, get behind your favourites before then.

Tune in to The Official Chart on BBC Radio 1 on Friday December 22 from 4pm to hear the Christmas Top 40 countdown and the exclusive reveal of the Official Christmas Number 1 2023.

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

BREAKING ALERTS - Who's winning Race updates to your inbox

Join the Official Charts mailing list and opt in to Breaking News alerts, we'll keep you tipped on the Christmas Number 1 race and music's biggest breaking stories as they happen!

Keep up with all our Christmas Number 1 news and features here and join the conversation over on social media now using the hashtag #XmasNo1. Follow @OfficialCharts on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Image: Tim Roney/Getty Images