Wham! are the act to beat for this year's Official Christmas Number 1 single 2023

The race for the UK's Official Christmas Number 1 single is the most important of the year and, right now, current UK chart-toppers Wham! are the act to beat. 

As it currently stands, Last Christmas is Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart, spending a fourth non-consecutive week at the summit. It's also predicted to remain at Number 1 for another week, taking it's all-time tally to five weeks (if George and Andrew can hold off competition from Mariah Carey and Sam Ryder in the meantime, of course).

Already maintaining a lead among the competition, Last Christmas is now a lead contender for 2023's Christmas Number 1.

MORE: See the full list of contenders for Christmas Number 1 2023 here

Despite its status as a festive staple, Last Christmas has never actually taken the Christmas Number 1 title.

It has come close, however, peaking at Number 2 during the Christmas chart week on two separate occasions; famously during its debut in 1984, where it was denied Christmas Number 1 by Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas?, and again last year, when George and Andrew were pipped to the post by LadBaby's record-breaking Food Aid.

Popularity is on Last Christmas's side, too, and it's reliably become a seasonal chart stalwart thanks to the dominance of streaming, with some very impressive stats to boot. 

According to Official Charts Company data, Last Christmas is the ninth best-selling single in UK chart history, while its mammoth streaming total of a collective 391 million streams across audio and video mark it as one of the UK's most-streamed songs ever, too. 

George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley's tale of a love turned cold over Christmas has managed to stand the test of time; seemingly just as popular in 2023 as it was in 1984. 

But as to whether or not they will take it all the way this year, that's up to you. 

Follow the Official Christmas Number 1 race

The Official Christmas Number 1 race 2023 kicks off Friday December 15 with sales and streams counting up until midnight (11.59pm) on Thursday, December 21.

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.

Join the conversation now using the hashtag #XmasNo1. Follow @OfficialCharts on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.  To be the first to hear who's leading the race to Christmas Number 1, join the Official Charts mailing list and opt in to Breaking News alerts. And keep up with all our Christmas Number 1 news and features here.