Kylie, RAYE, Olivia Dean, Together For Palestine, Taylor Swift, Kpop Demon Hunters, The Pogues, WHAM!, Mariah Carey, and even Denise Welch are all charging into the race for the 2025 Christmas Number 1.

The biggest Official Chart battle of the year has officially begun.

The 2025 Official Christmas Number 1 race starts today, Friday 12 December, with sales and streams counted until the final moment at 11.59pm on Thursday 18 December.

As confirmed by Official Charts, the winner will be announced live on BBC Radio 1 during The Official Chart with Jack Saunders from 4pm on Friday 19 December, with the full Top 100 Singles Chart and Albums Chart available exclusively on OfficialCharts.com at 5.45pm.

Fans can join the conversation using the hashtag #XmasNo1 and follow @OfficialCharts on Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok, Threads and Bluesky. Those wanting the latest updates can sign up to the Official Charts mailing list and select the option to receive Breaking News alerts for this year’s race.

Who is competing for the Christmas Number 1 title this year?
With WHAM! claiming last year’s festive victory for the second time with Last Christmas, only the boldest contenders would dare enter the ring against such long-established holiday heavyweights. Still, a lively group of pop challengers is ready to step up.

New Releases and Possible Climbers

Kylie Minogue – XMAS (out now)
Everyone together: “X-M-A-S! X-M-A-S!” Kylie Minogue teams up with Amazon Music UK for a modern, joyfully camp spin on the YMCA spirit. Her Amazon exclusive follows a run of successful seasonal releases for the platform, including Tom Grennan’s 2024 Top 5 track It Can’t Be Christmas and Sam Ryder’s You’re Christmas To Me, which reached Number 2 in 2023 and nearly overtook Last Christmas.

Included on a fresh ‘Fully Wrapped’ edition of her 2015 collection Kylie Christmas, XMAS could potentially earn Kylie her eighth UK Number 1 single and her first-ever Christmas chart victory.

With multiple physical formats arriving right as the race begins, such as a gold 7-inch vinyl, a 12-inch zoetrope vinyl and signed CD editions, the princess of pop clearly has her sights set on the festive crown.

RAYE – WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! (out now)
RAYE may prefer a big sparkling diamond, but she would likely accept one of those playful plastic cracker rings if it guaranteed her the 2025 Christmas Number 1. WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! has remained in the Top 3 for six weeks. The holiday party season could be the final push she needs.

Olivia Dean – So Easy (To Fall In Love) / Man I Need (out now)
With a Number 1 single and a Number 1 album already behind her this year, Olivia Dean could end her breakthrough 2025 with the Christmas crown as well. With two tracks firmly placed in a very festive midweek Top 10, she is absolutely within striking range if her fans show up this week.

Taylor Swift – The Fate Of Ophelia / Opalite (out now)
It would be unwise to rule Taylor Swift out after the extraordinary year she has had. With three standout tracks from The Life Of A Showgirl currently performing strongly on the Official Singles Chart, Swifties will be eager to help her achieve one of the few accolades she has yet to claim: the UK Christmas Number 1.

Denise Welch – Slayyy Bells (out now)
Attention, huns. Loose Women star Denise Welch enters the race with her hyperpop Christmas anthem Slayyy Bells, going up against Kylie, RAYE, Taylor and others. With unforgettable lines like “we’re serving looks, not turkey,” this is the chaotic festive energy the Christmas Number 1 race thrives on. It is pure BRAT winter.

Chart Fact: this is not Denise’s first time on the Official Charts. In 1995, she reached Number 23 with her rendition of Dusty Springfield’s You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me.

HUNTR/X – Golden / How It’s Done / What It Sounds Like (out now)
In a year where K-pop soared up the Official Charts, could 2025 bring the first-ever K-pop Christmas Number 1? Netflix’s Kpop Demon Hunters has taken the country by storm, and animated group HUNTR/X spent 10 non-consecutive weeks at Number 1 with Golden, which is already among the year’s biggest tracks.

With Golden, How It’s Done and What It Sounds Like entering the race together, and a vinyl pressing of the latter releasing on December 12, HUNTR/X pose a real challenge.

Tom Fletcher – One Of Us (from Paddington The Musical) (out now)
It would not be a true Christmas chart battle without a heartwarming contender. Paddington Bear trades his marmalade sandwiches for music with One Of Us, celebrating the arrival of Paddington The Musical at London’s Savoy Theatre.

The ballad, performed in the show by Mrs Brown, was recorded by composer and lyricist Tom Fletcher. The music video, filmed at an empty Paddington station and featuring Tom and the beloved bear, is especially charming.

Ian Gillan & UROCK – IN LINE (out December 12)
Deep Purple icon Ian Gillan teams up with UROCK, led by American-Italian singer Umberto Urock, for IN LINE, a statement track about independence and resisting “mass mediocrity.” The release is supported by social media campaigner Jon Morter, known for helping Rage Against The Machine’s Killing In The Name beat Joe McElderry to the Christmas Number 1 in 2009.

Charity Singles

Together For Palestine – Lullaby (out December 12)
The team behind Together For Palestine, the massive Wembley concert in September 2025 that raised over £2 million for Gaza, will release the charity single Lullaby on December 12, the very day the Christmas Number 1 race starts.

The track features a wide lineup of artists, including Amena, Yasmeen Ayyashi, Bastille’s Dan Smith, Leigh-Anne, Neneh Cherry, Mabel and many others. This reimagining of the traditional Palestinian folk song Yamma Mweel El Hawa will donate all proceeds to Choose Love’s Together For Palestine Fund, supporting Taawon, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and Palestine Medical Relief Service.

SpudBros & Vicky McClure’s Our Dementia Choir – Brighter Than The Night (out December 12)
SpudBros have partnered with Vicky McClure’s Our Dementia Choir to release Brighter Than The Night, along with a limited-edition SpudX Festive Spud, raising money for dementia support. The song, written by Antony Llewellyn and performed by SpudBros’ Huw Roberts and members of the choir, highlights how food and music can bring comfort to families affected by dementia.

Home Care’s Got Talent Choir – Angels (out now)
Dan Archer, UK CEO of Visiting Angels, leads the Home Care’s Got Talent Choir in a cover of Robbie Williams’ Angels, recorded at Abbey Road Studios. With vocals from The Voice’s Kuill and Bucks Fizz’s Jay Aston, the single aims to draw attention to the essential work of care staff. All profits will benefit The Care Workers Charity.

Festive favourites and special editions

The Pogues ft. Kirsty MacColl – Fairytale of New York (out now)
A perennial favourite that has reappeared in the Top 40 every year since 2005, Fairytale of New York peaked at Number 2. With a new zoetrope vinyl coming December 12, featuring an unheard 1987 live version of MacColl’s first performance with the band, it may finally reach the top.

Kelly Clarkson – Underneath The Tree (out now)
This modern festive staple entered the Top 10 for the first time last year and is currently tracking toward its first Top 5 debut. Could this be the year it goes all the way?

Chris Rea – Driving Home For Christmas (out now)
With a limited white vinyl pressing available from December 5, Chris Rea’s nostalgic Christmas song aims to beat its Number 10 peak from 2021.

Shakin’ Stevens – Merry Christmas Everyone (out now)
This year marks the fortieth anniversary of Shakin’ Stevens topping the 1985 Christmas chart. What better way to celebrate than by sending the classic back to Number 1?

WHAM! – Last Christmas (out now)
WHAM! made chart history in 2024 when Last Christmas became the first track to win the festive crown in back-to-back years. Could Andrew Ridgeley make it three in a row?

Mariah Carey – All I Want For Christmas Is You (out now)
Despite being the undisputed Queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey has never secured the Christmas Number 1 with her signature holiday anthem. Perhaps this is finally her moment.

Slade – Merry Xmas Everybody (out now)
“It’s Christmaaaaas!” Dave Hill’s Slade launches a final tour this December, performing across the UK during the Christmas chart week. Coincidence? Probably not.

Whatever your favourite may be, sales and streams count until 23.59pm on Thursday 18 December. Tune into BBC Radio 1 from 4pm on Friday 19 December to find out who claims the 2025 Official Christmas Number 1. For updates, follow @OfficialCharts.