Two new major contenders for the Official Christmas Number 1 crown 2020

Biggest chart race of the year kicks off this Friday 18 December

Justin Bieber & The NHS Choir and reigning champion LadBaby join strong range of contenders

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Official Charts Company

With just days to go until the start of the Official Christmas Number 1 race 2020, two new major contenders have dropped out of the sky to stake their claim on this year’s crown.

The biggest chart race of the year - and a UK festive tradition in its own right - the annual race for the coveted Christmas Number 1 kicks off this Friday 18 December with the winner announced on BBC Radio 1’s The Official Chart on Christmas Day, Friday 25 December. The competition just got more fierce, as not one, but TWO previous Christmas Number 1 winners have now thrown their hat into the ring.

Former Christmas Number 1 rivals Justin Bieber and The NHS Choir unite in a bid for the 2020 crown

Global superstar Justin Bieber teams up with former Christmas Number 1 rivals The Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir on a new version of his single, Holy. The two acts had a highly publicised battle for Christmas Number 1 in 2015, where a plot twist saw the Canadian pop star Bieber tweeting his support midweek for the choir of NHS workers who went on to ultimately emerge as champions of the Christmas Number 1 2015 with their song A Bridge Over You.

Justin Bieber will release a remix of his single Holy on Friday 18 December featuring The Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir. Holy dropped in October this year with guest feature Chance The Rapper, peaking at Number 7 on the Official Singles Chart. Proceeds from the song are to be split between NHS Charities Together (which represents over 230 NHS charities) and the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust Charity in recognition of the extraordinary efforts of those on the medical frontline during the Coronavirus crisis.

Bieber and the choir were also united by the Official Charts Company in early 2016 to present each other with their Official Number 1 Single Awards.

Reigning Christmas Number 1 champion LadBaby targets potential hat-trick

Reigning 2019 Christmas Number 1 winner LadBaby is also coming for the title for a third (and apparently final) time, with Don’t Stop Me Eatin’.

The YouTuber/dad blogger and his family will release their comedic, sausage roll-themed take on Journey's 1982 classic Don't Stop Believin', on Friday December 18 - the start of this year's Official Christmas Number 1 race.

It puts LadBaby firmly in the running for a third consecutive festive chart-topper, following Christmas Number 1 2018’s We Built This City and I Love Sausage Rolls in 2019. If they manage to top the chart in 2020, they will be the first act since Spice Girls to score three consecutive Christmas Number 1s. View every Christmas Number 1 in UK chart history here.

LadBaby face strong competition on the chart from a number of competitors this year, including Justin Bieber and The NHS Choir's Holy, Jess Glynne's This Christmas, current Number 1 Mariah Carey's classic All I Want For Christmas Is You which topped the chart for the first time in 26 years on Friday with its huge (and increasing) popularity on streaming services, as well as fellow festive classic Wham!’s Last Christmas. Plus with the likes of Jess Glynne and Liam Gallagher set to release limited edition physical versions of their new Christmas hits, This Christmas, and All You’re Dreaming Of, on Friday – this year’s race is set to be one of the most competitive and festive races to date.

Martin Talbot, chief executive, Official Charts Company comments:

“With two previous winners, a powerful current Number 1 and big name new releases (including Liam Gallagher and Jess Glynne) in the running, this year really is shaping up to be one of the most exciting and competitive races for the Official Christmas Number 1 that we’ve yet seen. It really is an incredibly difficult race to call.”

Compiled by the Official Charts Company on behalf of the British music industry, counting UK physical, digital downloads, audio and video streams - the Official Christmas Number 1 race 2020 kicks off Friday December 18 with sales and streams counting up until midnight (11.59pm) on Thursday, December 24.

The winner of the Christmas Number 1 2020 will be announced exclusively on BBC Radio 1’s The Official Chart with Katie Thistleton, 2-4pm on Christmas Day, Friday December 25.

The full Top 100 Official Christmas Singles Chart and Albums Chart will be published on OfficialCharts.com from 5.45pm. You can also catch Top Of The Pops on BBC One on Christmas Day.

December 14, 2020 1:00pm ET by Official Charts Company  

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