Wham's hit song "Last Christmas" is experiencing unprecedented popularity in the United States once more.
Wham had an extraordinary period throughout the '80s while they were a pair, marking half a decade of success. They only produced three albums, yet these releases gained traction and they churned out more popular chart-toppers than numerous artists manage in more extensive careers.
One of their standout tracks, "Last Christmas," has maintained its popularity each year. The hit song returns to charts annually, fueled by an increase in streams, sales, and radio airplay around November and December. Even with its age, this week could potentially be its most successful week in the U.S.
"Last Christmas" is currently ranked third on the Hot 100 chart, which is its highest position yet. It climbed one spot to regain this position, and it remains to be seen if it can surpass its current record next year.
The tune's success is credited to high sales, streaming, and radio airplay throughout the U.S. As it enters the top three on the main list of best-selling tracks in the country, it also finds itself in the same slot on the Streaming Songs chart, returning to its former peak.
"Last Christmas" also managed to reach a new peak on two other charts, contributing to its overall position on the Hot 100. The Wham hit ascends to second place on the Digital Song Sales chart this week, marking the first time it's approached this position. In fact, the song jumps from 14th place to the runner-up position, making Wham enter the top 10 for the very first time.
The single also manages to rise to a new high point on the Radio Songs chart at the same time it excels on streaming and digital sales platforms. "Last Christmas" rises to 29th place on the all-genre Radio Songs chart, climbing up from 35th.
Finally, "Last Christmas" is a top-five hit on every one of Billboard's Holiday charts, which are only active during this time of the year. It struggles to take the top spot, as it lags slightly behind a few other songs, including Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You." However, "Last Christmas" still ranks high on the Holiday 100, Holiday Streaming Songs, Holiday Digital Song Sales, and Holiday Airplay lists, even reaching the number three spot on the latter list.
The holiday season sees a yearly resurgence of Wham's "Last Christmas" on streams, a trend that has contributed to its continuous chart presence. Remarkably, this year, "Last Christmas" has reached the third spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts, marking a new record for the song.
In addition to its success on the Billboard Hot 100, "Last Christmas" has also climbed up the Streaming Songs chart, returning to its former peak position. This triumph in streaming platforms has also contributed to the song's impressive performance on the Digital Song Sales charts, where it currently holds the second position, marking a first for the band in entering the top 10.
Furthermore, radio airplay has played a significant role in "Last Christmas"'s continued success. The song has climbed up the Radio Songs chart, reaching the 29th position, indicating a high level of airplay during the holiday season.
Moreover, "Last Christmas" has dominated Billboard's Holiday charts, appearing as a top-five hit on all active holiday-specific lists. While it falls slightly short of taking the number one spot on the Holiday 100, it ranks highly on the Holiday Streaming Songs, Holiday Digital Song Sales, and Holiday Airplay charts, notably reaching the third spot on the latter.
The success of "Last Christmas" on various charts during the holiday season reflects its enduring popularity and Wham's ability to capture the spirit of the season with their music, as evidenced by its consistent chart performance each year.
