5 h. ago Kylie Minogue celebrates her first UK Christmas Number 1 single as she breaks records set by Madonna and Mariah Carey with new song XMAS

The singer, 57, has broken records previously set by Madonna and Mariah Carey as she became the first woman to secure UK Number 1 singles in four different decades.

Culture

5 h. ago Kylie Minogue gets her – and Amazon’s – first Christmas No 1, with Xmas

Exclusive song for online retailer prevents a hat trick of Christmas No 1s for Wham!, as Kylie becomes first woman to secure UK No 1 singles in four different decadesKylie Minogue has scored her first UK Christmas No 1, and eighth No 1 single overall, with the song Xmas.She beat competition from Wham!’s mega-streaming Last Christmas, which has been Christmas No 1 for the past two years: it was last week’s chart-topper but drops to No 2. Also in the race was Lullaby from the charity campaign Together for Palestine, which reached No 5. Continue reading...

Politics

17 h. ago Love is all around: Wet Wet Wet star and Kirk Moderator create Christmas song

Festive message in video and song is there’s always ‘room at the table’ - ‘and sometimes, we just have to make it’

Politics

31 h. ago Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You dethroned on the charts by this ‘80s classic

Carey’s unimpeachable record has dropped off the No.1 position and been beaten by British pop duo’s 1984 hit

Politics

33 h. ago Kirsty MacColl: A look back at her life from her iconic Christmas song to her tragic death

The Standard looks back at the life and legacy of Kirsty MacColl, from her iconic Christmas duet with The Pogues to her tragic death

Events

34 h. ago Tom Fletcher to release Children In Need song with son Buzz on Christmas Eve

Thread Of Hope will be released as a single on December 24.

Politics

37 h. ago Pixie Lott performs a VERY energetic dance routine just two months after giving birth as she dedicates her new Christmas song to her newborn baby

The singer, 34, who welcomed her second child with her model husband Oliver Cheshire in October, dedicated her new Christmas song to her newborn baby.

Culture

59 h. ago People are just discovering the real voice behind classic Christmas song

You can hear Christmas music wherever you go at this time of year - but there's one strange fact some people are only just learning about a classic festive hit

Politics

63 h. ago Which football match were Wham! watching when they wrote Last Christmas? | The Knowledge

Plus: which European champions were top at Christmas, players giving each other presents and other festive triviaMail us with your questions and answers“Just reading a book about Christmas No 1s,” begins Paul Savage. “The section about Wham!’s Last Christmas says Andrew Ridgeley was watching football at George Michael’s parents on a Sunday, when George got the melody and wandered off to record it upstairs. Greatness obviously awaited but I want to know: which match was it? It’s 1984, a Sunday and presumably on terrestrial TV. Was the second half worth Ridgeley not getting involved in the recording?”Last Christmas by Wham! didn’t become a Christmas No 1 until 2023, having been kept off top spot by Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas in 1984. As Paul mentioned, George Michael wrote the song in his childhood bedroom while his parents and Andrew Ridgeley watched football on TV downstairs. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago ‘It became a running joke how much my brothers and I hated it’: the sound of Christmas to me

Beyond Wham! and Elton, Guardian writers from across the generations select the songs that conjure the personal magic and memories of the seasonI’m always fascinated by the ways in which my generation manage to participate in the circulation of music. Amateur TikTok edits resurrect forgotten gems and turn obscure starlets into sensations; home producers fabricate entire albums if their favourite rapper doesn’t release enough. Such is the case with Doom Xmas, the brainchild of Grammy-winning Spanish producer Cookin’ Soul, which refashions the work of late cult rapper MF Doom into Christmas music. There are filthy Grinch soundtrack flips, hectic Latin Christmas skits and a chopped-and-screwed Nat King Cole that’ll change the way you hear The Christmas Song. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Katie Price strips to sexy festive bikini as she releases new Christmas song

Former glamour model Katie Price has given her fans an early Christmas present as she unveiled her brand new festive single This Christmas featuring singer Mhina

Economics

4 d. ago The Pogues producer Steve Lillywhite: ‘Fairytale of New York is like a fine wine, it grows on you!’

As a recording of the first live performance of the immortal Christmas song is released, the legendary producer and ex-husband of Kirsty MacColl reflects on what makes it so special. As told to Roisin O’Connor

Events

5 d. ago Strictly Come Dancing viewers divided over Kylie Minogue performance

The Australian singer performed her new Christmas song before the semi-finalists learnt their fate

Politics

6 d. ago Kylie Minogue reunites with sister Dannii for epic new Christmas song

Superstar Kylie Minogue on her new festive album, spending a sunny Christmas down under and reflecting on her iconic Glastonbury set

Politics

7 d. ago ‘Men explicitly loving men is so threatening to the status quo’: why are gay male pop stars being shut out of the music industry?

Not long ago, artists such as Lil Nas X and Olly Alexander were ruling pop. But success has stalled as acts face industry obstacles and rising homophobia. What now?At the turn of the decade, gay male and non-binary pop stars seemed poised to take pop music by storm. Lil Nas X broke out with Old Town Road – which blew up on TikTok, sold about 18.5m copies and remains tied with Shaboozey’s A Bar Song (Tipsy) and Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You as the longest-running No 1 single in US history – and artists such as Sam Smith, Troye Sivan and Olly Alexander from Years & Years were all singing about gay love and sex.But the initial promise has stalled. Lil Nas X’s attempts to build on his smash debut album have fizzled, and he is publicly dealing with mental health issues. In October, Khalid released his first album since being outed by his ex last year but only sold 10,000 copies in the first week in the US. A previous album, 2019’s Free Spirit, sold some 200,000 copie...

Events

8 d. ago Brian Eno urges support to get Together for Palestine song to Christmas No 1

Lullaby features Palestinian singer, lyrics written by Peter Gabriel and artists including Eno and CelesteThe Together for Palestine fund is trying to get a Palestinian lullaby to Christmas No 1 in the UK charts in an effort to help provide aid to the people of Gaza, but also showcase their culture and creativity.The musician Brian Eno, who performs on the track, said Lullaby, which will be released on Friday, is a chance to support Palestinians over Christmas and potentially stage an unlikely coup by getting to No 1. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago People are only just realising how old Brenda Lee was when she sang Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree

MUSIC fans are just realising the age of singer Brenda Lee when she recorded her famous Christmas song. Festive favourite Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree was released in 1958 and featured in Home Alone, one of the biggest movies of the 90s.  Written by Johnny Marks, the rockabilly track Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree was...

Politics

1 week ago Brandi Carlile reveals plans for Christmas song with Elton John

The US singer has received 11 Grammy Awards, two Emmy Awards and has been nominated for an Oscar

Politics

1 week ago 'Laughter and song will fill my Christmas even though it may be my last'

Mum-of-three Heather Glover may be facing her last Christmas, as her breast cancer has returned for a third time, but she is singing in the face of adversity

Politics

2 w. ago Kylie Minogue talks risque Office Party as she overtakes Mariah Carey for Christmas No1

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Star Kylie Minogue admits she would love to finally land the Christmas No1 with new song XMAS, but concedes nobody comes close to Mariah Carey. She has another festive banger called Office Party which will get fans even jollier and is considering a brand new holiday themed tipple for her Kylie Minogue Wine range.

Society