Michael Bublé’s Christmas (via Reprise) proves it’s the gift that keeps giving as it heads back to No. 1 on the U.K. albums chart.
The festive hit lifts 2-1 for a sixth non-consecutive week at the summit, to close out the year atop the Official U.K. Albums Chart, published last Friday, Dec. 29.
Christmas first reached the summit of the national tally following its release back in November 2011, returning to the top for two weeks in December that same year, the Official Charts Company reports. Since then, the LP has logged time at No. 1 in January 2021 and December 2022.
According to the OCC, Christmas is home to five of the top 40 biggest Christmas songs of the 21st century in the U.K. – “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” “Holly Jolly Christmas,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” and “Jingle Bells” with the Puppini Sisters.
The Canadian crooner holds off Taylor Swift’s former leader 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (via EMI), which lifts 3-2; and The Weeknd’s The Highlights, up 9-3 (via Republic Records/XO), respectively.
As Brits handed out gifts over the festive season, compilations provided the soundtrack. Elton John’s Diamonds (up 12-4 via Mercury/UMR), ABBA’s Gold: Greatest Hits (up 15-5 via Polydor), Eminem’s Curtain Call: Greatest Hits (up 10-9 via Interscope), and Fleetwood Mac’s 50 Years – Don’t Stop (up 23-13 via Rhino) all climb the chart. It’s worth noting, ABBA’s career retrospective has now logged a staggering 1,130 weeks on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, and makes its first dent on the top 5 since September 2021.
Predictably, a batch of festive compilations made their mark. Bing Crosby’s Christmas Classics (UMR/Virgin) lifts 73-18, and Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song (UMR/Virgin) rises 86-22, both new peak positions.
The top new entry belongs to vocal group Pentatonix, with their addition to the festive season’s playlist, The Greatest Christmas Hits (RCA), new at No. 64.
