31 December 2021
Newsdesk
In the final chart of 2021, Ed Sheeran claims the Official Chart double as = (Equals) and Merry Christmas with Elton John both reclaim Number 1 on the Official Albums and Singles Chart respectively.
Ed’s fourth album earns its second total week at Number 1, having hovered at Number 2 for the past three weeks.
At the time of its debut, Equals became the UK’s fastest-selling album of the year, although it was overtaken just a few weeks later by Adele’s 30 - which finishes this week at Number 2 with fewer than 500 chart sales between the two releases.
Meanwhile, Ed Sheeran also reclaims the UK’s Number 1 single with Elton John collaboration Merry Christmas, as people across the UK celebrate the festive season.
After being nudged to Number 2 by its pastry-themed reworking – Sausage Rolls For Everyone by LadBaby, featuring the pair – Merry Christmas returns for a third total week at the top of the Official Singles Chart. The record-breaking Sausage Rolls For Everyone tumbles from Number 1 to Number 29 this week.
The Pogues’ Fairytale of New York ft. Kirsty MacColl climbs three to Number 4, and Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee is up four to Number 5. Further down the Top 10, Michael Buble’s It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas is up four to Number 7, while George Ezra climbs two places to a new peak of Number 8 with Come On Home For Christmas, and It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year by Andy Williams rises six places to Number 9.
Entering the Top 20 for the first time this year is Bobby Helms’ Jingle Bell Rock (16), Wonderful Christmastime by Paul McCartney (17), Olivia Dean who vaults eight places with The Christmas Song (19), her first Top 20 hit in the UK, and One More Sleep by Leona Lewis (20).
Following the release of a new remix with Ed Sheeran, Peru by Nigerian singer Fireboy DML flies into this week’s Official Top 40 at Number 28. This marks a brand new peak for the song and Fireboy DML’s first UK Top 40 hit – though Fireboy previously spent four weeks at the top of the Official UK Afrobeats Chart with the track.
Further down, four more Christmas hits climb into this week’s Top 40; Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – Darlene Love (32), Stop The Cavalry – Jona Lewie (34), Snowman – Sia (35) and Let It Snow! Let Is Snow! Let It Snow! – Frank Sinatra (39). In total there are 33 Christmas songs in this week’s Top 40.
