Who Has Had The Most Christmas Number Ones

So picture this: It’s Christmas morning, 1998. I’m twelve, still believing in magic (and in Santa’s ability to fit a PlayStation down the chimney). My uncle, a man who took his festive playlist very seriously, puts on the radio. “And the Christmas Number One this year is…” The DJ announces a Spice Girls song, and my uncle groans like he’s just found a lump of coal in his stocking. I didn’t care then. But now? I’m obsessed: who really has the most Christmas Number Ones? Let’s unwrap this festive chart mystery together.

The King of Christmas Charts

If you’re thinking of a single artist, you’re probably wrong. The title of “Most Christmas Number Ones” belongs to a group, not a solo star. It’s The Beatles—yes, those four lads from Liverpool. They’ve snagged the top spot on the UK Singles Chart at Christmas four times.

Think about that for a second. They did it in 1963 with “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” 1964 with “I Feel Fine,” 1965 with “Day Tripper” / “We Can Work It Out,” and 1967 with “Hello, Goodbye.” That means they ruled Christmas for nearly half a decade. Not bad for a band that broke up before I was even born, right?

But Wait—What About the Modern Stars?

You might be thinking, “What about Mariah Carey? She is Christmas.” And you’d be half-right. Mariah’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is an absolute monster of a song—it’s like the holiday version of a cockroach (in a good way, I swear). But here’s the kicker: it only became a Christmas Number One in the UK for the first time in 2020.

Yeah, you heard that right. That song came out in 1994, and it took a global pandemic and a slower chart race for it to finally top the festive chart. So Mariah has one Christmas Number One. The Beatles have four. Ironic, isn’t it? The Queen of Christmas is still an apprentice compared to John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

The Spice Girls and a Few Surprises

Remember my uncle’s groan about the Spice Girls? Well, they actually have two Christmas Number Ones: “2 Become 1” in 1996 and “Goodbye” in 1998. That ties them with other legends like Elvis Presley and The Jackson 5. Elvis did it with “I Gotta Know”/“Are You Lonesome Tonight?” in 1960 and “Return to Sender” in 1962.

But here’s where it gets wild. The band with the most Christmas Number Ones after The Beatles isn’t even a human group—it’s a charity supergroup. Band Aid technically has two (if you count “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” from 1984 and the 2004 re-recording). And then there’s LadBaby, the YouTuber who turned sausage rolls into chart gold. He has three Christmas Number Ones? I know, I blinked too.

The LadBaby Phenomenon

Let me pause and let this sink in: a man who sings about sausage rolls has more Christmas Number Ones than Mariah Carey, Elton John, and even Wham! combined. LadBaby’s run from 2018 to 2020 (with “We Built This City on Sausage Rolls,” “I Love Sausage Rolls,” and “Don’t Stop Me Eatin’”) proved that the UK chart can be gloriously ridiculous.

So if you want the technical answer for “most Christmas Number Ones” in the modern era, it’s The Beatles with four. But if you want the funniest answer? It’s LadBaby, a man who basically won Christmas by being hungry. That’s the kind of legacy we can all get behind.

Why This Matters (Or Doesn’t)

Look, Christmas Number Ones are a weird, wonderful part of British culture. They don’t always reflect the “best” song of the year—they reflect what makes us feel cozy, nostalgic, or, in LadBaby’s case, hungry. The Beatles holding the top spot makes sense because they were everywhere in the ’60s.

But honestly? The real winner is anyone who listens to Mariah’s “All I Want for Christmas” on repeat from November 1st and still feels joy. That’s the true Christmas Number One energy. And if you’re reading this while wearing a Santa hat? You’re already a champion in my book.

So next time your uncle complains about the Christmas chart, just remind him: The Beatles still rule, but never underestimate the power of a sausage roll song. Merry Christmas, chart geeks.