PPL has announced the most played Christmas songs for 2015 with Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas and Last Christmas by Wham! among the top selections.
Mariah Carey’s 1994 hit was the most played across TV and radio during last year’s festive season beating Last Christmas by Wham! to take the top spot.
An all-British line-up completed the top five with Fairytale of New York by The Pogues featuring the late Kirsty MacColl at number three and Welsh rocker, Shakin’ Stevens, at number four with Merry Christmas Everyone.
East London boyband, East 17, claimed the fifth spot with Stay Another Day, the 1994 track which went on to become their biggest ever hit single and only track to reach number one in the UK Official Singles Chart.
The PPL most-played Christmas Chart is fast-becoming an annual industry tradition, adding to the excitement in anticipating the season’s top Christmas hits year-on-year.
Peter Leathem, PPL chief executive officer, said: ‘Music is ubiquitous with Christmas, traditionally going hand-in-hand with the festive season. At this time of the year, classic tracks and sing-a-long hits nurture nostalgia and entertain radio and TV audiences across the UK.
‘PPL’s chart shows how Christmas-themed music can transcend genres with pop, new wave, rock and roll and gospel music featuring. Christmas airplay is well underway this year and we’ll be keeping an eye on it to see what proves popular in 2016.’
Mariah also reigned supreme on the radio where All I Want for Christmas Is You was the most-played radio hit throughout the Christmas period. The top three songs in the radio-only chart mirrored the overall most-played Christmas tracks on the airwaves with Wham! and The Pogues taking second and third position again.
PPL data also revealed the most popular dates last year for Christmas music across TV and radio. Unsurprisingly, the most popular day was Christmas Day, followed very closely by Christmas Eve while 50 per cent of the Christmas music broadcast on TV and radio was played in the week leading up to Christmas.
Mariah Carey’s 1994 hit was the most played across TV and radio during last year’s festive season beating Last Christmas by Wham! to take the top spot.
An all-British line-up completed the top five with Fairytale of New York by The Pogues featuring the late Kirsty MacColl at number three and Welsh rocker, Shakin’ Stevens, at number four with Merry Christmas Everyone.
East London boyband, East 17, claimed the fifth spot with Stay Another Day, the 1994 track which went on to become their biggest ever hit single and only track to reach number one in the UK Official Singles Chart.
The PPL most-played Christmas Chart is fast-becoming an annual industry tradition, adding to the excitement in anticipating the season’s top Christmas hits year-on-year.
Peter Leathem, PPL chief executive officer, said: ‘Music is ubiquitous with Christmas, traditionally going hand-in-hand with the festive season. At this time of the year, classic tracks and sing-a-long hits nurture nostalgia and entertain radio and TV audiences across the UK.
‘PPL’s chart shows how Christmas-themed music can transcend genres with pop, new wave, rock and roll and gospel music featuring. Christmas airplay is well underway this year and we’ll be keeping an eye on it to see what proves popular in 2016.’
Mariah also reigned supreme on the radio where All I Want for Christmas Is You was the most-played radio hit throughout the Christmas period. The top three songs in the radio-only chart mirrored the overall most-played Christmas tracks on the airwaves with Wham! and The Pogues taking second and third position again.
PPL data also revealed the most popular dates last year for Christmas music across TV and radio. Unsurprisingly, the most popular day was Christmas Day, followed very closely by Christmas Eve while 50 per cent of the Christmas music broadcast on TV and radio was played in the week leading up to Christmas.
