Kylie Minogue has wrapped up the festive season with the ultimate gift: her very first UK Christmas Number 1.
At 57, the Australian pop icon has not only claimed the coveted holiday crown with her new track XMAS, but has also rewritten chart history — becoming the first woman ever to score UK Number 1 singles across four different decades.
Her remarkable run now stretches from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s all the way to the 2020s, placing her alongside music legends such as Elton John, Elvis Presley and Queen, who are the only other artists to have achieved the same multi-decade feat.
Beating the Christmas giants
In a race long dominated by festive classics, Kylie’s modern holiday hit managed to hold off WHAM!’s Last Christmas, preventing George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley’s anthem from claiming the Christmas crown for a third year in a row.
Mariah Carey’s perennial favourite All I Want For Christmas Is You settles at Number 3 for the second consecutive year, while Brenda Lee’s Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree lands at Number 4.
A moment she never expected
Speaking about her milestone, an emotional Kylie said:
“It’s hard to put into words how special this feels. Being Christmas Number One really is the most wonderful gift!
I’m so thankful to everyone who’s been listening and sharing the love, and I’m wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!”
The achievement marks her eighth UK Number 1 single, and makes XMAS the first Amazon Music Original ever to reach the top of the Official Christmas Chart.
A chart-topping Christmas all round
The single’s success comes hot on the heels of her festive album Kylie Christmas (Fully Wrapped), which also topped the charts last week — making December 2025 a month Kylie fans will never forget.
The singer was watched by almost seven million viewers when she performed the track on Strictly Come Dancing on Sunday night, before chatting with Scott Mills on BBC Radio 2’s breakfast show just days later.
The changing face of Christmas No.1
With chart rules now counting 100 streams as one sale, streaming giants play a huge role in shaping the festive race. Martin Talbot, chief executive of the Official Charts Company, explained:
“Streaming has completely transformed the way the Christmas No.1 is decided. Classic songs have a real shot at returning to the top each year thanks to their enduring popularity on playlists.”
But this year, it wasn’t nostalgia that ruled — it was Kylie.
Four decades on, she’s not just still standing — she’s leading the party. And in doing so, Kylie Minogue has delivered a Christmas miracle written in glitter, gratitude, and pop history.
