The UK public take a particular interest in chart performance and sales of singles are especially high in the two weeks before Christmas.
The race for first position at Christmas has become a British institution and people will speculate, comment and bet upon the outcome.
The Christmas number one is a highly coveted prize in the United Kingdom,[3][4] so much so that a coattail or slipstream effect occurs with all of the competing songs earning publicity, regardless of whether or not they succeed.
George Michael, Ed Sheeran (twice) and Elton John have appeared first and second on the same chart as part of different acts—Michael with Band Aid and Wham!
Another factor in the greater interest in the Christmas number two is the growing influence of reality television programmes on the chart.
[7][8] The X Factor's dominance has also led to numerous novelty campaigns to attempt to prevent the show's winner from reaching the top of the chart, although only "Killing in the Name" by Rage Against the Machine was successful in 2009.