When I worked in the music industry, pre “X Factor” days we used to have this intense build-up in the weeks leading up to Christmas with a number of different singles all jostling for pole position. Chart sales and radio play would have been building up for about 5 weeks beforehand. Today it is simply a matter of timing the launch of the Christmas single for about a week before Christmas and although Xmas songs are still brought on CD, about 95 % of the sales are now on digital downloads.
Of course it helped to have Cliff Richard on your label, who for years provided us with everything required for a Xmas hit. Just showing off here for a minute – this is the telemessage I received from the MD of EMI (20 years ago!!) the year “Mistletoe and Wine” went to No. 1:-
This Christmas, although I am a dinosaur and everything has changed, I am going to stick my neck out and make a prediction for Christmas No. 1. I had thought that there was nothing that was going to knock Leona Lewis off the top of the charts before Christmas, but that was before I had heard Alexandra Burke’s soulful version of “Hallelujah”. I have to say that I still prefer Jeff Buckley’s version and even Rufus Wainwrights version, but nevertheless, she’s done the Leonard Cohen song proud.
She will definitely be No.1 for Christmas if I’ve still got an ounce of musical talent spotting for the masses left in me.
December 19th, 2008 at 5:02 am
What, you mean “Merry Xmas Everybody” by Slade won’t be No 1?!
I think I’ve been away from my own country for too long.
December 19th, 2008 at 7:09 am
It’s a close call.. I LOVE that Leona Lewis song and normally don’t like her. Hallelujah is a superb song though so it’ll be close.
Personally I’m far too excited about the Strictly final to worry about what’s going to be number one…
My stepsister used to work at EMI in Manchester Square about 20 years ago.. Olivia Gatfield.. remember her?
BM x
December 19th, 2008 at 7:53 am
AM a big FAN of rufus….and I’ve always loved hallelujah!! Alexandra Burke’s rendition is as you say soulful and it will be on my xmas list…although our daughter is preparing an XMAS cd as I type, for playing in the next hour as we all put up the tree!
BTW.. Iw as only talking to the kids a week ago about how back in the day, people like Dollar (ref celeb in the jungle) had to have sales of 100’s of thousands to get a big NO1 hit, these days a few thousand takes the pick of the pops…progress eh?
December 19th, 2008 at 8:35 am
No BM I don’t remember her – no brain cells left x I haven’t been watching Strictly, but might watch the final Lx
Yes, FFF I’ll get my kids to do a xmas CD – good idea Lx
December 19th, 2008 at 11:41 am
What do they say when a single is released these days – it drops? Something like that.