'Do They Know Its Christmas' Is Most Played Christmas Song

PPL, the organisation responsible for licensing recorded music played in public (shops, nightclubs, pubs, offices etc.) and broadcast (TV, radio and online) across the UK, can reveal for the first time what the nation was tuning into this time last year, in the exclusive PPL Most Played Christmas Tracks chart.

Based on exclusive PPL data (1-31 December 2014), the PPL Most Played Christmas Tracks chart is fast becoming an annual industry tradition, adding to excitement in anticipating the season’s top Christmas hits year-on-year.

Tom Odell’s rendition of Real Love, which comes in at number nine in the chart and featured in John Lewis’s 2014 Christmas advert, means the department store has achieved a Top 10 most played track for three consecutive years. This follows Gabrielle Aplin’s version of The Power of Love in 2012, and Lily Allen’s cover of Somewhere Only We Know in 2013, putting all eyes on this year’s chosen John Lewis track, Half The World Away by newcomer Aurora.

The PPL Most Played Christmas Tracks chart is notoriously difficult to penetrate for newer artists given the nation’s loyalty to vintage classics such as ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday’ by Wizzard, which has featured at number six in the chart three years running. New entries from more contemporary acts include Tom Odell at number nine, Sam Smith at number 40, and The Saturdays creeping in at number 50. The latest charity rendition of Do They Know It’s Christmas? by Band Aid 30 enters the chart in first position, relegating firm former favourite Fairytale of New York by The Pogues to second place.

PPL Most Played Christmas Tracks Chart

1 Do They Know It’s Christmas? (2014) – Band Aid 30
2 Fairytale Of New York -The Pogues
3 All I Want For Christmas Is You -Mariah Carey
4 Driving Home For Christmas -Chris Rea
5 Last Christmas -Wham!
6 I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday -Wizzard
7 Merry Xmas Everybody -Slade
8 Merry Christmas Everyone -Shakin’ Stevens
9 Real Love -Tom Odell
10 Wonderful Christmas Time -Paul McCartney
11 Step Into Christmas -Elton John
12 Stay Another Day -East 17
13 Happy Xmas (War Is Over) -John & Yoko And The Plastic Ono Band
14 Do They Know It’s Christmas? -Band Aid
15 I Believe In Father Christmas -Greg Lake
16 Stop The Cavalry -Jona Lewie
17 One More Sleep -Leona Lewis
18 Christmas Wrapping -The Waitresses
19 Warm This Winter -Gabriella Cilmi
20 Thank God It’s Christmas -Queen
21 2000 Miles -The Pretenders
22 It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year -Andy Williams
23 Sleigh Ride -The Ronettes
24 White Christmas -Bing Crosby
25 Santa Baby -Kylie Minogue
26 Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End) -The Darkness
27 Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree -Brenda Lee
28 Mary’s Boy Child -Harry Belafonte
29 Christmas Lights -Coldplay
30 A Winter’s Tale -David Essex
31 Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! -Dean Martin
32 Please Come Home For Christmas- Bon Jovi
33 Lonely This Christmas -Mud
34 The Power Of Love -Frankie Goes To Hollywood
35 A Spaceman Came Travelling -Chris De Burgh
36 Underneath The Tree -Kelly Clarkson
37 The Christmas Song -Nat King Cole
38 Baby It’s Cold Outside (Duet With Michael Bublé) -Idina Menzel
39 Frosty The Snowman -The Ronettes
40 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas -Sam Smith
41 Santa Claus Is Coming To Town -Michael Bublé
42 Little Saint Nick -The Beach Boys
43 Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) -Michael Bublé
44 Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree -Mel & Kim
45 Santa Claus Is Coming To Town -The Crystals
46 Winter Wonderland -Darlene Love
47 Mistletoe and Wine -Cliff Richard
48 What Christmas Means To Me -Stevie Wonder
49 All Alone On Christmas -Darlene Love
50 Christmas Wrapping -The Saturdays