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The Twelve Songs of Christmas
- Author
- Bob Stanley
- Narrator
- Orlando Wells
- Publisher
- Orion
- Publish Date
- 29 October 2026
- Run Time
- 4 hours 30 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Music, Popular culture
What to expect
Twelve songs, seventy-five years and a nation's chart obsession
Every December, Britain waits for the one chart result that still matters: the Christmas number one. In an age when the singles chart has lost much of its cultural power, the festive top spot remains fiercely contested by pop stars, novelty acts, charity campaigns and the occasional underdog.
The Twelve Songs of Christmas tells the story of this uniquely British obsession through a dozen chart-toppers, beginning in 1950 with Gene Autry's "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and leading up to Wham! with "Last Christmas", which - thirty-nine years after its release - finally claimed the crown in 2023.
Along the way are the Beatles' sixties dominance, Slade and Wizzard's glittering seventies takeover, Band Aid's global phenomenon, the Spice Girls' hat-trick and the reality-TV era of Christmas chart battles.
Stuffed with brilliant stories, forgotten classics and seasonal nostalgia, the book explores how the Christmas number one became one of Britain's most enduring musical traditions making it the perfect festive gift for Christmas music enthusiasts and music lovers alike.
Critics Review
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Celebrates a cross section of tunes . . . For all lovers of music, whatever your taste
NODDY HOLDER
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Bob Stanley
- Narrator
- Orlando Wells
- Duration
- 4 hours 30 minutes
- Release Date
- 29 October 2026
- ISBN
- 9781399643818
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Orion
- Genre
- Music, Popular culture
Synopsis
A nostalgic journey through Britain's obsession with the Christmas number one, told through twelve iconic chart-toppersTwelve songs, seventy-five years and a nation's chart obsessionEvery December, Britain waits for the one chart result that still matters: the Christmas number one. In an age when the singles chart has lost much of its cultural power, the festive top spot remains fiercely contested by pop stars, novelty acts, charity campaigns and the occasional underdog.The Twelve Songs of Christmas tells the story of this uniquely British obsession through a dozen chart-toppers, beginning in 1950 with Gene Autry's "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and leading up to Wham! with "Last Christmas", which - thirty-nine years after its release - finally claimed the crown in 2023.Along the way are the Beatles' sixties dominance, Slade and Wizzard's glittering seventies takeover, Band Aid's global phenomenon, the Spice Girls' hat-trick and the reality-TV era of Christmas chart battles.Stuffed with brilliant stories, forgotten classics and seasonal nostalgia, the book explores how the Christmas number one became one of Britain's most enduring musical traditions making it the perfect festive gift for Christmas music enthusiasts and music lovers alike.
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