Sam Ryder emerged through social media platform TikTok, becoming the most popular British music act on the video-sharing platform, and was then chosen to represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 with the song SPACE MAN. Sam lead the UK to second place in Turin, our highest ever placement since 1998 and with 466 points, our highest-ever score at Eurovision. The week after the ceremony SPACE MAN reached Number 2 on the UK Official Singles Chart, however his debut album, There's Nothing But Space, Man!, made it all the way to Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart.
During Christmas 2023, Sam teamed up with Amazon Music to release an original festive song You're Christmas To Me. Sam suddenly found himself in the running for Christmas Number 1, competing in a neck and neck battle with chart royalty WHAM! and their classic Last Christmas. Hitting the campaign trail with ferocious energy in the week of the race, newly independent artist Sam played a staggering 26 shows in six days to compete for the festive crown.
Alas, Sam Ryder was pipped to Christmas Number 1 by WHAM!, but took the result graciously, telling Official Charts “Christmas Number 2, isn’t that bonkers? When we wrote this song, in the blazing month of August, we didn’t even expect it to chart. But here we are, in a Mariah Carey and WHAM! sandwich, and we’re the filling. I’m stoked!
“I hope this has given some vigour and some fire to upcoming grass roots and indie artists. You can do it – you’ve just got to set your heart ablaze and get out there. Believe, have faith. We always keep fighting. There’s always next week! Let’s go for it again, let’s get that Number 1.”
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