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Cher breaks all-time UK chart record with DJ Play a Christmas Song
Pop icon becomes first solo artist to score Top 40 hits with new material in seven consecutive decades and oldest female to secure a Top 40 placing on the Official Singles Chart
By Carl Smith
Pop icon Cher breaks UK Official Chart records today with DJ Play a Christmas Song.
Cher becomes the first solo artist to achieve a Top 40 hit with new material on the Official Singles Chart across seven consecutive decades. While Cher's UK chart debut originally came in the form of Sonny & Cher’s chart-topping duet I Got You Babe in 1965, her debut solo single All I Really Want To Do broke the UK Top 40 the same month, and Cher has gone on to chart a solo single of new material in the Top 40 in every decade since.
MORE: See where every Cher song and album has charted in the UK
At 77 years, 7 months old, Cher also becomes the oldest solo female performer to secure a Top 40 on the Official Singles Chart with the lead single from her 27th studio album Christmas. DJ Play a Christmas Song breaks all the way in to the Top 20 at Number 20 this week.
This means Cher surpasses previous record-holder Shirley Bassey, the Welsh singer-songwriter being 70 years, 4 months old when The Living Tree peaked at Number 37 in 2007.
Captain Sir Tom Moore holds the record for the oldest artist to score a UK Number 1 single, being 99 years, 11 months old when Michael Ball collaboration You’ll Never Walk Alone reached Number 1 in 2020.
DJ Play a Christmas Song also becomes Cher's highest-charting single in the UK in over two decades, to boot. Her last to achieve Top 20 success was The Music's No Good Without You, which peaked at Number 8 in 2001.
Cher also becomes the first-ever female artist to secure UK Top 40 singles spanning seven decades with original material.
Since the release of Sonny & Cher's chart-topping I Got You Babe in 1965, Cher's scored at least one Top 40 hit in each decade since.
MORE: WHAM!'s Andrew Ridgeley celebrates Official Christmas Number 1 single 2023 with Last Christmas
Speaking on Cher's success, Martin Talbot, Chief Executive Officer, Official Charts, says:
"Cher cements her position as a living legend this week, notching up two incredible landmarks - becoming the oldest living female to secure a Top 40 single and the only female solo artist to claim an Official Top 40 single in seven consecutive decades.
"It is incredible to consider that WHAM!’s Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael were barely taking their first steps when Cher was enjoying her first UK Number 1; almost 20 years before Last Christmas was released. Cher, we salute you!"
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G
Gery
Actually at 79, Brenda Lee is the oldest solo female performer to secure a Top 40 on the Official Singles Chart. Not Cher.
A
Alf
Cher is THAT LEGEND!
D
djcarbines
A strange chart fact, that Sam Fox once had more hits than Cher. Although it was only for a matter of weeks and Cher started to really overtake again. I think it was Walking In Memphis that saw Cher stay ahead after 8 hits each.
I'd have to look it up again to confirm but remember comparing once before when I was looking it up!
Velvet Android
Shirley Bassey a "singer-songwriter"...? She's surely never written a song in her life, has she?
Y
Yosemite
Congratulations to the one and only - Cher! ^_^
I love DJ Play a Christmas Song. It's become such an anthem for me. <3
predigitalwasbest
Brenda Lee is 79
J
JK
Gosh, you are not smart at all, Cher placed a new song, new material in the top 40, "at 77 years, 7 months old, Cher becomes the oldest solo female performer to secure a Top 40 on the Official Singles Chart"
Brenda Lee "Rocking around..." is a song from December 1962, she placed that song on the charts when she was 17, she haven't rerecord it or make a new version, it's the same song from 1962
So please learn to read and then comment
Velvet Android
Er, to be fair, you're both right.
The sentence in the article about charting in seven consecutive decades refers to new material.
The sentence about being oldest female to chart merely says "At 77 years, 7 months old, Cher also becomes the oldest solo female performer to secure a Top 40 on the Official Singles Chart" – which doesn't mention new material. So technically it's wrong, as she's not even the oldest solo female to secure a Top 40 place this week.
And actually, Brenda Lee isn't either – Darlene Love is 82!
Obviously your general point is absolutely correct JK, since Brenda Lee's appearance is with a 61-year-old recording and Darlene Love's is with a 60-year-old one, while Cher's is brand new.
predigitalwasbest
I wasn't trying to be smart. merely stating a fact. whilst i'm at it,though,i'll point out your poor grammar in the use of .." she haven't rerecord it".
D
djcarbines
But Brenda Lee is having an old hit re-enter, even if we're counting the digital version only (as opposed to the 60-yr-old physical original).
G
Gery
EXACTLY