Christmas Number 1 2014: The contenders revealed

Get set for the biggest chart battle of the year…the race for the Official Christmas Number 1 2014 gets underway on 14 December.

And for the first time ever this year, it’s not just your downloads and CD purchases that matter. What you, the British public are streaming counts towards the all-important place in chart history now too. So if you've been hammering that Mariah classic on your Chrimbo playlist while wrapping prezzies, don’t be surprised if she’s suddenly in the running for the crown.

On Sunday, December 21, the Official Charts Company will be tallying up your sales and audio streams so Jameela Jamil can reveal who has won this year’s Official Christmas Number 1 race on BBC Radio 1’s Official Chart show. But who will steal 2014’s crown?

Wouldn’t it be AMAZING if a brand spanking new Christmassy mega hit was born this year? Perhaps we're due another Rage Against The Machine-style Facebook heist five years on from THAT historic face off? Or maybe Brian Harvey will rock up outside Official Charts HQ in a snowy puffa jacket to reclaim the glory of Christmas 1994. Who knows.

As ever, there’s an eclectic mix of social media campaigns, novelty tracks, charity singles and reality TV contestant releases gearing up to battle it out for the ultimate chart honour. Let’s take a look at this year’s contenders…

The Official Christmas Number 1 2014 contenders

Song: Do They Know It’s Christmas?
Artist: Band Aid 30
Released: November 17

30 years after the original Band Aid line-up topped the charts and scored the Christmas Number 1 in 1984, Sir Bob Geldof – who masterminded the original - has once again rounded up British music’s best and brightest for a new rendition of Do They Know It’s Christmas?. The song’s star-studded line-up this time features One Direction, Bono, Chris Martin, Emeli Sande, Sam Smith, Paloma Faith and Sinead O’Connor and includes new lyrics that target the song’s fundraising efforts towards the Ebola crisis in West Africa.

Given that it’s been available to download since November 17 and it’s already topped the Official Singles Chart, Band Aid 30 will need to give it some welly to hang on to the top spot for another five weeks, but by no means impossible. Band Aid 20 held the top spot for four weeks back in 2004 to claim the year’s Christmas Number 1, and with the physical release on its way plus reports that Bob Geldof may release remixed versions of the track could give it the lasting power it needs to go the distance.

Song: All Together Now
Artist: The Peace Collective
Released: December 14

In addition to Band Aid, there’s another all-star charity single that could claim this year’s Christmas Number 1 crown. The team behind The Justice Collective - renamed The Peace Collective - have recorded a cover of The Farm’s All Together Now with the likes of Alexandra Burke, Gorgon City, Engelbert Humperdinck, Clean Bandit, Paul Potts and Jane McDonald to mark the 100th anniversary of the Christmas Day truce during the First World War. Money raised from the single goes towards The British Red Cross and The Shorncliffe Trust.

Given it’s a charity single and their proven track record (The Justice Collective topped the Christmas chart in 2012 with He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother), this is one contender that should not be underestimated. The campaign has also been given the seal of approval by Jon Morter, who was behind the Facebook drive to get Rage Against The Machine’s Killing In The Name to Christmas Number 1 in 2009, beating X Factor’s Joe McElderry.

Song: Real Love
Artist: Tom Odell
Released: November 6

Like embarrassing yourself after one-too-many at a work Christmas party, John Lewis’ Christmas TV ad campaign has become a staple of the festive season. This year’s obscenely heart-warming Monty The Penguin ad is sound-tracked by Tom Odell, who has recorded a stirring cover of John Lennon’s Real Love. The track has so far peaked at Number 7 on the chart, but with the advert on regular rotation and the shopping season still in full swing, there’s every chance it could get a last-minute boost up the chart.

Song: Number Of The Beast
Artist: Iron Maiden
Released: December 14 (focus date)

Out of all of this year’s Facebook Christmas Number 1 campaigns, the push to get Iron Maiden’s 1982 single Number Of The Beast to the top spot is one of the strongest. With a slogan of “Up the Irons! Up the charts! Up yer arse, Cowell!” it’s clearly taken inspiration from 2009’s Anti-X Factor Rage Against The Machine campaign.

Support for the drive is growing (the page currently has 18,000 likes and is one of the favourites with the bookies), but with a raft of similar campaigns in recent years has the power of a Facebook crusade weakened since?

Song: LFO
Artist: LFO
Released: December 14 (focus date)

‘90s ravers have launched a campaign to get the techno duo’s self-titled single to the top spot this Christmas as a tribute to LFO’s electronic pioneer producer Mark Bell, who passed away in October this year. The duo, whose name is an abbreviation for low-frequency oscillator, are credited as pioneers of bass-heavy techno and acid house that dominated the ‘90s.

LFO fan Ian Roullier is behind the campaign, and recently said that although he didn’t know Mark Bell personally, “his music had a huge effect on me as a teenager. He was a true pioneer of the hypnotic groove. When the news broke about Mark’s death I listened to some old LFO records and I just thought about how it would be best to pay tribute to him.” Producer Skream, Sister Bliss of Faithless, Mr C, Eats Everything and Danny Ramplingis are backing the drive, so consider this contender a dark horse.

Song: Thank God It’s Not Christmas
Artist: Sparks
Released: December 14

This year’s best anti-Christmas single comes from ‘70s art popsters Sparks, who are releasing Thank God It’s Not Christmas to celebrate 40 years since the release of their landmark album, Kimono My House.

In keeping with the title, the song itself is anything but festive; and while its chances of making a dent in the Top 40 in 2014 may feel slim, the track does coincide with a re-release of their most successful album with previously unheard material and two London shows. As singer Russell Mael says: “As Yuletime approaches, we give you our tribute to every day of the year that doesn't fall on the 25th of December. Thank God, It's Not Christmas.”

Song: Wild One
Artist: Johnny Altman (EastEnders’ Nasty Nick) and JoanOvArc
Released: November 30

EastEnders bad boy Nasty Nick aka Johnny Altman will be hoping to add chart-topping singer to his CV this Christmas. The infamous East End villain has recorded a cover of Iggy Pop’s Real Wild Child (Wild One) (originally recorded by Johnny O’Keefe) with St Albans rock quartet JoanOvArc, and he has his sights firmly set on ousting the X Factor winner’s single. "We’re going all out to beat the X Factor winner because we’ve got a good song,” he recently told The Sun, adding: "We didn’t want it to be insipid – there are a lot of insipid Christmas records around right now."

Song: The Way That I Live
Artist: Ed Harcourt
Released: December 1

You may recognise The Way That I Live from Burberry’s ‘From London With Love’ Christmas advert, which stars Romeo Beckham. “This song is the antithesis of my usual delirious husk… neither bowed nor broken," he adds of the track, which has received support from BBC 6 Music, XFM and Absolute Radio. And while the bookies have him down as an outsider for Number 1, the video has already garnered over 10 million streams, and with 2014 being the first time ever that audio streams have counted towards the Official Christmas Number 1 race, perhaps this is one outsider not to be dismissed too soon.

Song: Christmas Time’s For Family
Artist: Peter Andre
Released: December 9

You will have no doubt seen him fawning over a festive gateau, £5 lobsters and frozen five-bird roasts on Iceland’s Christmas TV adverts, but Peter Andre will also be hoping to get stuck in to the Official Chart this year. Heading up his new album White Christmas – available exclusively on CD in Iceland – is Christmas Time’s For Family; a song about dancing around the tree set to the tune of sleigh bells and jazzy horns. The result is essentially three minutes and 23 seconds of everything we love about Christmas – what more could you want?

Song: Santa Tell Me
Artist: Ariana Grande
Released: November 24

US singer Ariana Grande is back after last year’s festive EP Christmas Kisses with a brand new track called Santa Tell Me. Comprising of twinkly production, heart-warming strings and impressive vocal runs, the result is easily her strongest original Christmas recording yet. “I don't want no broken heart/ This year I’ve got to be smart,” she sings. If we’re honest, releasing this on December 14 (the week of the Christmas Number 1 race) would have been a wiser move.

Song: I Wonder Where He Is Now?
Artist: Gary Chilton
Released: December 1

Sergeant Major Gary Chilton has been a professional musician with the British Army for 29 years and previously found success as one third of The Soldiers, performing for the Prime Minister and on stage with the likes of Robin Gibb and Michael Buble. This Christmas, the solider – who served on the front line during the Gulf War – is releasing I Wonder Where He Is Now in support of the Help For Heroes charity and is currently one of the top 10 favourites to hit the top spot this Christmas.

Song: Text Me Merry Christmas
Artist: Straight No Chaser and Kristen Bell
Released: November 17

That’s right, Hollywood actress Kristen Bell has teamed up with A cappella group Straight No Chaser for festive single Text Me Merry Christmas, and the results are as heart-warming as you’d expect from a woman whose angelic vocals make for some of the best moments on Disney’s Frozen soundtrack.

"Text Me Merry Christmas was so much fun to record,” she said of the song, adding: “The lyrics are smart and creative, and musically it was a blast to sing a cappella with Straight No Chaser. I'm excited to be a part of what could be a Christmas classic for our current generation.” Even if this doesn’t manage to hit Number 1 in the UK this year, we may have a future Christmas classic on our hands…

Song: The Ghosts Of Christmas Past
Artist: Kirsty Bertarelli FT YMCA Choir
Released: December 8

Singer/songwriter and former Miss UK, Kirsty Bertarelli, has teamed up with North Staffordshire’s YMCA Choir for her self-penned track The Ghosts Of Christmas Past. “We had just the best day recording the single and video at Abbey Road,” Kirsty said. “When I started putting the song together, it was clear that it would be made better with a choir. Ever since I was first invited for a visit a couple of years ago, I’ve had the absolute privilege of getting to know the young people and staff at YMCA North Staffordshire and so they were the very top of the list. They are a massively talented, inspiring group.”

Song: Uptown Funk
Artist: Mark Ronson FT Bruno Mars
Released: December 8

Originally scheduled for release in January, Mark Ronson decided to put out Uptown Funk early following a well-received rendition of the track on The X Factor. The Bruno Mars-assisted soul-funk song may not be especially festive, but we defy anyone not to throw a few shapes to this at their work Christmas party this year. For that reason alone, don't be surprised if this makes a last-minute grab for Christmas Number 1 this year.

Song: TBA
Artist: X Factor 2014 winner
Released: December 14

With a once-brimming trophy cabinet of Christmas Number 1 victories, the X Factor winner’s single remains a strong contender for the top spot this year. However, in reality, the TV talent show juggernaut has only managed to take it all the way once in the last three years. Last year it was Sam Bailey who scooped the crown with Skyscraper, but can any of this year’s finalists pull it off? And of course, it’s not just the X Factor winner you need to watch out for, Cowell reliably whips out the big gun star perfomers for the live final, so any of this year’s secret guests could impact the chart too.

Other key songs listed to impact w/c December 14 are:

Ariana Grande ft. The Weeknd - Love Me Harder
Breach FT Kelis - The Key
Coldplay – Miracles
Gorgon City FT Jennifer Hudson - Go All Night
Hozier – From Eden
Jamie Cullum - Don't You Know
Judith Owen & Harry Shearer (from Simpsons) Christmas With The Devil
Sia - You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile
One Direction – Night Changes EP
Kelly Clarkson – Wrapped In Red
Red Sky July – Christmas Time
Taylor Swift – Blank Space

And finally, whoever you’re backing in this year’s race, make sure you buy it between 00:01am on Sunday December 14 and Saturday, December 20 at midnight for it to be counted towards the Official Christmas Singles Chart.

Follow @OfficialCharts for the latest news throughout December and Christmas Number 1 week for daily race updates. The final Top 40 will be counted down on BBC Radio 1’s Official Chart show by Jameela Jamil between 4pm and 7pm on December 21, with the full Top 100 revealed exclusively on OfficialCharts.com at 7pm.

Now, let battle commence.

Who do you think will be this year's Christmas Number 1? Leave your comments below: