The Christmas Number 1 2015 race is wide open thanks to The X Factor

This year's Christmas Number 1 could be anyone's for the taking.

It's not even in November yet, but we're already gearing up for the biggest chart battle of the year - the Official Christmas Number 1. Why? Because this year's race looks to be wide open.

Before we look at all of this year's contenders next month, (check out last year's competitors here), Official Charts can confirm that the 2015 race gets underway on Friday December 18, with the Official Christmas Number 1 2015 revealed on Christmas Day itself.

The last two years have seen X Factor winners Sam Bailey and Ben Haenow take the crown, and while it's not always a foregone conclusion that X Factor winner's singles take the top spot at Christmas (Military Wives and Justice Collective beat them in 2011 and 2012), the immediate release and prime time TV exposure of the show's victor often sends them straight to Number 1.

However, with this year's X Factor final taking place on Sunday, December 13, the winner's single will be immediately after and will make its chart debut on December 18 - the week prior to the Christmas Number 1.

This means the 2015 Christmas Number 1 could be anyone's for the taking. Will a brand new festive song take the crown this year? Will we see an old favourite back at Number 1? Or will a track from one of this year's big quarter four releases blow everything else out of the water? At this stage, it's all to play for...

MORE: Every Christmas Number 1... ever!

Watch Ben Haenow celebrate his Christmas Number 1 with Official Charts below:

Alfred Lock

29th October 2015

It certainly has and my favourite victor out of the three was Rage Against The Machines' KILLING IN THE NAME! The ultimate two fingers back to Cowell to never underestimate Facebook and the power of rock!! I was one of those who bought it off Amazon to make sure it broke the streak!