Wham!’s enduring holiday classic, “Last Christmas,” has achieved a remarkable milestone, topping both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts for a second consecutive week. This marks the first time the 1984 release by the British duo, featuring the late George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, has led both international lists during the holiday season. Furthermore, the carol reached a new No. 2 high on the U.S.-based Billboard Hot 100, solidifying its place in popular culture.

Andrew Ridgeley expressed his awe to Billboard regarding the song's enduring appeal, noting how it has become “beloved by all generations.” He emphasized “the special place the song occupies in so many hearts and one that George Michael would have been immensely proud of.” George Michael’s estate echoed this sentiment, sharing gratitude to “everyone who keeps this song at the very heart of Christmas.” The widespread popularity of “Last Christmas” is part of a broader trend, with an all-holiday top 10 dominating each international chart and seasonal presence extending to the top 13 songs on the Global 200, a significant shift from two years prior when holiday hits saw a major shutout in the charts’ upper echelons.

The Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts are comprehensive rankings derived from streaming and sales data collected from over 200 territories worldwide, compiled by Luminate. The Global 200 encompasses all worldwide data, while the Global Excl. U.S. chart specifically excludes data from the United States. These rankings are determined by a weighted formula that incorporates official streams from both subscription and ad-supported tiers of audio and video music services, as well as download sales from full-service digital music retailers globally. Notably, sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites are not included in the chart calculations, ensuring a standardized measure of popularity.

In the week spanning December 19 through Christmas Day, “Last Christmas” experienced a significant resurgence on the Global 200, rebounding a spot with an impressive 192 million streams (a 92% week-over-week increase) and 10,000 units sold (up 48%) worldwide. This performance marks the 10th-biggest global streaming week for any track since the Global 200 chart commenced in September 2020. The song also previously held the ninth-highest frame, drawing 192.5 million worldwide streams exactly a year prior, a unique feat as no other title has repeated in the top 10 for global streaming weeks (with BTS’ “Butter” still holding the record at 289.2 million streams on June 5, 2021).

“Last Christmas” leads an impressive lineup of holiday hits. Rounding out the top five on the Global 200, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” dipped to No. 2 after a record 20 weeks at No. 1 since December 2020. Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” held steady at No. 3, having previously peaked at No. 2 in 2022. Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” climbed back to its No. 4 best, and Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” also returned to its high at No. 5.

On the Global Excl. U.S. chart, “Last Christmas” also dominated with 131.1 million streams (up 103%) and 5,000 units sold (up 34%) outside of the U.S. In this chart, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” surged from No. 3 to No. 2, following 14 weeks at No. 1 since December 2020. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” made a jolly jump from No. 6 to No. 3, returning to its best rank. “Jingle Bell Rock” achieved a new high, moving from No. 7 to No. 4, and “Santa Tell Me” trekked from No. 8 to No. 5, having previously reached No. 4.

The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts, dated January 3, 2026, are scheduled for an update on Billboard.com on December 30. The top 100 titles from both charts are accessible to all readers on Billboard.com, while the complete 200-title rankings are exclusively available through Billboard Pro, Billboard’s subscription service. For ongoing chart news and updates, followers can engage with @billboard and @billboardcharts on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Luminate, as the independent data provider, diligently reviews and authenticates all data submissions used in compiling these weekly chart rankings, partnering with Billboard to remove any suspicious or unverifiable data based on established criteria before final calculations are published.