Kylie Minogue Reaches UK Christmas Number One With Festive Song 'XMAS' — Her First Crown In Over 20 Years

In a historic chart feat, Australian pop icon Kylie Minogue has officially secured the 2025 UK Christmas Number One with her festive single 'XMAS', as shared by CLASH Magazine. The achievement marks a significant shift in British holiday music trends, unseating perennial favorites and ending a nearly decade-long dominance by specific acts. The track climbed to the pinnacle of the charts by balancing strong streaming numbers with a highly successful limited-edition vinyl release that fans purchased in record numbers.

The victory is particularly notable as it breaks an eight-year streak where the top spot was held exclusively by either the classic group WHAM! or the charity act LadBaby. This year, WHAM!’s 'Last Christmas' was relegated to the second-place slot, while Mariah Carey’s ubiquitous 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' finished the week in third.

A Career Milestone

For Minogue, 'XMAS' represents her first UK Number One single in over twenty years. Speaking to the BBC during the chart race, she expressed the weight of the potential win, stating she would likely cry as it would be the "cherry on top" of an already unbelievable year. The track has been described as a frisky, upbeat pop anthem that successfully navigated the challenge of competing against established holiday hits, which typically benefit from a massive head-start in seasonal streaming algorithms.

The Evolution of the Princess of Pop

The success of 'XMAS' follows a major career renaissance for the singer, often referred to as the Princess of Pop. Minogue first rose to fame in the late 1980s through her role on the Australian soap opera Neighbors before launching a music career with hits like 'I Should Be So Lucky'. Over the decades, she has become one of the most successful female artists in history, selling over 80 million records worldwide and becoming the only female artist to have a number-one album in the UK across five consecutive decades.

Minogue’s ability to reinvent herself has been key to her longevity. From the teen-pop of her early years to the high-concept disco of the 2000s—typified by the global smash 'Can’t Get You Out of My Head'—she has maintained a dedicated global fanbase. Recent years have seen her lean back into her dance-pop roots with the critically acclaimed Tension (2023) and Tension II (2024), the former of which produced the Grammy-winning viral hit 'Padam Padam'. This latest chart-topping achievement solidifies her status as a contemporary force in the digital streaming era, proving her appeal spans generations of listeners.