LadBaby have broken the chart record they previously shared with the Beatles to score their fifth No 1 Christmas single in a row.
The YouTubers Mark and Roxanne Hoyle covered the Band Aid classic Do They Know It’s Christmas? in collaboration with MoneySavingExpert’s Martin Lewis, rewriting the lyrics around their traditional theme of sausage rolls – with the blessing of original songwriters Midge Ure and Bob Geldof – and retitling it Food Aid.
“We want to say thank you to everyone who has supported us for the last five years,” the duo told the Official Charts Company. “A massive apology to the Beatles, and to all Beatles fans … The charity wins. The Trussell Trust gets Christmas No 1 again!
“Thank you to all the people who have downloaded, all the people who believed in us and brought a bit of Christmas magic. We love you all. Yes mate!”
As with all of LadBaby’s Christmas singles, the proceeds from the song benefit the Trussell Trust, which works to stop hunger and poverty in the UK and operates a network of food banks.
“We never intended to release a fifth Christmas single but as ambassadors of the Trussell Trust we were not prepared to sit back and do nothing in a year when people are struggling more than ever,” the Hoyles said when they announced the single.
With five Christmas No 1 singles to their name, the couple have now surpassed the Beatles; the duo already held the record for the most consecutive Christmas No 1s. Food Aid follows LadBaby’s previous singles Sausage Rolls for Everyone, featuring Ed Sheeran and Elton John, Don’t Stop Me Eatin’, I Love Sausage Rolls and We Built This City.
The Beatles achieved three back-to-back Christmas No 1s – I Want to Hold Your Hand in 1963, I Feel Fine in 1964 and Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out in 1965. Their fourth overall, Hello, Goodbye, came in 1967.
LadBaby’s success meant Wham! took the No 2 spot, although Last Christmas was the most-streamed song of the week, with 12.9m plays.
LadBaby’s closest competition from a new song came from their fellow YouTube stars the Sidemen – KSI, Vik and Tobi – on Christmas Drillings, which features rapper JME and rose from No 41 last week to chart at No 3. Their song also raised money for the charity network FareShare, which aims to reduce food poverty and UK food waste.
Essex punk band the Kunts also made their third attempt at bagging the Christmas No 1 with their song Fuck the Tories, which charted at No 7.
There were also festive streaming perennials from Mariah Carey, whose All I Want for Christmas Is You dropped two places to No 4, and Brenda Lee, who reached No 8 with Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree. Ed Sheeran and Elton John’s 2021 collaboration Merry Christmas is No 5.
Taylor Swift’s Midnights has returned to the top of the albums chart, beating Cliff Richard’s Christmas with Cliff to become the No 1 Christmas album.