Scottish singer Rod Stewart has the Christmas number one album with “You’re In My Heart” — a collection of his classic hits with new backing from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Image: Andy BUCHANAN / AFP
A novelty song about sausage rolls secured the coveted Christmas number one spot Friday on the U.K. singles charts.
LadBaby landed the festive crown for the second year running with “I Love Sausage Rolls” — a comedy reworking of “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll”, which was a 1982 hit for U.S. singer Joan Jett.
Last year LadBaby — 32-year-old YouTube ‘dad blogger’ Mark Hoyle — topped the charts at Christmas with “We Built This City”, a similar sausage roll-based revamp.
Proceeds from the single are going towards The Trussell Trust foodbank charity.
LadBaby became the first artist to serve up two consecutive novelty Christmas number ones.
The only other acts to have pulled off back-to-back festive chart-toppers are The Beatles between 1963 and 1965 and the Spice Girls, who also had three straight Christmas number ones between 1996 and 1998.
“How have we done this again? It’s the best feeling in the world — it’s a Christmas miracle yet again!” said Hoyle.
“Who doesn’t love a sausage roll at Christmas?”
LadBaby beat Stormzy’s “Own It” featuring Ed Sheeran to the top spot, while Lewis Capaldi’s “Before You Go” rose one place to number three.
The battle to secure the Christmas number one took off in the 1970s, seeing some epic contests between huge hits.
Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Mull of Kintyre” by Wings, Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” and “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston were all giant Christmas chart-toppers.
Since 2002, the race has commanded less national excitement, being predictably dominated by reality television contest winners — though novelty records and charity singles have recently started to chip their way in.
Meanwhile, Rod Stewart has the Christmas number one album with “You’re In My Heart”, a collection of his classic hits with new backing from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Stewart is only the fifth British act in UK chart history with 10 or more number one albums; only The Beatles, Robbie Williams, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie have more. NVG
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