Cher breaks records with DJ Play a Christmas Song in the UK

December 23, 2023

Pop icon Cher breaks UK Official Chart records today with DJ Play a Christmas Song.

Cher becomes the first female artist to achieve a Top 40 hit with new material on the Official Singles Chart across seven consecutive decades. While Cher's UK chart debut originally came in the form of Sonny & Cher’s chart-topping duet I Got You Babe in 1965, her debut solo single All I Really Want To Do broke the UK Top 40 the same month, and Cher has gone on to chart a solo single of new material in the Top 40 in every decade since.

At 77 years, 7 months old, Cher also becomes the oldest solo female performer to secure a Top 40 on the Official Singles Chart with the lead single from her 27th studio album Christmas. DJ Play a Christmas Song breaks all the way in to the Top 20 at Number 20 this week.

This means Cher surpasses previous record-holder Shirley Bassey, the Welsh singer-songwriter being 70 years, 4 months old when The Living Tree peaked at Number 37 in 2007.

Captain Sir Tom Moore holds the record for the oldest artist to score a UK Number 1 single, being 99 years, 11 months old when Michael Ball collaboration You’ll Never Walk Alone reached Number 1 in 2020.

DJ Play a Christmas Song also becomes Cher's highest-charting single in the UK in over two decades, to boot. Her last to achieve Top 20 success was The Music's No Good Without You, which peaked at Number 8 in 2001.

Cher also becomes the first-ever female artist to secure UK Top 40 singles spanning seven decades with original material.

Since the release of Sonny & Cher's chart-topping I Got You Babe in 1965, Cher's scored at least one Top 40 hit in each decade since.

The decade in which Cher notched-up the most UK Top 40 singles was the 1990s, with the icon amassing a staggering 23 over a 10-year period.

This, of course, includes what was arguably her career renaissance with 1998 Number 1 record Believe, which celebrated its 25th anniversary earlier this year.

Speaking on Cher's success, Martin Talbot, Chief Executive Officer, Official Charts, says:

"Cher cements her position as a living legend this week, notching up two incredible landmarks - becoming the oldest living female to secure a Top 40 single and the only female solo artist to claim an Official Top 40 single in seven consecutive decades.

"It is incredible to consider that WHAM!’s Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael were barely taking their first steps when Cher was enjoying her first UK Number 1; almost 20 years before Last Christmas was released. Cher, we salute you!"

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