Xmas25: Last Christmas
Yes, it’s that time of the year, Christmas! I know, I know, it’s not even Thanksgiving yet! Every year, I like to start off with “Last Christmas” (and end with “Last Christmas”), because I have a soft spot for the Wham! song.
Read more Christmas.
George Michael – Ivor Novello Award (May 22, 2025)
Did you know that legendary singer-songwriter George Michael was nominated posthumously for the prestigious Ivor Novello Award in the ‘Most Performed Work’ category recognizing his enduring contribution as the songwriter of WHAM!’s beloved holiday classic “Last Christmas”?
This year’s nomination (2025) follows a landmark year for “Last Christmas,” which reached No.1 on the UK Singles Chart on Christmas Day for the second consecutive year (in 2024) and achieved its highest ever position on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No.3. The song also achieved its highest-ever placements on both the Billboard Streaming Songs chart and Digital Song Sales chart.
You can read more about his 2025 induction at antimusic.com
George Michael won six Ivor Novello Awards and remains the only individual songwriter ever to win their prestigious Songwriter of The Year Award three times (in 1985, 1989, and 1997). The 2025 award is well-deserved, as “Last Christmas” is the best Christmas song, in my opinion.
Last Christmas by Craymo (Nov 1, 2025)
I’ve just listened to Orlando artist Craymo cover to Wham!’s “Last Christmas”, and it’s pretty good! I’ve always liked dance/synth version of the classic song, and Craymo doesn’t stray too far from the origin. The thumping beats are there, designed to people to start dancing, and, I think it works really well as a dance song.
According to Craymo’s biography, he’s built a reputation for creating infectious, heartfelt pop and dance music from his DJ background… and he takes his knowledge and applied it to version of “Last Christmas”, as both a music producer and also a lifelong fan.
Last Christmas by Maddie Lenhart (Nov 14, 2025)
Nashville country artist Maddie Lenhart released her cover of “Last Christmas.”
Lenhart’s country version of “Last Christmas” takes its time, building a sad tale of heartbreak, using a pedal steel, some banjos, and harmonizing vocals. A little bit of irony in Lenhart’s vocals as she sings, “Tell me, baby, do you recognize me? Well it’s been a year, it doesn’t surprise me.”
Heartbreak and country music, well “it doesn’t surprise me”, as Lenhart is from the hills of West Virginia (take me home Country Road!) and she uses her mountaintop soul and Appalachian storytelling in all her songs. After graduating college in the Blue Ridge Mountains, she moved to Nashville, and with the COVID-19 pandemic, she dedicated herself to music full-time.
If you have a 2025 Christmas/Holiday song, please provide as much detail as possible to vu@weheartmusic.com before Christmas Day (December 25, 2025). Thank you.
vu ♥ wheartm.com ♥ www.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic ♥ instagram.com/weheartmusicgroup
