Clean Bandit a group that fuses classical, electronic and pop music took the coveted Christmas number one spot on the UK singles chart with their song “Rockabye”, on Friday.
The classical crossover trio formed while studying together at Cambridge University and held off competition from Rag’n’Bone Man, Little Mix and One Direction star Louis Tomlinson, as well as a raft of campaign and charity singles.
“To now be Christmas number one is mind-blowing,” Clean Bandit told the Official Charts Company.
“It’s something we never imagined would happen with Rockabye when we were writing and recording it. Thanks to everyone who has made this happen.”
The song which also features musicians Anne-Marie and Sean Paul, first entered the UK singles chart nine weeks ago and its lyrics about the struggles of a single mother is not a traditional sleigh bell-adorned Christmas track but has become one of the year’s biggest hits.
Festive songs accounted for nearly one third of this week’s Official Singles Chart Top 100 said the company, with a number of seasonal classics such as Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and Wham’s “Last Christmas” jingling all the way to the Top 40.
On the album chart, Michael Ball and Alfie Boe’s joint record “Together” claimed the UK’s Christmas Number 1 album position ahead of “Glory Days” by former “X-factor” talent show winners Little Mix.
