Unkillable Holiday Songs: Wham! - Last Christmas (1984)

The sad-boy Christmas anthem

Released at the height of Wham!’s fame, “Last Christmas” subverted holiday expectations by pairing festive synths with heartbreak. George Michael wrote and produced the track himself, recording much of it in his childhood bedroom—giving it an intimacy that still cuts through decades later.

Its staying power comes from emotional honesty. Instead of cozy cheer, the song delivers regret, self-reflection, and romantic caution—wrapped in one of the most ear-worm choruses ever recorded. It’s a breakup song disguised as a Christmas classic.

Why people can’t let it go:

• Melancholy hits harder during the holidays

• Simple, looping melody makes it endlessly replayable

• Universally relatable themes of love and loss

By the numbers:

• One of the most-covered Christmas songs ever

• Streams spike into the hundreds of millions every holiday season

• Finally hit UK #1 in 2021, nearly 40 years after release