Sam Ryder breaks silence after Wham! beats him to Christmas number one and pays tribute to George Michael
SAM Ryder has broken his silence after Wham! beat him to the Christmas number one.
Yesterday it was revealed that Wham!’s tune Last Christmas secured the top spot in the charts.
There were plenty of incredible artists battling it out for number one including Sam, Mariah Carey and The Pogues.
Sam’s You’re Christmas To Me didn’t make it to number one, but he took to Instagram to thank his fans.
Sam said in a video: “If you’ve just heard the news, I can let you know with a bursting heart of gratitude that we are the UK’s Christmas number two!
“Big up Andrew. Big up the whole Wham! team.
“Just an absolutely unstoppable force, and rightly so. They are icons! They are legends.
“Do you know what – it feels great to be in the filling in a Wham! and Mariah sandwich.
“I can tell you that for sure. And number two, it’s always been a magic number for us, and that won’t change.
“Just want to say thank you so much for the support and the belief and the faith.
“This was a position that I can’t explain or stress enough.
“That it was so unexpected for us to be in and I think you’ve got a responsibility as an artist in the running for a Christmas number one…
“You’ve gotta… You’ve got to create a race out of it and we threw everything we possibly could at trying to get the number one spot.
“Do you know why? It’s because we’re inspired by the legends that we’re rubbing shoulders with! Mariah. Wham!
“These artists didn’t become icons and legends by not ever giving it everything in their career.
“So we were inspired and followed by their blazingly bright footsteps.
“I think it’s cool to have a tight Christmas number 1 race it’s the most prestigious number one of the year and we wanted to make it entertaining and joyful as possible for all of you at home!
“Thanks for getting involved!
“And again so much love to Andrew!”
“I just chatted to him on Radio one with Jack Saunders and I can tell they are related.
“It’s been a long time coming for them to have that Christmas number one for the actual Christmas week.
“So I’m sure George is up there, smiling his head off and continuing to inspire generations of singers to come. Me included!
“Big up Andrew, thanks for continuing that legacy.
“Yeah I’m stocked! What a day! Blessed! Peace!”
He captioned the post: “Boundless gratitude .”
Many rushed to the comments section to share their support.
Rylan Clark wrote: “So proud of you xxx.”
Anna Williamson added loads of clapping emojis.
You’re Christmas To Me was revealed last month via Amazon Music.
It is used in a track for movie Your Christmas or Mine 2.
Plenty of other artists made the top 10 including Shakin’ Stevens with Merry Christmas Everyone, Michael Bubles’ It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like, Jack Harlow’s Lovin On Me and Brenda Lee’s Rockin Around The Christmas Tree.
The Pogues, Ed Sheeran, Noah Kahan and Mariah also got in the top.
George Michael died on 25 December 2016.
Wham!’s song, performed by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, originally hit the charts at number two in 1984.
Since then the tune has gone on to chart in the top 40 at a number of places, including number one.