Who’ll be Christmas No. 1? Charity Christmas singles of 2022
Melanie May | 15 December 2022 | News
With LadBaby releasing its Christmas contender tomorrow, here’s a round up of some of the other songs out there that are raising funds for good causes. Which one will be the 2022 Christmas number 1?
Food Aid – LadBaby
Could Food Aid be LadBaby’s next number 1? Their 2022 Christmas single is a reworked version of Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas, with 50% of profits being donated to the Trussell Trust and 50% to the Band Aid Trust. LadBaby (aka Mark and Roxanne Hoyle) will release Food Aid on 16 December, and it also features financial expert Martin Lewis. LadBaby are the first act to be allowed to rework the well-known Christmas track, and already have the record for the most consecutive Christmas No. 1s, including I Love Sausage Rolls and last year’s Sausage Rolls For Everyone, with Ed Sheeran and Elton John.
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- SEE ALSO: The best charity Christmas singles of 2020 (9 December 2020)
This Christmas Time – Ozzy Osbourne, Noddy Holder & more
Rock stars including Ozzy Osbourne, Nick Mason and Noddy Holder have collaborated on a Christmas song to raise money for The Cancer Awareness Trust’s new Cancer Platform. Osbourne, whose wife Sharon was treated for colon cancer, narrates the introduction to the track, called This Christmas Time. The song was recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios and also features Duran Duran’s Andy Taylor, who has stage 4 prostate cancer. Former EastEnders actress and singer Samantha Womack, who has recently shared her breast cancer journey, provides backing vocals on the song. Holder, whose bandmates Jim Lea and Don Powell have both been treated for cancer, ends the song by wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. The song has been released on Evamore Records and will be available on streaming and download platforms from 16 December.
This is not just another Christmas song – M&S Romford team
M&S’s Romford team have released another Christmas single. This is not just another Christmas song follows on from last year’s This is Not Just Any Christmas Song, which reached number two in the iTunes chart during December. The new song has been inspired by East 17’s “Stay Another Day” and has a guest appearance by original band member Terry Coldwell. All proceeds from the song go to S.M.I.L.E – a member of the M&S Neighbourly partnership which supports low income and struggling families in Romford.
Invisible Strings – Cutting Strings Stage School
Cutting Strings Stage School is raising funds for Alder Hey Children’s Charity with their song, Invisible Strings. The song was written by Fyval Winter, and released on the 10 December on Spotify and YouTube.
Doddie Dream – Blazin’ Fiddles & stars
Doddie’s Dream, a single launched in support of Doddie Weir’s charity is being re-released in the run-up to Christmas as a tribute to the late rugby star. It was first released in March 2021 in aid of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, which funds research into motor neurone disease. Weir died on 26 November at the age of 52. This new issue of the song comes with a new, more poignant recording as a second A-side.
Sweet Caroline – Tyson Fury
World heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has released a version of Sweet Caroline in support of men’s mental health charity Talk Club. 100% of UK profits including Fury’s income goes to the charity. The track was recorded in a single day at British Grove in Chiswick, London and was produced by Guy Chambers and Steve Powers.
Sailing Home For Christmas – Little Red Ambulance
Little Red Ambulance the band that includes Lt Cdr Dave Emery and Lt Cdr Phil Clark has teamed up with the Culdrose Military Wives Choir to release their charity Christmas single. 100% of the money raised from the downloads of the song will be donated to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and Culdrose Military Wives Choir.
I See You – Brunelcare’s Glastonbury Care Home
Brunelcare’s Glastonbury Care Home has released a music single about life there. ‘I See You’ by Paul Denegri marks the launch of the ‘I See You’ Community Social Fund, aiming to raise money for elderly care residents who live without the funds to afford basics such as new clothes, toiletries and haircuts – often relying on the generosity of the frontline care staff or charitable donations. The song was written, produced, performed and funded entirely by Denegri, who has volunteered for a year at Glastonbury Care Home. He was inspired to produce it after realising the effect music can have especially with the elderly.
All Night Long – Sam Clegg
Inspired by the past John Lewis Christmas adverts, Sam Clegg’s song / advert All Night Long is dedicated to everyone who will be facing loneliness this Christmas time. Money raised from each 79p purchase of the song on Amazon, or iTunes will go to Re-engage and Friends of the Elderly. The film shows the bond between animals and humans.
So here he is, Jordan Pickford – Sweet Carol Rhymes
With the World Cup happening over the Christmas period, this festive parody is sung to the tune of Slade’s ‘Merry Xmas everybody’ and is filmed in a karaoke-style video. Each verse features different players from the team, including the likes of: Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane, John Stones, Jack Grealish, plus England legend Sir Bobby Charlton. The song is raising funds for FareShare.
A Million Dreams – Ravi Adelekan & Friends (Paloma Faith, Bastille, Metronomy, The Big Moon & more)
This version of The Greatest Showman’s A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman has been put together by a host of stars with 7-year-old Ravi Adelekan and features an intro by the film’s director Michael Gracey. It asks people to give generously to help Ravi’s Dream come true – Ravi wants a better future for children with brain tumours like his after he underwent surgery to save his life following his diagnosis of a benign brain tumour. All the funds raised through donations will be split evenly between The Brain Tumour Charity and brainstrust, who have helped Ravi and his family through such a challenging time.
You’re the Voice – Barn Croft Primary No. 1
With funding to schools diminishing, the small one form entry school of Barn Croft Primary in Walthamstow is being disproportionately affected, losing £82,898 next year – the equivalent of a loss of £432 per pupil. The school is trying for a Christmas number 1 and raising donations too on Crowdfunder with the aim of raising £50,000 to enable it to majority own the solar panels that will be installed on the rooftop early 2023 and secure its future energy security.
It has secured £5,000 worth of match funding, with any donations up to £250 being doubled until M&S have contributed its maximum of £5,000. More on the school’s campaign here.
The Christmas No. 1 Odds
So, what’s the chance of a charity single becoming this year’s Christmas number one? Quite good at the moment it seems with LadBaby and Tyson Fury both in the running. The current odds – provided by Gambling.com – are:
- LadBaby 10/11
- Baddiel, Skinner and The Lightning Seeds – Three Lions 4/1
- Lewis Capaldi – 6/1
- Tyson Fury – 10/1
- Sam Ryder – 20/1
- Stormzy – 25/1
- Cliff Richard – 33/1
More charity Christmas singles
- 7 great charity Christmas singles (8 December 2016)
- Eddie Stobart drivers release Christmas charity single (17 December 2012)
- 2017 Christmas charity single round-up: 16 songs to sing along to (13 December 2017)
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.