The song “Last Christmas” by the pop group Wham! reached number one on the Christmas music chart in the United Kingdom on Friday, 39 years after its first release, the BBC reports, according to Agerpres.

Andrew Ridgeley and George MichaelPhoto: Capital Pictures / BACKGRID / Backgrid UK / Profimedia

The crowd-pleasing 1984 classic beat Sam Ryder’s You’re Christmas To Me to take the top spot in one of the UK’s most intense music competitions in recent years. Mariah Carey took third place.

It was the first time a song recorded by the late George Michael and his bandmate Andrew Ridgeley had topped the UK music chart in the week of Christmas.

“It’s great and I’m glad to be here. And to be top of the table is a great place to be,” Andrew Ridgeley told the BBC.

He revealed that George Michael, who died in 2016, always wanted the single to be number one in the UK at Christmas.

Released in 1984, the song “Last Christmas” by the pop duo Wham! he initially failed to reach number one in the UK chart with “Do They Know It’s Christmas”, a single for the charity Band Aid.

But UK fans have downloaded the single 13.3 million times this week, helping it become the most streamed track of all time over the Christmas weekend.

Top 5 Christmas carols in the UK:

1) “Last Christmas” – Wham!

2) “You’re Christmas To Me” – Sam Ryder

3) “All I Want For Christmas Is You” – Mariah Carey

4) “Season of Sticks” – Noah Kahan

5) “Merry Christmas” – Ed Sheeran and Elton John

For the past five years, charity LadBaby has topped the UK Christmas charts with food-inspired creations launched as part of fundraising campaigns.

This year, the organization withdrew from the race, and the fight for the first place in the rating intensified significantly.

A total of 33 top 40 songs were Christmas songs, including singles by Ariana Grande (“Santa Tell Me”) and Brenda Lee (“Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”).