Christmas creeps into the top 20

It’s the second last chart week of 2024 and Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department holds at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart for an eighth week.

Taylor started the year at #1 with 1989 (Taylor’s Version), which spent six non-consecutive weeks on top this year (it had spent eight weeks at #1 in 2023). She also hit #1 in 2024 with Midnights (two weeks), Lover (two weeks) and The Tortured Poets Department (eight weeks and counting). That gives her 18 weeks in total at #1 this year, up from 17 weeks in 2023 with just two albums: Midnights and 1989 (Taylor’s Version). 

South Korean boy band Stray Kids, featuring Aussies Felix and Bangchan, debut at #4 with their mixtape Hop. They reached #2 last year with 5-Star. 

Michael Bublé brings yuletide cheer to the top 10, as Christmas steps up from #13 to #9. The album has spent 15 non-consecutive weeks at #1 since it was released in 2011. Elsewhere, Sabrina Carpenter’s Christmas EP Fruitcake soars from #59 to #14, and the 30th anniversary version of Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas is at #55. It peaked at #2 when it was released in 1994.

Missionary by Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre is new at #27. It includes appearances by 50 Cent, Eminem, Sting, Jelly Roll, Method Man, Tom Petty and more. Snoop’s highest charting albums here were Tha Doggfather and Doggumentary, which peaked at #12 in 1996 and 2011 respectively. Dr Dre reached #1 in 2015 with Compton.

On the Singles Chart, it’s seven non-consecutive weeks at #1 for Rosé and Bruno Mars’ APT. One more week and it will tie with Sabrina Carpenter’s Taste for the title of 2024’s longest-running #1 single… But! Snapping at APT’s heels is none other than Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You, which climbs from #8 to #3. The 1994 track reached #1 in 2018 and has returned to the top spot every Christmas since then for a total of eight weeks so far.

As the holiday season cranks up, Wham’s Last Christmas climbs from #10 to #7. Brenda Lee’s Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree returns to the top 10 again this year, up from #16 to #10. She recorded the song in 1958, aged 13. It peaked here at #2 in January last year. Also cracking the top 20 are Bobby Helms’ Jingle Bell Rock at #14, and Ariana Grande’s Santa Tell Me at #18.

Rounding things out, English singer Lola Young’s Messy jumps from #18 to #6. It’s her first hit here, although she almost cracked the top 50 two months ago with her guest appearance on Tyler The Creator’s Like Him, which peaked at #55.