Wham!’s “Last Christmas” arrived In December 1984 as a shimmering holiday treat, blending George Michael’s lush vocals with a heartbreak-laden melody against an irresistibly festive synth-pop backdrop. 40 years later, it remains a snapshot of a transformative moment in music, culture, and queerness and one of pop music’s enduring Christmas songs.
George Michael, one of the MTV era’s first and most successful artists, captivated the world with his voice and soft, gentle aesthetic as one-half of the monstrously successful 80s bubblegum-pop duo Wham!. Composed of George and Andrew Ridgeley, the duo radiated a vibrant, youthful energy that helped define the glossy pop sound that dominated the decade.
Wham! exploded onto U.S. radio in 1984 with their 60s doo-wop-inspired hit “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 just as their holiday classic “Last Christmas” was released in the UK on December 3, 1984. Written and produced by George, “Last Christmas” spent five weeks at No. 2 on the UK chart, unable to surpass the charity juggernaut “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” by Band Aid.
In the U.S., the song initially garnered only minor spins at pop radio. Decades before Billboard allowed Christmas songs to chart on the Hot 100, “Last Christmas” remained absent until January 2017. However, the song gained in popularity every holiday season and In December 2024, “Last Christmas” reached a peak of #3 on the Hot 100.
Wham!’s meteoric rise occurred when queerness was beginning to emerge in mainstream pop. Michael, whose songwriting and performance dominated the duo, had to straddle dualities. He was marketed as the breakout star/sex symbol just as music was becoming more visual, yet his essence carried subtextual hints of queerness that resonated with LGBTQ audiences long before he publicly came out.
When “Last Christmas” debuted, much of the world was grappling with the devastating impact of the AIDS crisis. For the LGBTQ community, 1984 was a year marked by fear, mourning, and stigma and the re-election of President Reagan. Pop culture, including music, became a site of both escapism and activism.
Though “Last Christmas” doesn’t explicitly reference the crisis, its themes of vulnerability and loss resonate differently when viewed through the lens of that era. Michael himself would later become a fierce advocate for AIDS awareness, treatment and LGBTQ rights.
George Michael died on December 25, 2016, at 53. His death, poignantly occurring on Christmas Day, brought new layers of meaning to “Last Christmas.” For many, the song now serves as a bittersweet reminder of an artist whose work shaped pop music and soundtrack holiday celebrations around the world.
in 2023, “Last Christmas” finally achieved the once illusive accolade of the UK Christmas #1. It would repeat the feat in 2024 becoming the first song to do so.
Four decades after its release, “Last Christmas” is a testament of whimsical magic that was Wham! and the genius of George Michael. It is now more than a holiday classic—in part to remaining member Andrew Ridgeley who has been committed to both the duo’s and George’s legacy. “Last Christmas” is a fabric of queer resilience, pop revolution, and a melancholy anthem for every December.