Merry Xmas Everybody

Not to be confused with Merry Christmas Everyone.

"Merry Xmas Everybody"
UK Vinyl cover
Side A of the original UK single
Single by Slade
B-side"Don't Blame Me"
Released7 December 1973[1]
RecordedJuly 1973
GenreChristmas, glam rock
Length3:44
LabelPolydor
Songwriter(s)Noddy Holder, Jim Lea
Producer(s)Chas Chandler
Slade singles chronology
"My Friend Stan"
(1973) 		"Merry Xmas Everybody"
(1973) 		"Everyday"
(1974)
Alternative covers
A monochrome photograph of Slade, with a white border, set almost centrally in a red square. The words "SLADE" dominate the cover, underneath which is written "MERRY X'MAS EVERYBODY". Underneath the photograph are the words "DONT BLAME ME". White stars border the left and right sides of the photograph.
French cover
Alternative cover
German and digital cover
German cover, also used for digital releases
Music video
"Merry Xmas Everybody" on YouTube
Audio
"Merry Xmas Everybody" on YouTube
Visualizer
"Merry Xmas Everybody" on YouTube

"Merry Xmas Everybody" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released as a non-album single in 1973. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and it was produced by Chas Chandler. It was the band's sixth and final number-one single in the UK. Earning the UK Christmas number one slot in December 1973, the song beat another Christmas-themed song, Wizzard's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday", which reached fourth place. It remained in the charts for nine weeks until February 1974.[2]

Released at the peak of the band's popularity, "Merry Xmas Everybody" sold over a million copies upon its first release. It is Slade's last number-one single and by far their best-selling single. It has been re-released during every decade since 1973 and has been covered by numerous artists. The single was certified double platinum by British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in December 2021.[3] Since 2007 and the advent of downloads counting towards the UK Singles Chart, it has re-entered the charts each December. As of December 2012, it had sold 1.32 million copies in the UK.

In a UK television special on ITV in December 2012, "Merry Xmas Everybody" was voted third (behind "Fairytale of New York" and "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday") in The Nation's Favourite Christmas Song.[4]

According to the Fan Club Newsletter for January and February 1974, the song was awarded a Silver Disc for pre-order sales. Within the first week of release, the single had sold 500,000 copies.[5][6] Also, according to the same newsletter, "Merry Xmas Everybody" was in such big demand that Polydor records had to make special arrangements to have 250,000 discs sent from Los Angeles, as well as 30,000 copies a day they were receiving from Germany.[5][6]

  1. ^ "An Early Merry Xmas from Slade". Record Mirror. 10 November 1973. p. 4. ISSN 0144-5804.
  2. ^ "Slade | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  3. ^ "British single certifications – Slade – Merry Xmas Everybody". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  4. ^ "The Nation's Favourite Christmas Song". ITV. 22 December 2012.
  5. ^ a b Slade Fan Club Newsletter January - February 1974
  6. ^ a b "Photographic image of Fan Club newsletter : January/February 1974". Archived from the original (JPG) on 23 April 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2011.