Lily Allen Tops UK Singles Chart With 'John Lewis Song,' But Can She Make It To Xmas?

You know it’s the holiday season when songs from Christmas adverts take over the charts – in this case it’s Lily Allen’s cover of Keane’s Somewhere Only We Know. The track, which is featured in a John Lewis ad campaign, was bumped off the top last week. The gentle tones of Somewhere, so unlike Allen’s latest previous single Hard Out Here, still managed to topple One Direction’s Story of My Life and Bastille’s Of The Night.

Allen's Christmas cover will have to hold out for another two weeks against tough competition.

According to the Official Charts Company, Allen’s festive cover might even have a chance at the coveted Christmas Number one – provided it can outlast the competition. Somewhere Only We Know would have to beat songs by the likes of AC/DC, U2, and Susan Boyle to hold on to its Number 1 for two more weeks. This year’s festive chart sees the return of both X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent alumni, as James Arthur, Leona Lewis and Lucy Spraggan, as well as Richard & Adam and Susan Boyle will all be releasing singles. With so many people staking a claim at the Christmas Number 1, Allen will have a tough time keeping her lead.

This year sees an en masse return of talent show stars.

And while Allen’s top spot might have been fairly predictable, some reemerging Christmas hits came into the charts very unexpectedly. 26 years after its release, Fairytale Of New York, recorded by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl, reappeared at number 16, while Mariah Carey's 1996 ballad All I Want For Christmas Is You rode all the way to number 14.

Mariah Carey also came out as a surprise contender this year.