‘Highway To Hell’ Beaten By X-Factor Singer To UK Christmas #1

23 December 2013 | 10:34 am | Staff Writer

But AC/DC score first ever British top ten

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AC/DC's iconic Aussie rock anthem Highway To Hell has landed at four on the UK Singles Chart this week after an orchestrated campaign to get the track to #1 for Christmas was beaten by new X-Factor winner Sam Bailey.

Every year there is a push in the UK to get something other that an a reality TV talent quest contestant to the top of the charts for the Christmas period, traditionally one of the most coveted spots. This year AC/DC were the benefactors of the push, with Highway To Hell selling enough copies to re-enter the charts at four, behind Bailey's Skyscraper (a cover of a Demi Lovato song) at one, Pharrell Williams' Happy at two and Leona Lewis' One More Sleep at three.

Although it didn't reach number one, Highway To Hell's fourth is the highest chart position ever for Australia's most famous rock export and their first British top ten. The track reached 40 in 1979, while their previous best result was when Heatseeker reached 12 in 1988.

Guess which one we'll be playing this week? HINT: It's not fucking X-Factor.

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Locally, radio station triple j had a shot at getting a Christmas #1 song (although they went for the week before the Christmas chart) and managed to debut nine.