Triple J Still Hoping For #1 As Christmas Track Tops iTunes

Triple j are still confident that their charity Christmas single Christmas Number One can debut at number one this week as the single hit the top of the iTunes chart today.

This comes as yesterday's midweek figures indicated that while the big promotional campaign was gathering momentum, the Christmas Number One was sitting outside of the ARIA Single Chart's top 25, with singles by Pharrell Williams and Rudimental likely to debut above it.

Up to the mid-20s in the iTunes chart yesterday, the single, of which all proceeds are being donated to the Red Cross, hit the summit of the digital retailer's chart this morning. The push from the music buying public has given the station renewed hope that they can topple current number one John Legend's All Of Me, Magic!'s strong-scanning Rude (three last week) and Jason Derulo's surging Trumpets (22 last week).

According to sources, they will need sales in the region of at least 20,000 to be in contention. The ARIA period closes tomorrow, Friday.

Today the songwriter, Frenzal Rhomb member and the station's drive host Lindsay 'The Doctor' McDougall told theMusic.com.au, “I smelt [number one], and tasted it, we got there! But that Legend dude is persistent, we need all of you to keep up the pressure to keep him away from our spot.”

He said the only way the track can reach the top is through “more sweet, sweet downloading. If you've already downloaded it I love you, but don't stop there. It's Christmas! Gift the song to a friend, to an enemy, to everyone you know! …I hate everyone who is beating us equally. Except Chet [Faker] and Flumey I guess, and Vance [Joy]. Actually, Guy [Sebastian]'s song is pretty good too.”

This week is the final week for triple j's regular presenters before the summer schedule begins next week, so while the final chart before Christmas will be released Saturday 21 they are hoping for a strong finish this Saturday.

The Doctor added that he's new-found penchant for chart success won't carry through to the next Frenzal recordings.

“We will continue to stay as resolutely irrelevant and outside of the zeitgeist as ever. Keep an eye out for our new hit single Lindsay Got A Number One Song So We Cut His Fingers Off And Made Him Play Guitar With His Eyes.”