X Factor has had a healthy obsession with claiming the UK’s Christmas number one spot, they’ve managed to do it almost every year in its existence.
Most of the time, the winning single is a cover that the act performs and then releases as their debut single.
A one-year contract with Syco, Simon Cowell’s label, co-owned by Sony Music, is the other part of the award.
There is varying success when it comes to X Factor winners but – one thing is for sure – the first single the winners release does very well in the charts.
We take a look at how all of the singles have performed in the charts and, like in X Factor, see which come out on top.
12. Forever Young by Louisa Johnson
The lowest performing track is by 2015 winner Louisa Johnson. Her cover of the Bob Dylan classic has sold just under 80,000 copies and is the only winner’s single to not reach number one.
11. Against All Odds by Steve Brookstein
The first winner of X Factor, Steve Brookstein released his version of the Phil Collins number one “Against All Odds” in 2004, but it only managed to sell 200,000 copies. Still enough to get it to number one, mind.
10. Skyscraper by Sam Bailey
X Factor’s 2013 winner Sam Bailey wasn’t your typical champion but that’s why people loved her. Her version of “Skyscraper” sold just under 150,000 copies within the same month of release and became the first X Factor Christmas number one in three years.
9. Cannonball by Little Mix
Since its release in 2011, Little Mix’s cover of Damien Rice’s “Cannonball” has sold 390,000 copies. Winning the competition made the girls the first and only group to win the show.
8. Something I Need by Ben Haenow
Winner of X Factor in 2014, Ben Haenow released “Something I Need,” which sold a very healthy 508,000 sales. It also went on to become the UK’s Christmas number one.
7. When You Believe by Leon Jackson
Leon Jackson released his version of Whitney and Mariah classic in 2007 and has sold 510,000 copies of it since then. Reminiscent of the 1998 Prince of Egypt movie, the song also made Christmas number on in the UK.
6. The Cimb by Joe McElderry
Winner of the sixth series of X Factor, Joe McElderry beat Olly Murs and Stacey Solomon to the single release of “The Climb”. It went on to sell 810,000 copies and, of course, was Christmas number one in the year of its release.
5. A Moment like This by Leona Lewis
The best selling artist to come from X Factor was bound to rank highly on this list, Leona’s debut single has sold 914,000 copies and was shortlisted for a BRIT award in 2007.
4. When We Collide by Matt Cardle
As of now, the BRIT-nominated single “When We Collide” by Matt Cardle has sold 1,010,000 copies and is the fourth best-selling single of all time in Ireland.
3. That's My Goal by Shayne Ward
This one might be even more impressive as it’s an original song by Shayne, and not a cover like every other song on this list. “That’s My Goal” has sold 1.11 million copies since its release it 2005.
2. Impossible by James Arthur
The winner of 2012’s X Factor, James Arthur, released his version of Shontelle’s “Impossible” and it has sold 1.25 million copies since then.
1. Hallelujah by Alexandra Burke
Series five winner Alexandra Burke released her version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”. It sold over 500,000 copies in its first month and has now sold 1.3 million copies in total.