George Michael and Wham! are back in the charts with the Last Christmas soundtrack (Epic/Sony Music CG).
Released ahead of the festive rom-com starring Emilia Clarke, the OST debuted at No.11 with first week sales of 6,692 (1,105 from streams). The previously unreleased Michael song This Is How (We Want You To Get High) (Virgin EMI) is at No.31 on the airplay chart.
Like other soundtrack releases, including The Greatest Showman and Frozen 2, the album appeared in advance of the film, so the first week sale is unlikely to be the peak position. With Last Christmas released in cinemas this past weekend (November 15), the soundtrack is set for a sales boost and could be a big Q4 contender.
“We’ve been working very collaboratively with NBC Universal to make sure our campaigns are aligned,” said Joanna Kalli, head of marketing, Sony Music Commercial Group. “As George’s music is at the heart of the film, we knew it was important to engage his passionately loyal fanbase early on. We’ve been very active across socials – sharing information, delivering a consistent programme of new content and one-off activations building anticipation ahead of soundtrack and film launch. The film showcases the many facets of George’s music and amplifying those will help connect the film and soundtrack to a broader audience.”
We knew it was important to engage his passionately loyal fanbase early on
Joanna Kalli
While there’s already a huge audience for George Michael and Wham!, the latest campaign from Sony Music CG is also about reaching new fans. Both Queen and Elton John have made a streaming impact as a result of movie projects.
“Reaching a younger audience is a key part of our strategy,” said kalli. “George’s songs will always be relevant, and his values really speak to Gen-Z millennials: philanthropy, activism, individualism. Our campaign takes in bespoke platform/DSP partnerships including TikTok and Spotify plus innovative social creatives, all designed to help extend George’s legacy.”
Sony Music CG won in the Catalogue Marketing category at last year’s Music Week Awards for their No.1 reissue campaign on Listen Without Prejudice – Vol 1.
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