Slade Men to Make £800k From Christmas Track

Former Slade members Noddy Holder and Jim Lea are in line to be paid £800,000 this year for iconic track Merry Xmas Everybody – 40 years after it was first released.

The songwriters continue to rake it in from royalties, with over £500,000 already earned during 2013.

The Pogues’ Fairytale Of New York is the second-biggest grossing seasonal single of the year, with Mariah Carey in third place.

Meanwhile, an online campaign to send AC/DC classic Highway To Hell to the UK number one spot for Christmas has led to bookmaker cutting the odds on the moment taking place. Paddy Power set the chances at 11/2, with only the as-yet unidentified X Factor winner and pop star Lily Allen doing better.

Rock fans are being asked to download Highway To Hell between December 15 and 21 in order to be eligible for the Christmas single chart.

Christmas single 2013 income so far

1. Slade: Merry Xmas Everybody – £512,000

2. Pogues: Fairytale Of New York – £386,270

3. Mariah Carey: All I Want For Christmas Is You – £347,615

4. Wham: Last Christmas – £301,622

5. Cliff Richard: Mistletoe & Wine – £98,408

6. Band Aid: Do they Know It’s Christmas – £78,030

7. Shakin Stevens: Merry Christmas Everyone – £53,834

8. Pretenders: 2000 Miles – £45,344

9. East 17: Stay Another Day – £30,219

10. Jona Lewie: Stop The Calvary – £13,258