“Last Christmas” tops the UK charts for the second year in a row

It’s a bittersweet time of year as “Last Christmas” by Wham! reached the top of the British charts for the second year in a row.

On Friday December 20, the Official Charts Company announced that the track, released in 1984 by the duo of Andrew Ridgeley and the late George Michael, became the first song in the chart’s history to have two consecutive Christmas number ones -won victories.

This success makes the popular track written and produced by Michael the most streamed and physically purchased song of the week.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play Now!

It coincides with the release of the Last Christmas EP for the 40th anniversary Earlier this month and it is a few days before the anniversary of Michael’s death, which unexpectedly occurred on Christmas Day 2016. Michael, born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, was 53 years old at the time of his death. It was later determined that Michael died of natural causes.

While speaking to Official Charts about the success, Ridgeley said: “37 years to number 1, 39 years to Christmas number 1, and then they all come at once like London buses!”

He said he was “especially happy for George” about the milestone because “he would have been really happy.”

“His fabulous Christmas composition has become a classic and is almost as much a part of Christmas as mince pies, turkey and pigs in blankets,” said Ridgeley. “It’s a testament to a truly wonderful Christmas song that, in many people’s minds, represents and represents Christmas the way we would all want it to be.”

“I want to thank everyone who listened, downloaded, purchased and streamed Last Christmas and been a part of history,” he continued.

Official charts said the milestone Wham! Part of “a rare official charts club, as one of the few acts to have made it to the official Christmas number 1 several times.”

“Their colleagues now include Queen (2), Cliff Richard (2), Spice Girls (3), The Beatles (4) and current record holders LadBaby (5),” the organization said in its announcement.

Never miss a story again — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Ridgeley explained why he believes the song continues to have success years after its release: “Artists of this caliber and songwriters, including George, transcend ages and decades and endure because of their quality. I think that’s why ‘Last Christmas’ endures.”