Did Taylor Swift compose ‘Last Christmas’? The shocking truth behind the festive classic

‘Last Christmas I gave you my heart’ is one of the most iconic Christmas songs ever. The timeless tracks resurface every year just in time for the festive season and rather than being a breakup song, it is more of a friends and family bonder. Ever since its release in 1984, the song has become a part of the very fabric of Christmas celebrations and with the rise of social media, it has become a global sensation.

However, in recent years, certain whispers of America’s musical sweetheart Taylor Swift being the brain behind the song have been getting louder. Many who are hearing it for the first time assume Swift is the magic creator.

Did Taylor Swift compose ‘Last Christmas’?

Taylor Swift is a global music icon and has a reputation for reimagining classics and putting her spin on them. At the beginning of her career, she created a lot of holiday music and created ‘Taylor’s version’ of many popular hits. In 2007, she recorded a cover of Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ for her debut holiday EP, ‘The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection’.

Over the years, the clips of that song have gone viral on social media, often without context. For young listeners who are just being introduced to the Christmas classic, the song is a Taylor Swift creation at first. At least, until they move down the social media blackhole to find out that Wham! is the singing sensation that crowds homes during Christmas with their hit.

Interestingly, the song was released in 1984 via CBS Records, four years before Swift was even born!

‘Last Christmas’: The original artist

‘Last Christmas’ has been enjoying a whole lot of attention and love of late. The holiday tune topped Billboard’s Global 200 chart this week, even defeating Mariah Carey’s favourite ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’.

Following the achievement, George Michael’s team shared on Instagram that he adored Christmas and would have loved seeing the song return to No.1. The other member of the global duo, Andrew Ridgeley also dubbed it a remarkable moment, saying the song’s renewed global love feels like the best Christmas gift imaginable.

Christmas music on the rise

Along with Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’, Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ is among the top two songs on the Billboard Global 200 for the week of December 20, 2025. Ariana Grande’s ‘Santa Tell Me’, Brenda Lee’s ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’, Bobby Helms’ ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ and Michael Buble’s ‘It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas’ are also among the top 10.

With Christmas tomorrow, the halls are decked and houses are filled with cheer and music. No matter who you listen to, the magic remains the same and more, all because of Christmas!

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