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The race for this year’s Official Christmas Number 1 single is in full swing, with three acts locked in a close battle for 2018’s festive crown.

Currently leading the way is Ava Max’s Sweet But Psycho. The US singer-songwriter’s breakout hit has been perched at Number 2 for the last two weeks and leads today’s Official Chart Update by just 978 combined sales and streams.

Close behind is YouTube sensation LadBaby, who has recorded is own version of Starship’s 1985 hit We Built This City, this time dedicated to sausage rolls rather than rock and roll. The popular 'dad blogger' – real name Mark Hoyle – is hoping to get the track to the top spot as a present to his long-suffering wife Roxanne. Proceeds from the single go to foodbank charity The Trussell Trust.

Just 508 combined sales behind LadBaby is last week’s Number 1, thank u, next by Ariana Grande, while her brand-new track imagine is new at Number 4. Closing out the Top 5 at the halfway stage of the chart week is Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You.

New Entries and high climbers

Two more Christmas classics are currently inside the Top 10: Wham’s Last Christmas is at 8 and The Pogues’ Fairytale Of New York is at 9.

Another Christmas chart contender, Light Up by Flakefleet Primary School, currently sits at Number 15. Pupils from the Lancashire school have recorded an original single, Light Up, in aid of The Alzheimers Society.

Elsewhere, several more festive favourites are climbing the Top 40, including Michael Buble’s It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (16), Leona Lewis’ One More Sleep (17), Elton John’s Step Into Christmas (18) and Shakin’ Stevens’ Merry Christmas Everyone (20).

Finally, a group of singing fire service personnel called The Fire Tones have covered Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas in support of The Fire Fighters Charity and the Band Aid Charity Trust. The track is currently at Number 67.