DJ Play a Christmas Song

"DJ Play a Christmas Song" is a song by American singer and actress Cher, released as the lead single of her 2023 album Christmas. The song was digitally released on October 6, 2023, by Warner. It was produced by Mark Taylor, with lyrics written by Sarah Hudson, Jessie Saint John, Brett McLaughlin, James Abrahart, Mark Schick and Lionel Crasta. It became Cher's first entry on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 21 years, peaking at number 90 on the chart.

Composition
The song is performed in the key of G♭ major with a tempo of 134 beats per minute in common time. It follows a chord progression of G♭sus2 – B♭m7 – C♭(add 2) – D♭sus, with a key change to A♭ major for the last two choruses. Cher's vocals span from G♭3 to C5 in the song.

Promotion and performances
Cher debuted "DJ Play a Christmas Song" on October 3, 2023, at Silencio nightclub in Paris, performing at a private event hosted by Rabanne and H&M. She later performed the song during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 23, 2023. Cher performed "DJ Play a Christmas Song" on German TV show Wetten, dass..? on November 25, 2023. She taped her performance for the 91st annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting on November 19, 2023 and it aired on NBC on November 29, 2023. On December 1, 2023, Cher appeared on The Graham Norton Show, being interviewed and performing the single. She performed the song on the final of Strictly Come Dancing.

Critical reception
The song received a positive review by Attitude's Jamie Tabberer, who gave the song four out of five stars, calling it a "cut-glass powerhouse pop-dance banger."

Commercial performance
"DJ Play a Christmas Song" debuted at number 94 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on the chart dated December 30, 2023, becoming Cher's first entry on the Hot 100 since "Song for the Lonely" in May 2002. It rose to number 90 the following week. The song entered the US Billboard Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart at number three, becoming her highest-peaking song on that chart. Weeks later, it climbed to number one, making Cher the only solo artist to have had a number-one song on at least one Billboard chart in each of the past seven decades. The song also topped the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, spending four consecutive weeks at the top.

In the UK, the song peaked at number 18 on the Official Singles Chart; the song was Cher's first single to reach the Top 20 since 2001's "The Music's No Good Without You". Additionally, Cher became the oldest female artist to have a top-40 hit with new material, as well as being the only solo artist to have a top-40 hit in the UK in seven consecutive decades.

In Germany, the song entered the German Singles chart at number 92, and rose to number 62 the following week. In Australia it entered the ARIA Singles Chart at number 45.

Track listing
Digital download and streaming – DJ Mixes
 * 1) "DJ Play a Christmas Song" (Robin Schulz Remix) – 3:30
 * 2) "DJ Play a Christmas Song" (Chrome Tapes) – 5:10
 * 3) "DJ Play a Christmas Song" (Chrome Tapes Instrumental) – 5:10
 * 4) "DJ Play a Christmas Song" (7th Heaven Club Mix) – 6:41
 * 5) "DJ Play a Christmas Song" (7th Heaven Club Edit) – 3:47
 * 6) "DJ Play a Christmas Song" (Guy Scheiman Remix) – 6:02
 * 7) "DJ Play a Christmas Song" (Extended) – 5:15
 * 8) "DJ Play a Christmas Song" (Extended Instrumental) – 5:15

Personnel
Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Christmas.


 * Cher – lead vocals
 * Rita Campbell – background vocals
 * Ash Soan – drums
 * Adam Phillips – guitar
 * Mark Taylor – producer, keyboards, programming, mixing
 * Paul Meehan – keyboards, programming
 * Alex Arias – vocal engineer
 * Gabe Burch – vocal engineer
 * Peter Jensen – assistant vocal engineer
 * Stephen Marcussen – mastering
 * Sarah Hudson – songwriter
 * Jessie Saint John – songwriter
 * Brett McLaughlin – songwriter
 * James Abrahart – songwriter
 * Mark Schick – songwriter
 * Lionel Crasta – songwriter