Music
John Lewis Magic Strikes Again: Labrinth Backed to Top Christmas Charts with Where Love Lives
The John Lewis Christmas advert only dropped on Tuesday but its emotional new soundtrack is already shaking up the festive betting markets, writes Dave James.
Bookies have slashed the odds on Labrinth’s version of Where Love Lives becoming the 2025 Christmas Number One, cutting it from 25/1 to just 3/1 after an explosion of online searches, Shazams, and playlist adds within hours of the ad’s release.
This year’s advert, titled “Where Love Lives,” tells the touching story of a dad and his son who find their way back to each other through the gift of music. It’s based on the simple insight that as a nation, we often struggle to express how we feel but at Christmas, something in us wants to try.
At the emotional heart of the film is a reimagined version of Alison Limerick’s 1990s house anthem Where Love Lives, slowed down, stripped back, and beautifully rebuilt by Labrinth into a soulful reflection on connection, nostalgia and love.
Within hours of the advert’s debut, Labrinth’s version began trending across TikTok, YouTube and Spotify, with fans describing it as “the most moving John Lewis soundtrack yet.”
Bookmakers now believe the momentum could carry the track all the way to the top of the Christmas charts:
Labrinth’s Where Love Lives Odds
Market Odds To be 2025 Christmas Number One 3/1 To reach UK Top 10 5/1 Labrinth’s Where Love Lives to reach UK Top 40 6/1
Dave James, spokesperson for What Are The Odds said:
“Every year, a John Lewis soundtrack becomes the emotional heartbeat of Christmas but Labrinth’s version feels like a genuine contender for Number One. It bridges generations with a track that’s both nostalgic and deeply moving.”
In a nod to the original, John Lewis has released both versions of Where Love Lives on an exclusive black 12” vinyl, available only in-store.
Side A features Alison Limerick’s iconic club classic, while Side B showcases Labrinth’s reimagined version from the advert, a perfect gift for music and Christmas fans alike.
Despite Labrinth’s late charge, it’s Wham! who remain firm favourites at 1/2 with Last Christmas a seasonal juggernaut that finally claimed its first Christmas Number One in 2023, nearly four decades after its release.
With streaming figures expected to soar again this December, punters still believe George Michael’s timeless classic will reign supreme.
However, the buzz around the John Lewis advert means Labrinth could yet mount an upset, echoing the chart success of past festive soundtracks such as Lily Allen’s Somewhere Only We Know and Aurora’s Half the World Away.
Christmas Number One Odds
Artist / Song Odds Wham! – Last Christmas 1/2 KPop Demon Hunters 2/1 Labrinth – Where Love Lives 3/1 Ed Sheeran 4/1 Sabrina Carpenter 6/1 Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia 8/1 LadBaby 10/1 Sidemen 12/1
From Lily Allen’s Somewhere Only We Know to Aurora’s Half the World Away, John Lewis has a rich history of turning its adverts into chart-topping moments.
With Labrinth’s Where Love Lives, the retailer might just have found its most powerful soundtrack yet and if the early betting markets are right, it could be heading straight for Christmas Number One.
