The Definitive Ranking Of X Factor Winners’ Singles

We’re not sure who actually picks The X Factor winner’s single each year, but what we do know is that they love a tearjerker, and some years they definitely choose better than others. Sunday night’s big final, which saw Ben Haenow walk away victorious after his belting performance of ‘Something I Need’ – originally a One Republic track – had the Twitter world debating whether or not it was a good solid song choice. To settle the argument, we present the definitive ranking of X Factor winners’ singles, from all 11 years of the TV talent show.

11. Steve Brookstein – Against All Odds 

Series: 1 (2004)

Original singer: Phil Collins

UK Chart Position: 1

Oh Steve. You may have been the first X Factor winner, but you certainly weren’t the best, though ‘Against All Odds’ did still make it to number one in the UK charts with 200,000 sales. We would take a look at you now, but we don’t know where you are.

10. Shayne Ward – That's My Goal 

Series: 2 (2005)

Original singer: Shayne – he’s the only X Factor winner ever to release an original track for his debut.

UK Chart Position: 1

Shayne isn’t here to say he’s sorry, but he really should be, for this somewhat awful winner’s single. He was lovely to look at though, we’ll give him that, and he had the fastest-selling X Factor winner’s single of all time. You can’t buy good taste.

9. Matt Cardle – When We Collide

Series: 7 (2010)

Original singer: Biffy Clyro

UK Chart Position: 1

It’s not a bad song per say, but ‘When We Collide’ – or ‘Many Of Horror as the Biffy original is called – just doesn’t have the bells on that an XF winner’s single should have, if you get what we mean. Next!

8. Leon Jackson - When You Believe 

Series: 4 (2007)

Original singer: Mariah Carey & Whitney Houston

UK Chart Position: 1

If you’re going to take on a track by two of the biggest voices of all time, you had better do a ruddy good job... Leon’s version was “distinctly average”. End of.  

7. Joe McElderry – The Climb 

Series: 6 (2009)

Original singer: Miley Cyrus

UK Chart Position: 1

Oh we did love little Joseph McElderry from South Shields, and we really wanted him to do well, but this magic Miley song just wasn’t quite right for him. Thankfully he won that skiing telly show, The Jump, earlier this year. All is well.

6. Sam Bailey – Skyscraper 

Series: 10 (2013)

Original singer: Demi Lovato

UK Chart Position: 1

Floating somewhere in the middle of our XF winners’ songs round-up, Sam Bailey certainly gave it some welly on Demi’s ‘Skyscraper’, but it just wasn’t a patch on the original.

5. James Arthur – Impossible 

Series: 9 (2012)

Original singer: Shontelle

UK Chart Position: 1

You may or may not remember R&B singer Shontelle, but we definitely recall James Arthur’s haunting version of her track ‘Impossible’, which gave us such high hopes for him. Then, Twitter happened…

4. Ben Haenow – Something I Need

Series: 11 (2014)

Original singer: One Republic

While we won’t know how Ben’s single charts until Sunday, we really do like his version of ‘Something I Need’ – like Louis Walsh said, it’s almost as if Ryan Tedder wrote it especially for him. High hopes for this one.

3. Little Mix – Cannonball 

Series: 8 (2011)

Original singer: Damien Rice

UK Chart Position: 1

Making it in to the top trio of X Factor winners’ songs, Little Mix’s version of ‘Cannonball’ can reduce us to tears in seconds, and we might actually prefer it to the Damien Rice original. Plus it made way for more epic tracks from Tulisa’s Little Muffins, including ‘Wings’ and ‘Salute’ – and for that we salute Jade, Jesy, Leigh-Anne and Perrie.

2. Leona Lewis – A Moment Like This 

Series: 3 (2006)

Original singer: Kelly Clarkson

UK Chart Position: 1

Written for American Idol champ Kelly Clarkson, ‘A Moment Like This’ had winner’s single stamped all over it, with Leona narrowly missing out on the crown for our best XF debut ever.

1. Alexandra Burke – Hallelujah 

Series: 5 (2008)

Original singer: Leonard Cohen

UK Chart Position: 1

Her success was eventually eclipsed by series runners-up JLS, but Alexandra Burke’s take on the Leonard Cohen (or Jeff Buckley, if you’re that way inclined) classic is our most beautiful X Factor winner’s single ever, not to mention the highest selling with 1.28million copies. Four for you Alexandra Burke, you go Alexandra Burke!