song during the holiday season Can you explain what Whamageddon is? It’s a popular fad where individuals purposely avoid listening to the song “Last Christmas” by Wham during the festive time of year.
The tradition of Whamageddon has arrived. This popular trend has caused individuals to purposely avoid listening to Wham’s “Last Christmas” every holiday season for nearly two decades. It is a straightforward game that has people around the globe trying to avoid hearing the seasonal heartbreak tune until December 25th.
What is Whamageddon?
The challenge begins on December 1st and is open to everyone, regardless of location. The objective is to not listen to Wham’s “Last Christmas” until December 25th. If successful, you are the winner.
The hashtag #Whamageddon has been used over 12 million times on TikTok, as users share videos of themselves “dying” or being exposed to the song and being sent to “Whamhalla,” the end. Some, on the other hand, celebrate their success in avoiding the song and surviving another day without it reaching their ears.
The official website aims to educate others on the rules. The only exception: covers are not included. You can listen to versions by Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and Meghan Trainor and still participate in the game.
Who created Whamageddon?
About 18 years ago, four friends named Thomas Mertz, Rasmus Leth Bjerre, Oliver Nøglebæk, and Søren Gelineck came up with an idea, as shared by Mertz in an interview with CBS News.
Mertz stated that they became aware of the fact that this song was being repeatedly played on a regular basis. This caused it to be frequently in the spotlight. Instead of becoming irritated by it, they chose to turn it into a playful activity and enjoy it.
Mertz started a Facebook page in 2016 to gauge interest in the yearly game, which quickly gained popularity.
According to Mertz, he has successfully avoided hearing “Last Christmas” more than three times until Dec. 25, while the most anyone has claimed to do so is five times.
Although the four of us created Whamageddon, Mertz mentioned that this concept is not exclusive to our friend group. “For years, we received emails from a group of Americans, I believe from Berkeley, who participate in a game they call ‘The Little Drummer Boy’,” Mertz explained. “They would become upset with us every year and send a strongly worded email accusing us of copying them, assuming that we were aware of their game.”
According to Mertz, the song “The Little Drummer Boy” is not well-known in Denmark. The concept of avoiding listening to a song is not very profound or unique. Therefore, we are cautious about claiming originality.
Why is the game so appealing to so many people? “It’s not simple in any way, shape, or form, but that’s what makes it enjoyable,” he explained. “It needs to have some complexity and risk involved. It shouldn’t be too simple, in my opinion.”
The core of the matter is having a story and an experience to share with loved ones, according to him. On our Facebook page, we see people sharing their stories and experiences after being affected. It’s heartwarming to witness.
He expressed surprise at the level of attention the trend is receiving on social media. “It’s crazy to witness,” he remarked. “I only hope it’s a sign that people are having a good time and enjoying themselves.”
The group’s enthusiasm led to the creation of Whamageddon merchandise and social media pages. This also prompted a pub chain in the U.K. to stop playing the song in 2018 in order to prevent customers from losing their winning streaks.
Whamageddon 2023
On December 2nd, a DJ in the UK played the song at a soccer game, potentially eliminating 7,000 attendees from Whamageddon on the second day of the competition.
Matty, the DJ, expressed surprise to BBC News about how seriously people took it. He had initially thought it would be funny to eliminate 7,000 individuals who were unable to escape the situation, but now realizes it is not a laughing matter.
He apologized for causing offense on Twitter and expressed regret for ruining anyone’s Christmas.
According to Mertz, a similar incident occurred at a soccer match at Emirates Stadium this year. Approximately 60,000 individuals were exposed to the song, and Mertz explained that they receive notifications through news reports when the trend is mentioned.
Caitlin O’Kane
Source: cbsnews.com