Sam Fender Covers The Rolling Stones for John Lewis Christmas Advert

Sam Fender has recorded a cover of The Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want" for John Lewis's 2026 Christmas advert, which the retailer unveiled on 3 November 2026. The advert, titled "Don't give up on giving", stars the actress Kristin Scott Thomas.

Mick Jagger, the frontman of The Rolling Stones, praised the version in a press release. "I'm a fan of Sam's work, so I was pleased to hear he was covering one of my songs," Jagger said. "I think he's done a great job with it."

Fender recorded the track in Tyneside, the area of north-east England where he grew up. The arrangement features the choir from John Spence Community High School in North Shields, which Fender attended as a pupil. Brass from the Easington Colliery Band also appears on the recording.

The cover is out as a 7-inch vinyl single and a CD, released through Polydor Records. Both formats are available from Fender's official store. All of the net proceeds from the single, the money left once costs are paid, will go to Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity that supports young people with cancer.

The original song first appeared on The Rolling Stones' 1969 album Let It Bleed. Jagger and Keith Richards wrote it together. Fender's version is the latest in a long line of recordings of the track, but it is the first time it has been tied to a Christmas television campaign in this way.

For anyone who has seen the advert, the link is the song itself. The Rolling Stones' original is a slow-building track with a gospel-style choir at its close, and Fender's version keeps that choral sound at the centre. The school choir and the colliery brass give the recording its local character, with the performers drawn from the same region as the singer.

The single's charity link means that every sale sends its full net income to the cause. Anyone who buys the 7-inch or the CD through Fender's store is supporting Teenage Cancer Trust directly.