It wouldn’t be the holiday season without Mariah Carey’s return to the summit on the holiday charts.
The Holiday 100 has made its annual jolly jaunt back to Billboard’s charts menu, with the 55-year-old half-Venezuelan American Grammy-winning songstress’ “All I Want for Christmas Is You” ruling the tally.
The track is No. 1 for the 61st week of the chart’s 69 total weeks since it was launched in 2011.
The survey ranks the top seasonal songs of all eras via the same formula used for the Billboard Hot 100, blending streaming, airplay and sales data.
The only other Holiday 100 No. 1s to date: Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe,” for a week in the 2011-12 holiday season; Pentatonix’s “Little Drummer Boy” (one, 2013-14) and “Mary, Did You Know?” (two, 2014-15); Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” (one, 2014-15); and Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” – which reigned for three weeks on both the Holiday 100 and Hot 100 last holiday season, granting the legendary singer a gift 65 years in the making, following the song’s 1958 release.
Carey’s carol reigns with 26.8 million streams (up 52% week-over-week), 15.7 million airplay audience impressions (up 68%) and 2,000 sold (up 25%) in the United States Nov. 22-28, according to Luminate.
The song also boasts top honors on Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Holiday 100 Songs chart.
“When I wrote [it], I had absolutely no idea the impact the song would eventually have worldwide,” Carey marveled of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” in 2021; it was originally released 30 years ago. “I’m so full of gratitude that so many people enjoy it with me every year.”
Rounding out the Holiday 100’s top five are Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (No. 2); Wham!’s “Last Christmas,” which marks its 40th anniversary this year (No. 3); Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock,” from 1957 (No. 4); and Burl Ives’ “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” which turns 60 this year (No. 5).
Additionally, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” surges six spots to No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
