Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ Tops Holiday 100 As Chart Returns for 2023 Season
Written by djfrosty on November 27, 2023
The Holiday 100 dashes back to Billboard’s charts menu, ranking the top seasonal songs of all eras via the same formula used for the Billboard Hot 100, blending streaming, airplay and sales data.
Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” – which surges from No. 17 to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 – rules the Holiday 100 for a 58th week of the chart’s 63 total weeks since the list launched in 2011; it has topped the seasonal survey for 43 consecutive weeks, dating to the start of the 2015-16 holiday season.
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); and Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” (one, 2014-15).
Carey’s 1994 carol reigns with 22 million streams (up 57%), 15.6 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 105%) and 3,000 sold (up 70%) in the United States Nov. 17-23, according to Luminate.
Carey performed “Christmas” on an awards show for the first time as part of the 2023 Billboard Music Awards (Nov. 19). She was also honored with the Billboard Chart Achievement Award for the song, presented to her by her 12-year-old twins, Monroe and Moroccan.
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 “Christmas” in 2021. “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 more classics, released between the 1950s and ‘80s: Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (No. 2); Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” (No. 3); Wham!’s “Last Christmas” (No. 4); and Burl Ives’ “A Holly Jolly Christmas” (No. 5).
Meanwhile, two songs newly released this holiday season debut on the Holiday 100, both Amazon Music Original exclusives: Chloe’s version of “Winter Wonderland” (No. 57, led by 3.5 million streams, up 130%) and Stephen Sanchez’s “Silver Bells” (No. 85; 2.2 million, up 92%).
The entire latest Holiday 100, and all other seasonal charts – Top Holiday Albums, Holiday Streaming Songs, Holiday Airplay, Holiday Digital Song Sales, Holiday 100 Songwriters and Holiday 100 Producers – along with all additional rankings, will update on Billboard.com Tuesday (Nov. 28).