Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” Becomes the Hot 100’s Longest-Leading Holiday No. 1

Mariah Carey has officially chipped away at the holiday history books…

The 51-year-old half-Venezuelan American’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” returns to No. 1, from No. 2, on the Billboard Hot 100 for a fifth total week atop the chart.

Mariah Carey

The song, originally released on Carey’s album Merry Christmas in 1994, first reigned for three weeks last holiday season and added its fourth frame at No. 1 two weeks ago.

Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” on Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings, drew 54.9 million U.S. streams (up 35%) and sold 12,000 downloads (up 24%) in the week ending December 24, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. It also tallied 33.7 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 11%) in the week ending December 27.

As it logs its fifth total week atop the Hot 100, Carey’s insta-classic solely claims the mark for the most time at No. 1 among holiday hits in the chart’s 62-year, five-month history. One other Yuletide track had led the list: “The Chipmunk Song,” by The Chipmunks with David Seville, for four weeks beginning in December 1958.

Carey’s holiday track also becomes the first song to rank at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in three distinct years: 2019, 2020 and, now, 2021. It has led the lists dated December 21 and 28, 2019; January 4, 2020; December 19, 2020; and January 2, 2021.

The carol spends a ninth total week at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart and rises 6-2 on Digital Song Sales and 17-13 on Radio Songs. It also rules the multi-metric Holiday 100 chart for a 45th week, of the chart’s 50 total weeks since the list launched in 2011; it has topped the tally for 30 consecutive weeks, dating to the start of the 2015-16 holiday season.

Carey adds her record-extending 84th career week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, dating to the chart’s August 4, 1958, inception.

Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot 100
84, Mariah Carey
60, Rihanna
59, The Beatles
50, Boyz II Men
50, Drake

“Christmas” last year became Carey’s 19th Hot 100 No. 1, the most among soloists and lifting her to within one of The Beatles‘ overall record 20. It also made Carey the first artist to have ranked at No. 1 on the chart in four distinct decades.

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