We’ve all lovingly referred to Mariah Carey as “The Queen of Christmas,” but Billboard has made it official...when it comes to chart-topping, that is!
Carey’s holiday hit “All I Want For Christmas Is You” has now broken the record for most time spent at No. 1 on the Hot 100, Billboard confirmed on Monday. Considered to be the most modern true Christmas original classic, Carey’s Christmas carol has surpassed “The Chipmunk Song,” after recently tying with it for the longest-running spot at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the chart’s 62-year, five-month history.
Carey also hit No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 for the third week.
Billboard breaks down more stats for “All I Want For Christmas Is You”:
Most weeks at No. 1 for a holiday song: As it logs its fifth total week atop the Hot 100, “Christmas” 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 has led the list: “The Chipmunk Song,” by The Chipmunks with David Seville, for four weeks beginning in December 1958.
First song at No. 1 in three distinct years: Carey’s “Christmas” 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 Dec. 21 and 28, 2019; Jan. 4, 2020; Dec. 19, 2020; and Jan. 2, 2021.
(As reported when “Christmas” crowned the Hot 100 two weeks ago, only one other song in the chart’s history boasts a longer span of appearing at No. 1: Chubby Checker’s “The Twist” first topped the chart dated Sept. 19, 1960; Thanks to new popularity among adult audiences, it led again on Jan. 13 and 20, 1962. Notably, the longevity of “The Twist” helped spark its No. 1 status on the Greatest of All-Time Hot 100 recap.)
One more, up to 84: Carey adds her record-extending 84th career week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, dating to the chart’s Aug. 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.
Happy new year: Carey has now placed at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in a record-extending 17 distinct years (per Hot 100 chart dates): 1990-2000, 2005-06, 2008 and, thanks to “Christmas,” 2019-21.
Next up are three acts that have each spent time atop the Hot 100 in 10 individual years: Paul McCartney/Wings (1971, 1973-76, 1978, 1980, 1982-84); Michael Jackson (1972, 1979-80, 1983-84, 1987-88, 1991-92, 1995); and Madonna (1984-87, 1989-92, 1995, 2000).
As a co-writer of the song (which is where the real money is in music), Carey has made over $60 million in royalties from the hit holiday single, per a 2017 report by the Economist. Also, Carey and her co-writing partner, producer Walter Afanasieff, reportedly wrote the song in only 15 minutes, per Business Insider. That’s a hell of a paycheck for one’s time.