According to the platform, the modern carol, which was first released on Carey’s album Merry Christmas in 1994, appeared on the Hot 100’s top 10 for the first time in December 2017, then it made it to the top five for the first time in 2018, and then made it to the number one during the holiday season of 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Why the world loves “All I Want for Christmas Is You” so much?
The song has a very recognizable sound and was inspired by the music of past decades. “It was really inspired by songs from the ‘60s or the ’50s where you couldn’t help but be happy when you heard them,” said Carey in an Amazon Music mini-documentary.
According to CNN, the singer wrote the classic holiday song with Walter Afanasieff in 1994. Now 28 years later, the song is the gift that keeps giving as the multi-platform track remains a hit on the Billboard Holiday Hot 100 chart year after year —an impressive achievement considering the music industry and its constantly evolving culture.
A song that appeals across generations
Amongst many other qualities, the song’s upbeat tempo makes it stand out from other Christmas ballads such as “White Christmas“ or ”Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” according to CNN.
A 2016 Nielsen report revealed, “All I Want for Christmas” was the only song to make the top 5 holiday songs for radio airplay, streaming services, and song purchases, which proved the song’s appeal across generations.
Carey has been smart enough to market “All I Want for Christmas is You” by having an annual Christmas show tour and even a children’s book inspired by the classic hit. “It means so much to me to be able to sing the song with people all over the world, in countries where they don‘t even celebrate Christmas. It’s always like such a rush for me,” Carey said about her song in the Amazon Music mini-documentary.
