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\n\tThis Billboard<\/em> Explains<\/em> episode dives into how Mariah Carey and Brenda Lee compete for No. 1 on the Hot 100 with their Christmas classics \u201cAll I Want for Christmas Is You\u201d and \u201cRockin\u2019 Around the Christmas Tree,\u201d respectively, during the holiday season.<\/p>\n \n\tTetris Kelly: \n\tThere are many holiday classics that are in rotation every December \u2014 Wham\u2019s \u201cLast Christmas,\u201d Bobby Helms\u2019 \u201cJingle Bell Rock\u201d and Burl Ives\u2019 \u201cA Holly Jolly Christmas,\u201d just to name a few. But two songs are always fighting for the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100: Mariah Carey\u2019s \u201cAll I want for Christmas Is You\u201d and Brenda Lee\u2019s \u201cRockin\u2019 Around the Christmas Tree.\u201d So how did we get here? Let\u2019s go back to the beginning. <\/p>\n \n\tNearly 14 year old, Brenda Lee released \u201cRockin\u2019 Around the Christmas Tree\u201d in 1958, and it debuted on the Hot 100 dated Dec. 12, 1960. The song originally peaked at No. 14 two weeks later, but it re-entered the Hot 100 decades later during the 2013-2014 holiday season. It first hit the top 10 during the 2018-2019 holiday, and spent nine weeks at No. 2 during the 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 holidays, right behind Mariah Carey\u2019s \u201cAll I Want for Christmas Is You.\u201d <\/p>\n \n\tSpeaking of Mariah, \u201cAll I Want for Christmas Is You\u201d first appeared on the Billboard<\/em> charts in 1994, and it hit the Hot 100\u2019s top 10 for the first time in December 2017. It reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 for the first time in 2019, and has continued to dominate every holiday season since then, but that all changed in 2023 when Brenda\u2019s \u201cRockin\u2019 Around the Christmas Tree\u201d finally reached the No. 1 spot and spent three weeks at the top, while Mariah\u2019s carol led for two weeks last holiday season. <\/p>\n \n\tBut what is it about these two songs that keeps the battle going every Christmas? With the rise of streaming and curated holiday playlists, these two tracks are always staples on those lists, which helps bring them back to the chart every year. Plus, radio airplay and sales are always strong for both songs, among many other seasonal standards over the holidays. <\/p>\n \n\tBut the stars play into the fun, too. Mariah has her viral \u201cIt\u2019s Time\u201d videos, while Brenda filmed a music video for her classic hit last year, and even joined the world of TikTok to promote the song. <\/p>\n \n\tRegardless of why these two songs are the songs of the holiday season, we can\u2019t get enough of these two Christmas queens.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
It\u2019s the battle between the Christmas queens Mariah versus Brenda. Every holiday season, Mariah Carey and Brenda Lee battle it out for the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, but how did these two Christmas classics become the top song? And what\u2019s the story behind this holiday competition? This is Billboard Explains: Mariah Carey and Brenda Lee\u2019s Battle for the Christmas Throne<\/em>.<\/p>\n