Although Mariah Carey's Christmas hit “All I Want For Christmas Is You” premiered 30 years ago, it hit the charts again before Christmas 2024. What is the phenomenon of this song?
In 2024, the song from Mariah Carey's 1994 album “Merry Christmas” appeared on the US Billboard Hot 100 charts for the sixth time in a row. On December 13, Spotify announced that “All I Want For Christmas Is You” is the first Christmas song a song that has exceeded 2 billion plays on the website. In April 2023, the piece was added to the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry, which contains recordings of cultural and historical significance to the United States. What is it about the song “All I Want For Christmas Is You” that has made it a Christmas anthem for three decades, and its popularity is only growing? Sky News decided to take a closer look at what lies behind her secret.
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” – why we love this song
According to music journalist Nate Sloan, “its success lies in its timelessness.” – Even though the album was recorded in the 1990s, its sound could be found in many eras of American popular music – he argues in Sky News. – Since the 1960s, few songs have been able to penetrate the annual “holiday canon” – he adds.
Dr. Jan Butler, a lecturer in popular music at Oxford Brookes University, points to the structure of the song – “a long, slower introduction in which we feel that something exciting is going to happen, which we also feel while waiting for Christmas.” And then, as the song picks up pace, it's “like a burst of excitement like when Christmas comes.”
Gary Trust, director of charts and data operations at Billboard magazine, notes on Sky News that a combination of classics and modern sounds is always “a good recipe for a hit.” Moreover, it is a topic close to the listener, because the song is not only about Christmas, but also about longing and love. However, as the website reminds, the song from 1994 did not immediately become such a success. For example, it took as long as 25 years to reach number one on the charts in the United States. Azzedine Fall, music director of the Deezer streaming application, said in an interview with Sky News that the song was greatly helped by the development of technology. “It's a lot easier to find her now than it used to be,” he said.
A holiday anthem for decades
Sky News notes that Carey skillfully manages the marketing of the song. It releases updated versions of it (including this year's 30th anniversary edition), licenses it for use in films – such as the 2003 romantic comedy “Love Actually” – and even launches its own line of holiday decorations.
Azzedine Fall said that Mariah Carey's song is so closely associated with the holiday that it will remain their anthem for decades to come. – In another 20-30 years, maybe even 50, Mariah Carey will still be associated with Christmas. In 2022, Walter Afanasieff, the co-writer and co-producer of the song, mentioned in an interview for Deadline that “All I Want For Christmas Is You” was created in just 15 minutes at Carey's home. “I started playing boogie-woogie, something like rock. Mariah joined in and started singing: I don't want a lot for Christmas,” he said. Afanasieff added that Carey came up with the lyrics and melody, while he composed “all the music.”
SEE ALSO: “My heart broke.” Mariah Carey's mother and sister died on the same day
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