Holiday songs claimed the top 24 spots on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week dated January 3, surpassing the previous record of 16. This surge reflects the enduring appeal of classic Christmas tunes by artists like Mariah Carey and Bing Crosby. Streaming playlists and nostalgia drive the dominance of older tracks over new releases.
The 2025 holiday season marked a peak for Christmas music on Billboard charts, with seasonal hits occupying 46 of the top 50 positions on the Hot 100. The tracking week ending on Christmas Day amplified this trend, but executives attribute the boom to playlist-driven streaming. Iconic older songs lead the pack: Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" held No. 1, followed by Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" at No. 2 and Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock" at No. 3.
This stability echoes past years. In 2018, the top five included Carey's hit, Helms', Andy Williams' "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," Lee's track, and Burl Ives' "A Holly Jolly Christmas." Seven years on, the January 3 chart showed similar rankings, with Williams at No. 9 and Ives at No. 12. Carey's song, released in 1994, has topped the Hot 100 for a record 22 weeks since 2019, underscoring its evergreen status.
Bing Crosby emerged as the most prominent artist with three top-50 entries: his 1947 "White Christmas" at No. 16, "Mele Kalikimaka (Merry Christmas)" at No. 49, and "I'll Be Home for Christmas" at No. 50. Other veterans like Nat King Cole ("The Christmas Song" at No. 6), Dean Martin ("Let It Snow!" at No. 7), and Gene Autry ("Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" at No. 30) also featured prominently. Newer exceptions include Ariana Grande's 2014 "Santa Tell Me" at No. 4 and Kelly Clarkson's 2013 "Underneath the Tree" at No. 8.
On the Billboard 200, Crosby's collection ranked No. 2, with Michael Bublé's Christmas album at No. 3 and Carey's Merry Christmas at No. 8. The Global 200 mirrored the Hot 100's top five but placed Wham!'s "Last Christmas" at No. 1. Notably, nearly all tracks on the international chart were in English, highlighting holiday music's unifying appeal across audiences.
