Every year, Mariah Carey’s 1994 song “All I Want For Christmas Is You” reliably returns to its #1 spot on the Hot 100. It is part of the flood of holiday music that dominates the Hot 100 for six weeks (or more) every year. Most of the other Christmas songs that fill the chart predate “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” usually by many years. This year, however, Stereogum reports that there are two different Christmas songs in the top 10 – which marks this the first time this century that post-Mariah Christmas music has charted that high.
Most of the Christmas songs on this week’s Hot 100 are mid-century holiday staples: Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock,” Burl Ives’ “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time Of The Year” and Dean Martin’s “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” In that context, “Last Christmas” by Wham!, currently the #3 song in America, feels cutting-edge and original. But Billboard reports that this week’s top 10 features two songs: Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” and Kelly Clarkson’s “Underneath the Tree,” both of which were released in the 21st century–an encouraging sign that it is possible to create a new Christmas standard in this day and age.
It should be noted that neither of these songs are considered new. Both are more than a decade old. Grande released “Santa Tell Me,” this week’s #9 song, in 2014. “Underneath the Tree,” which is this week’s #10 song, came out in 2013; it is now Clarkson’s first top-10 hit since 2016. Much like “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” both of these songs riff on the style of the Motown and Phil Spector Christmas songs of the 1960s. Not to mention both Grande and Clarkson remain hugely famous, which probably helps – along with Grande’s new live version of “Santa Tell Me.” Both songs peaked at number 11 last year.
This may not seem pertinent to the average music listener, but it at least indicates that holiday playlists are getting shaken up a little bit. Before this, the most recent holiday song to crack the top 10 was Kenny G’s version of “Auld Lang Syne,” a #7 hit in 1999. It’s probably also good news for Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande’s 2022 duet “Santa, Can’t You Hear Me,” which has yet to get past #76 on the Hot 100.
The only non-Christmas song in this week’s top 10 is Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With A Smile,” still holding at #6.
Grande is celebrating the release of Wicked, in theaters now; the original movie score is out now as well.