rockin around the christmas tree

The First No. 1 Single Of 2024 Is… A Christmas Song From 1958, Of Course

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Brenda Lee 1960
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Every week, Billboard unveils the top 10 songs on the latest Hot 100 chart. The most recent rankings, for the chart dated January 6, are out now, so let’s run down who had this week’s biggest hits.

10. The Ronettes — “Sleigh Ride”

The new chart covers the tracking week from December 22 to 28, and the chart that represents Christmas and Christmas Eve tends to be the most holiday-focused of the year. That’s certainly the case this week, as the only non-holiday song in the top 10 is…

9. Jack Harlow — “Lovin On Me”

Throughout the holiday onslaught, Harlow’s “Lovin On Me” has been the consistent non-Christmas beacon hanging on in the top 10, and it managed to stick around at No. 9 this week.

8. José Feliciano — “Feliz Navidad”

Feliciano’s 1970 favorite peaked at No. 6 during the 2020 holiday season, but its 2023/2024 high has fallen a bit short of that.

7. Dean Martin — “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!”

This is a new all-time peak for Martin’s rendition of “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!,” as last week’s placement at No. 8 matched its previous high.

6. Andy Williams — “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”

Williams now has the all-time record for the span between his first and latest week in the top 10 at 64 years and three months, as “Lonely Street” was first in the region in October 1959.

5. Burl Ives — “A Holly Jolly Christmas”

Spots No. 5 through 3 are the same this week as they were last time, starting with Ives’ holiday mainstay.

4. Wham! — “Last Christmas”

Wham! holds strong at No. 4, and this comes after “Last Christmas” become the Christmas No. 1 single in the UK for the first time ever.

3. Bobby Helms — “Jingle Bell Rock”

Helms hasn’t yet been able to crack the top 2 with his holiday hit, as two titans keep getting in his way.

2. Mariah Carey — “All I Want For Christmas Is You”

It’s usually the case that Carey has the first and final No. 1 single of the year as “All I Want For Christmas Is You” holds onto the top spot as the calendar rolls over, but not this time.

1. Brenda Lee — “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”

Carey was No. 1 last week, but after previously spending a couple weeks at No. 1 recently and falling down to No. 2, 1958’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” is back on top, making it the first No. 1 single of 2024.

Why did Lee and Carey swap spots? It looks like Lee’s song had more momentum than Carey’s. The two tracks had similar numbers in terms of airplay and sales, but “Rockin’ racked up 57.3 million streams (a 16-percent increase) vs. “All I Want” getting 54.8 million (up 13 percent). Carey’s airplay and sales numbers were actually both higher than Lee’s, but Carey had a bigger drop-off in airplay from last week to this one.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Brenda Lee Had Her Turn, But Now Mariah Carey’s Christmas Favorite Is Back To No. 1 On The Hot 100 Chart

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mariah carey
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Every Monday, Billboard unveils the top 10 songs on the latest Hot 100 chart. The most recent rankings, for the chart dated December 23, are out now, so let’s run down who had this week’s biggest hits.

10. Dean Martin — “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!”

The holiday music takeover is nearly complete as this Dean Martin classic rounds out this week’s top 10.

9. Tate McRae — “Greedy”

McRae’s hit is one of just two non-holiday songs remaining on the new Hot 100. This follows her appearance on The Tonight Show last week.

8. The Ronettes — “Sleigh Ride”

This is the first time in the top 10 this holiday season for The Ronettes as “Sleigh Ride” bounds from No. 14 last week to No. 8 now.

7. Andy Williams — “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”

Williams had a modest ascent this week, up from No. 8 to No. 7, with his 1963 Christmas hit.

6. Jack Harlow — “Lovin On Me”

Once again, Harlow interrupts the holiday party as “Lovin On Me” remains in the top 10 despite the holly jolly season. Speaking of…

5. Burl Ives — “A Holly Jolly Christmas”

“A Holly Jolly Christmas” rose to No. 5 this week, so it’s now just one spot away from its all-time high at No. 4.

4. Wham! — “Last Christmas”

“Last Christmas,” meanwhile, holds steady at No. 4, a spot that represents its Hot 100 peak.

3. Bobby Helms — “Jingle Bell Rock”

Bobby Helms’ tune is also at its all-time high at No. 3, as there are two massive Christmas classics that keep getting in its way.

2. Brenda Lee — “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”

This has been a historic holiday season for Brenda Lee, who managed to hold off Mariah Carey’s timeless hit from reaching No. 1 for two chart-topping weeks. The tides have turned now, though.

1. Mariah Carey — “All I Want For Christmas Is You”

After Lee’s temporary roadblock, Carey is back at No. 1 for a fifth consecutive holiday season, although this means the two have combined for a joint record: This is the first time two holiday songs have been No. 1 in a single holiday season. This is the 13th total week at No. 1 for “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The No. 1 Single In The Country Right Now Is A Christmas Song From 1958

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Brenda Lee 2023
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Every Monday, Billboard unveils the top 10 songs on the latest Hot 100 chart. The most recent rankings, for the chart dated December 9, are out now, so let’s run down who had this week’s biggest hits.

10. Andy Williams — “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”

A couple Christmas songs made it onto last week’s Hot 100, but now that Thanksgiving is behind us, they’re out in force. Six of this week’s top 10 songs are vintage holiday tunes, including this Andy Williams classic from 1963.

9. SZA — “Snooze”

After peaking at No. 2 previously, “Snooze” is just barely hanging around the top 10, but it’s still No. 1 on the Hot R&B Songs chart for an 18th week.

8. Doja Cat — “Paint The Town Red”

While Doja’s hit fell down from No. 3 last week, it’s No. 1 on the latest Radio Songs chart for the first time this week.

7. Taylor Swift — “Cruel Summer”

We’re heading into winter and a summer song is still sticking around, although it’s down significantly from last week’s rank at No. 2.

6. Burl Ives — “A Holly Jolly Christmas”

The ’50s and ’60s appear to be the golden age for Christmas music, as this 1964 Burl Ives tune is routinely an end-of-year favorite and rose from No. 16 to enter the top 10 this week.

5. Wham! — “Last Christmas”

Some newer (not “new,” but “newer”) holiday tunes have some gas this week, too, as Wham’s 1984 classic “Last Christmas” is in the middle of the pack of this week’s top 10.

4. Bobby Helms — “Jingle Bell Rock”

Presenting the oldest song in this week’s top 10: Helms’ recording of “Jingle Bell Rock” was originally released all the way back in 1957.

3. Jack Harlow — “Lovin On Me”

“Lovin On Me” became Harlow’s third No. 1 single last week, but it couldn’t hold off two titanic holiday tracks as it slides down to No. 3.

2. Mariah Carey — “All I Want For Christmas Is You”

Carey’s iconic Christmas tune is usually the one leading the post-Thanksgiving charge, but there’s a new sheriff in town this week.

1. Brenda Lee — “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”

When Brenda Lee released “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” in November 1958, she probably never imagined that it would be the No. 1 song in the country a whopping 65 years later. Now, though, a song that’s nearly as old as the Hot 100 chart itself (the chart launched in August 1958) has gone No. 1 here in 2023.

The song was previously a regular “All I Want For Christmas Is You” sidekick in the holiday music resurgence: It spent nine weeks at No. 2 on the Hot 100 between December 2019 and the 2022-2023 holiday season. In fact, now that the track has risen to No. 1, it has tied the record for most weeks at No. 2 before ascending to No. 1, a record it shares with Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy.” (Also like Eilish, Lee started her music career as a child star: She recorded “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” when she was only 13 years old.)

“Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” is now just the third holiday song to ever go No. 1, after Carey’s hit and “The Chipmunk Song” by The Chipmunks with David Seville. The song is also Lee’s third career chart-topper, following “I’m Sorry” and “I Want To Be Wanted,” both in 1960. Furthermore, at 78 years old, Lee is now the senior-most artist with a No. 1 single of all time, beating the record previously held by Louis Armstrong, who was 62 when “Hello, Dolly!” topped the chart in 1964.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

When Did ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’ Come Out?

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Brenda Lee isn’t a name younger music fans may be familiar with, but thanks to TikTok’s trending sounds, they certainly know her breakout smash “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.”

When did Brenda Lee release “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree?”

The track, which was written by Johnny Marks, was originally recorded on October 19, 1958, when Lee was just 13. However, it wasn’t released in the United States until November 24. In December 1962, the song was promoted in the United Kingdom. Since the song is a bop that keeps giving, on November 3, 2023, Lee, now 78, shared the official video for the staple song.

During an interview with Billboard, Lee spoke about the record’s longevity. “It’s crazy to be shopping in a department store and hearing yourself sing at the same time. It’s pretty surreal,” she said. Not that she’s complaining: “It’s just been a wonderful, wonderful gift.”

Later in the conversation, Lee joked about Mariah Carey dethroning her as the top holiday song with “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” “She’s knocked me off [the top],” she said. “I wanna tell my folks, get out there. We gotta get ‘Rockin” back up there! But I will say, you go, Mariah! I love that song.”

Watch the official video for Brenda Lee’s song “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” above.