HOLLYWOOD—Right after Halloween, everyone began playing Christmas songs on the radio. Just like Christmas decorations, everyone these days starts right after Halloween they skip right over Thanksgiving. Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You,” has always been no. 1 on the Billboard charts. Carey, 54, has always said that song took 15 minutes to compose.
According to published reports, the singer receives anywhere from $600,000 to $1 million, every December from just this hit alone. The song has grossed over $60 million, averaging $2.6 million per year. The song was penned when she was 24, in 1994. The song has been a staple in Christmas music. Just from streaming alone, Carey could be making close to $2 million every year. Not too many people have CDs anymore, since the new cars don’t have CD players. Seriously, no one has CDs anymore, unless it’s just for music collectors.
Mariah Carey currently has competition with Brenda Lee. Yes, Brenda Lee, who’s classic “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” leads for the first time since 1960. Can you believe, 65 years after its release, Lee, adds her third no. 1 hit and her first since 1960. The song drew 34.9 million streams and 20.7 million airplay audience. Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” was originally recorded and released in 1958.
Written by Johnny Marks and produced by Owen Bradley, it first hit the Hot 100 at no. 64 dated December 12, 1960, after Lee had noticed her first four top 10s that year and reached an original no. 14 peak two weeks later. The song went on to no. 2 on the Hot 100 between December 2019 and last holiday season. For its 65th anniversary, Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” received its first official video, featuring cameos from country stars Tanya Tucker and Trisha Yearwood, November 3. Brenda Lee is set to perform it on NBC’s Christmas at the Opry, airing December 7. Lee who has turned to my favorite platform TikTok, has been sharing posts about the song and her career.
It has been the longest wait from a song’s release, 65 years, to be hitting no. 1 on the Hot 100. It surpasses the 25-year gap between the release of Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You,” in 1994 and its rise to No.1 in 2019. Lee’s single breaks the record for longest climb to no. 1 on the Hot 100 from a song’s debut on the chart. As it entered the December 12, 1960 dated list and leads the December 9, 2023 dated raking, it rules at last three days shy of 63 years later.
So yes, it is on top of “All I Want for Christmas is You.” Lee,78, is turning 79 years young on December 11. She becomes the senior-most artist to top the chart, surpassing Louis Armstrong, who was 62 when “Hello Dolly,” led in 1964. Brenda Lee, passes Cher, who was 52 when “Believe” ruled the Hot 100. Hard to believe Lee was just 13 years old, when she recorded “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”
Cher, who has performed with her holiday hit “DJ Play a Christmas Song” at Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, and New York’s Tree Lighting at Rockefeller Center, is a hit! Wham’s “Last Christmas” jingles 13-5, led by 26.9 million streams. Everyone is getting ready for Christmas, but paying over $300 for a real tree is a bit much. Can’t believe the trees are so expensive this year. Yes, the joy and fresh smelling pine brings the awesome aroma to your home. However, a 9-foot Frazer fir for over $300 is very expensive.
Farmers are blaming it on the Canada wildfires, as a giant part of the Christmas tree inventory went up in flames. They are somewhat scarce and more expensive this year, scaling production costs and tight supplies. Yes, and a lot of farmers have retired and as we know, their children don’t want to work the farms. If you are looking for a tree under $100 try, Home Depot. They have trees 6-7 foot for less than $100.
Rose’s Scoop: Let’s not forget the Christmas songs for preschoolers, “Jingle Bells,” and “Frosty the Snowman” are all wonderful songs for our children.
