Showing posts with label All I Want for Christmas Is You. Show all posts

Saturday, December 9, 2023

“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” hit #1 – 65 years after it was released

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree

Brenda Lee

Writer(s): Johnny Marks (see lyrics here)

Released: November 24, 1958

First Charted: December 11, 1958

Peak: 1¹ BB, 1¹ ST, 16 AC, 62 CW, 4 UK, 1¹ CN, 2 AU, 2 DF (Click for codes to charts.)

Sales (in millions): 5.0 US, 1.8 UK, 25.0 world (includes US + UK)

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 76.4 video, 945.48 streaming

Awards:

Click on award for more details.

About the Song:

Brenda Lee was only 12 years old when she first charted with “One Step at a Time,” which peaked at #43 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1957. The next year, she released “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” but it didn’t catch on until 1960 when she topped the charts with I’m Sorry” and “I Want to Be Wanted.” Then the song peaked at #14. However, it became a perennial Christmas classic, selling ore than 25 million copies worldwide by 2008. ^WK

When Billboard changed its charting policies in 2014, the song started annually re-charting, reaching #2 during the 2019 holiday season. For the next three years, the song would reach the runner-up position behind Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” racking up a total of nine weeks at #2.

In 2023, the song accomplished its most remarkable feat of all – 65 years after its first release, it topped the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending December 9, setting the record for the longest time between a song’s release and hitting #1. ^WK She also set the record for the longest period between #1 singles (63 years). ^WK At 78 years old, she was also the oldest artist to ever top the Hot 100. ^WK It’s only the third Christmas song to top the Hot 100 after 1958’s “The Chipmunk Song” by David Seville & the Chipmunks and Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas.” ^SF

The rockabilly song about “a yuletide dance party” ^SF was written by Johnny Marks, who was no stranger to Christmas classics, having previously penned “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas.” He specifically wanted Lee to sing it, although she said she had no idea why. ^WK He told Lee he was inspired by seeing pine trees swaying in the wind on a beach in New York. ^SF She recorded the song in July with famed producer Owen Bradley. She said, “He had the studio all freezing cold with the air conditioning and he had a Christmas tree all set up to kind of get in the mood.” ^SF

Resources:

DMDB encyclopedia entry for Brenda Lee
^SF Songfacts
^WK Wikipedia

First posted 12/6/2023.

Thursday, January 12, 2023

Billboard: Streaming, 2013-present

Billboard’s Biggest Streaming Hits:

2013-present

Billboard magazine started its streaming chart on January 19, 2013 to track the biggest hits as played on streaming services such as Spotify or YouTube. This list focuses on the biggest hits on that chart based on weeks at #1. All songs to spend three weeks or more on top are included here. Ties are broken by songs’ overall Dave’s Music Database points.

See other chart-based lists here and specific Billboard lists here.

20 weeks:

Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road” (2018)
18 weeks:
Mariah Carey “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (1994)
16 weeks:
Luis Fonsi with Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber “Despacito” (2017)
14 weeks:
Iggy Azalea with Charli XCX “Fancy” (2014)
Post Malone with 21 Savage “Rockstar” (2017)
Desiigner “Panda” (2015)
13 weeks:
Miley Cyrus “Wrecking Ball” (2013)
Roddy Ricch “The Box” (2019)
Encanto Cast “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” (2021)
12 weeks:
Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!” (2014)
The Chainsmokers with Halsey “Closer” (2016)
11 weeks:
Drake “God’s Plan” (2018)
Miley Cyrus “We Can’t Stop” (2013)
10 weeks:
Meghan Trainor “All About That Bass” (2014)
Silentó “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” (2015)
DaBaby with Roddy Ricch “Rockstar” (2020)
Migos with Lil Uzi Vert “Bad and Boujee” (2016)
Cardi B with Megan Thee Stallion “WAP” (2020)
8 weeks:
Wiz Khalifa with Charlie Puth “See You Again” (2015)
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Wanz “Thrift Shop” (2012)
Justin Bieber “Sorry” (2015)
Rihanna with Drake “Work” (2016)
Drake “In My Feelings” (2018)
Ariana Grande “7 Rings” (2019)
Bauuer “Harlem Shake” (2013)
Olivia Rodrigo “Good 4 U” (2021)
7 weeks:
Adele “Hello” (2015)
Taylor Swift “Blank Space” (2014)
Katy Perry with Juicy J “Dark Horse” (2013)
Ariana Grande “Thank U, Next” (2018)
Rae Sremmurd with Gucci Mane “Black Beatles” (2016)
Fetty Wap “Trap Queen” (2014)
Lil Tecca “Ran$om” (2019)
6 weeks:
Psy “Gangnam Style” (2012)
Kid Laroi with Justin Bieber “Stay” (2020)
5 weeks:
Adele “Easy on Me” (2021)
Drake with Future & Young Thug “Way 2 Sexy” (2021)
Steve Lacy “Bad Habit” (2022)
4 weeks:
Ed Sheeran “Shape of You” (2017)
Pharrell Williams “Happy” (2013)
The Weeknd “The Hills” (2015)
Kendrick Lamar “Humble” (2017)
Drake “Nice for What” (2018)
Olivia Rodrigo “Drivers License” (2021)
Beyoncé with Jay-Z “Drunk in Love” (2013)
Polo G “Rapstar” (2021)
Future with Drake & Tems “Wait for U” (2022)
Sam Smith with Kim Petras “Unholy” (2022)
3 weeks:
Kate Bush “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” (1985)
Post Malone with Swae Lee “Sunflower” (2018)
Childish Gambino “This Is America” (2018)
Major Lazer with Justin Bieber & MØ “Cold Water” (2016)
Nicki Minaj “Anaconda” (2014)
Kodak Black with Travis Scott “Zeze” (2018)
Drake “Toosie Slide” (2020)
Travis Scott “Highest in the Room” (2019)
Jack Harlow “First Class” (2022)
Drake & 21 Savage “Rich Flex” (2022)

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database “Other Best-of Billboard lists”
Dave’s Music Database: “Other Chart-Based Lists”
Dave’s Music Database: “USA: #1 Pop Songs, 1890-present”

First posted 9/8/2021; last updated 1/12/2023.

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Mariah Carey “All I Want for Christmas Is You” hit #1 – 25 years after release