We’re still in the first third of December, but that’s not stopping holiday titles from taking over Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart weeks before Christmas itself.
On the Streaming Songs list dated Dec. 12, the 50-position chart is over 50% holiday, with 26 songs dotting the tally. Comparably, at the same point in 2015 (chart dated Dec. 12, 2015), a whopping zero holiday songs were on the chart.
Leading the way: Mariah Carey’s seminal holiday favorite “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which zooms 7-1 with 26.4 million U.S. streams, up 50%, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. It’s Carey’s sixth week at No. 1 with the song; it first reached the top of the list dated Jan. 5, 2019, followed by four weeks over the holiday season in 2019-2020.
Six of the chart’s top 10 is made up of holiday songs, too, with “All I Want for Christmas Is You” followed by Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (No. 3, 24.2 million), Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” (No. 4, 20.1 million), Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” (No. 5, 18.9 million), Dean Martin’s “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow” (No. 8, 17.8 million) and The Ronettes’ “Sleigh Ride” (No. 9, 17.4 million). The latter in particular reaches the top 10 for the first time.
Additionally, one Christmas title reaches Streaming Songs for the first time: Bing Crosby & The Andrew Sisters’ “Mele Kalikimaka (Merry Christmas)” at No. 41 (11.6 million streams).
Comparatively, on the Dec. 12, 2019, tally, Streaming Songs was comprised of 16 holiday titles. Going back further, in 2018 at the same point, there were 11 (Dec. 15, 2018 chart), 2017: two (Dec. 16, 2017), 2016: one (Dec. 17, 2016) and 2015: zero (Dec. 12, 2015).
The all-time record for most holiday songs on Streaming Songs at one time came earlier this year, when 31 entries reached the list dated Jan. 4, 2020.
