Chart Commentary — JANUARY 3, 2026

HOLIDAY FINALE

CAREY’S “CHRISTMAS” WRAPPING

Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” shines atop the Billboard Hot 100’s highest bough for a record-extending 22nd week, leading a record parade of holiday hits from the top of the chart on down. 

Three weeks earlier, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” returned to No. 1 on the Hot 100 to rule in a record-extending seventh holiday season. It was released on Carey’s album Merry Christmas in November 1994 and, as streaming grew and holiday music became more prominent on streaming services’ playlists, it first hit the top 10 in December 2017 and the top five in the 2018 holiday season. It led at last, prior to its four weeks this season, over the holidays in 2019 (for three weeks), 2020 (two), 2021 (three), 2022 (four), 2023 (two) and 2024 (four). (Older holiday songs are eligible to appear on the chart each season.)

With the latest Hot 100 dated Jan. 3, 2026, Carey has now placed at No. 1 in a record-extending 22 distinct years (per chart dates), encompassing her 19 leaders: 1990-2000, 2005-06, 2008 and, thanks to “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” 2019-26.  That’s more than double the totals of, next up, five acts that have each spent time atop the Hot 100 in 10 individual years:

• Paul McCartney/Wings (1971, 1973-76, 1978, 1980, 1982-84; additionally, The Beatles, with him as a member, led in seven years: 1964-70)
• Beyoncé (2003, 2006-09, 2017-18, 2020, 2022, 2024; plus, Destiny’s Child, with her as a member, ruled in three years: 1999-2001)
• Michael Jackson (1972, 1979-80, 1983-84, 1987-88, 1991-92, 1995; also, The Jackson 5, with him in the group, led in 1970)
• Taylor Swift (2012, 2014-15, 2017, 2020-25)
• Madonna (1984-87, 1989-92, 1995, 2000)

Here’s a recap of the seven longest-leading No. 1s dating to the Hot 100’s Aug. 4, 1958, start. Carey is the only artist with two entries on the elite list. (All seven songs have led since the chart adopted electronically monitored Luminate data in November 1991, with longer commands, and stays on the chart, subsequently more common.)

• 22 weeks, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey, 2019-26
• 19, “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Shaboozey, 2024
• 19, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus, 2019
• 16, “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen, 2023
• 16, “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber, 2017
• 16, “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, 1995-96
• 15, “As It Was,” Harry Styles, 2022

Plus, Carey tallies her record-extending 101st week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, across all her leaders. Rihanna ranks second with 60 weeks in command, followed by The Beatles with 59.

“All I Want for Christmas Is You” also spends a 79th week on the Hot 100 overall, padding its record as the longest-charting hit by a female artist.

THE FESTIVE 24

Seasonal songs claim the top 24 positions on the survey, surging past the prior mark of carols taking Nos. 1-16 a year ago this week (on the chart dated Jan. 4, 2025).  Here’s a rundown of the holiday songs holding the Hot 100’s fully festive top 24 spots:

• No. 1, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey (No. 1 last week)
• No. 2, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” Brenda Lee (3)
• No. 3, “Jingle Bell Rock,” Bobby Helms (2)
• No. 4, “Last Christmas,” Wham! (4)
• No. 5, “Santa Tell Me,” Ariana Grande (5)
• No. 6, “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You),” Nat “King” Cole (6)
• No. 7, “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!,” Dean Martin (8)
• No. 8, “Underneath the Tree,” Kelly Clarkson (7)
• No. 9, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” Andy Williams (9)
• No. 10, “Sleigh Ride,” The Ronettes (12)
• No. 11, “Feliz Navidad,” José Feliciano (14)
• No. 12, “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” Burl Ives (16)
• No. 13, “It’s Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas,” Michael Bublé (13)
• No. 14 (new high), “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” Darlene Love (17)
• No. 15, “Run Rudolph Run,” Chuck Berry (19)
• No. 16, “White Christmas (1947),” Bing Crosby with Ken Darby Singers & John Scott Trotter & His Orchestra (20)
• No. 17, “Jingle Bells,” Frank Sinatra with the Orchestra & Chorus of Gordon Jenkins (21)
• No. 18, “It’s Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas,” Perry Como and The Fontane Sisters with Mitchell Ayres and His Orchestra (23)
• No. 19 (new high), “Santa Baby,” Eartha Kitt with Henri Rene and His Orchestra (24)
• No. 20, “Deck the Halls,” Nat King Cole (25)
• No. 21, “Blue Christmas,” Elvis Presley (27)
• No. 22, “Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane),” Gene Autry (28)
• No. 23 (new high), “Christmastime Is Here,” Vince Guaraldi Trio (36)
• No. 24, “Please Come Home for Christmas,” Eagles (33)

Notably, the late Andy Williams furthers his record span of appearing in the Hot 100’s top 10 to 66 years, two months and three weeks, dating to his first week in the tier with “Lonely Street” in October 1959. The Ronettes’ span in the region expands to 62 years, three months and one week, the longest among groups, stretching back to “Be My Baby” in September 1963.

The Vince Guaraldi Trio moves to within one spot of its highest Hot 100 rank, after “Cast Your Fate to the Wind” reached No. 22 in 1963.

Plus, with “Please Come Home for Christmas,” which hit No. 18 over the 1978 holidays, the Eagles fly highest since the Hot 100 dated Feb. 14, 1981, when “Seven Bridges Road” was at its No. 21 peak.

SILVER & “GOLDEN”

The highest-charting non-holiday hit on the Hot 100 this week? HUNTR/X’s “Golden,” from Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters, falls 11-25, after eight weeks at No. 1 beginning in August. 

HIGH VOLATILITY

Next week, expect a seismic shift as 35 secular hits come roaring back into the Top 40 while the holiday songs are taken down and boxed away for another year.  Expect some of these songs to either re-enter or gain new peaks.  And with the new chart methodology that began in mid-October, let’s hope the charts are more active in 2026!

Jarrett Nolan

I was born a poor Black child into a family that put the “fun” in dysfunction. But through that fun, there was A LOT of music. At a very young age, my parents introduced me to everything ranging from Doo Wop to the British Invasion to Motown to Philly Soul to Psychedlic Rock to Funk.

Since I’m a Jersey boy born-n-bred, I landed a job at WHTZ (Z100) as a producer. I gave the DJs info about artists to read on-air – most of mine were chart-related, naturally.

I did double duty at WSBG, a small market radio station in the Poconos, as a DJ because I have a face for radio.

Through a random twist of fate, I wound up at BMG Distribution in Times Square. Shortly after, I ended up at Arista (shouldn’t have done that!). My career in the music industry ended with a stint at being a personal assistant to alterna-rap act PM Dawn.

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