When it was first released in 1994, it made a mere ripple – but 30 years on, it is a track that reigns supreme over the holiday season. What is the secret of its success? There are now three things that are certain in life: taxes, death and that every December Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas is You will be inescapable. Whether you're in a shopping mall or at an office party, whether you're listening to the radio or a holiday streaming playlist, you know the festive season has begun when you hear the first notes of Carey's classic song.
Released 30 years ago, All I Want for Christmas is You has jingled its way into the pantheon of yuletide standards alongside Blue Christmas, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, and It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. The track was a relatively modest hit when it first came out in 1994, hitting number 12 on Billboard's all-genre Radio Songs tally in the United States and number two in the United Kingdom (blocked by East 17's Stay Another Day) and Japan. That should have been the end of the story.
But All I Want for Christmas is You kept coming back stronger and more popular each holiday season. The song has now topped the charts in over 25 countries including the US and the UK, and was officially crowned the greatest holiday song of all time based on commercial performance by Billboard in 2023. The success and cultural staying power of All I Want for Christmas is You is staggering.
Which raises the question: Why (and how) did Care.
