Image Source: Wikimedia Commons // Library of Congress Life, CC0
December, the month when Christmas blossoms everywhere and we are all enveloped in that festive spirit that brings so much joy. It is also the time when we hear carols and classic Christmas songs. And, of course, it is Mariah Carey’s period.
This artist earns approximately three million dollars each year thanks to “All I Want for Christmas Is You”, according to The Economist. And this shouldn’t surprise us, since this song is now a Christmas anthem. What’s more, Mariah Carey herself has become a holiday icon and a pop culture reference point.
However, this wasn’t always the case. “All I Want for Christmas Is You” was released in 1994, as part of a Christmas album—Merry Christmas—recorded by the singer. At that point in her life, the artist wasn’t entirely sure about recording such an album, as she was still young and had other projects that appealed to her more. But her then-record executive and husband, Tommy Mottola, was the one who controlled her career and decreed that the singer would record a Christmas album. So, that is exactly what she did, and this is how the acclaimed song we all know and have heard more than once, twice, or even a thousand times in our lives was born. “I’m not one to be giving all sorts of credit to record company executives, but I do think it turned out to be a brilliant business move“, Mariah told The New York Times years later.
While this album was very well received when it was released, the famous song wasn’t yet so famous. This was due to industry rules at the time and the technological evolution that would later propel it to the top. Back then, appearing on the Billboard Hot 100 required more specific conditions, as it needed to have a commercially available physical single. This wasn’t part of the record label’s plan, as they wanted it to be recognized as part of the album. So, despite receiving considerable radio airplay, it couldn’t go any further.
It wasn’t until the early 2000s that the rules changed. Starting in 2010, Billboard included streaming and digital sales in its Hot 100, and even older songs could re-enter the chart. This led to “All I Want for Christmas Is You” entering the Hot 100 in the early 2000s, and finally reaching #1 in 2019.
The song had a long and winding road to achieve its current recognition, but this wasn’t solely due to industry changes. Digital media, and especially social media, played a significant role. Mariah Carey has adapted to all these changes with absolute skill, demonstrating that she deserves to be heard not only for her vibrant voice and mastery of melismas, but also for her charismatic personality and great sense of humor.
Although we could say she belongs to a completely different generation, given that she is now 56 years old, we cannot deny her adaptability and her presence on social media and other digital platforms. The marketing campaign was one of her decisive moves that helped position the song at #1. Before this phenomenon, Mariah Carey had 18 #1 hits, placing her just behind The Beatles. Years passed before conditions allowed her to see another opportunity to reach number one, and she went all out through various Christmas performances, interviews, physical single releases, and so forth.
However, her most notable move over the years has been her annual “IT’S TIME!” video. This has escalated each year, marking the start of Christmas every November 1st. It typically shows Mariah Carey dressed in a Halloween costume on the night of October 31st, with a dramatic transformation at midnight as November begins. That is when it’s time for Christmas, and of course, it’s time to hear “All I Want for Christmas Is You” everywhere.
To all of this has been added the role of internet and social media users themselves, who have made the song go viral through memes like the famous image of Mariah Carey defrosting in a melting bucket of ice. You have surely seen this image, and you will probably see it earlier each time, because at the slightest sign of cooler temperatures after summer, Carey is back on our screens to remind us that Christmas is coming.
In this era, we should be grateful for all the changes in the music industry and the nostalgia that permeates Christmas with classic songs for having gifted us a modern classic that we can recognize from the very first piano notes. A song that, despite the attempts of other pop artists of the moment like Justin Bieber or Ariana Grande to surpass it, remains firmly at the #1 every December. Although, if you are tired of seeing Mariah Carey here, there and everywhere, then I pity you, because she has established herself as a clear symbol of our festive identity and she is here to stay.
