Bing Crosby's all-time best-selling single[4] "White Christmas" returned to the Top 40 again in 1957 at No. 34. It has charted Billboard's surveys almost annually since it first spent 11 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on their Best Selling Retail Records chart beginning Oct. 31, 1942[5] It reached the top spot again in 1945 for two more weeks and made its 14th #1 week on December 28, 1946.[6] Crosby's "Silent Night" (Top 100 Sides #54) and "Silver Bells" (Top 100 Sides #78) also made the Top 100 Sides in 1957. All 3 of these titles are included on his Merry Christmas which returned to No. 1 in January 1958 after charting Billboard's album surveys since its debut in 1945.
Top 10 charting Christmas singles 1940-1957
The "Billboard Music Popularity Chart" began weekly publication in their July 27, 1940 issue, with lists covering jukebox play, radio play, record sales and sheet music sales. The following are the most popular Christmas holiday singles that charted prior to 1958 according to those surveys.[7]
On November 24, 1958, the magazine published Deejay's Favorite Christmas Disks. Described as the records played most frequently by disk jockeys each Christmas season, according to a survey made by The Billboard, the section consisted of 3 top 10 lists charting the top Holiday Singles, LP Albums and for the only time on Billboard's Christmas/Holiday surveys, EP Albums. Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" was the No. 1 single, Percy Faith's 1954 Music of Christmas[42] was the No. 1 LP and Pat Boone's 1957 Merry Christmas[43] was the No. 1 EP.[44] A Holiday survey would not be published again until the annual Christmas Records section is launched in 1963.
The 1960 Hot 100 had 10 holiday singles including the debut of an annual charting of Brenda Lee's standard "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (Hot 100 #14)[49] and the return of Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)" (Deejay's Favorite Christmas Disks #2, Hot 100 #80).[50] Bing Crosby's "Silent Night" (Deejay's Favorite Christmas Disks #8, Hot 100 #54) also returned in 1960 and the flip side "Adeste Fidelis" (Hot 100 #45) also from his 1945 Merry Christmas album made its first charting.[51]
Bobby Helms returned to the Hot 100 at No. 36 in 1960 with the start of an annual charting of "Jingle Bell Rock". Harry Simeone's "Little Drummer Boy" and "The Chipmunk Song" re-charted the Hot 100 every year after their initial release just as Christmas Sing Along with Mitch and Johnny Mathis' Merry Christmas album had on Billboard's Best-Selling LPs chart. The Chipmunks with David Seville followed up in 1960 with a cover of "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" that peaked at No. 21 on the Hot 100. Bobby Rydell & Chubby Checker's cover of "Jingle Bell Rock" peaked at No. 21[52] and "Baby's First Christmas" by Connie Francis peaked at No. 26 in 1961, both re-charting the following year.[53] Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" returned to the Hot 100 in 1961 at No. 12[54] and in 1962 at No. 38.
Billboard's TOP LP's charted 21 holiday albums in 1962. Mitch Miller's Gang peaked at No. 1 again with their latest Christmas album Holiday Sing Along with Mitch.[55] Bing Crosby returned with Merry Christmas(Deejay's Favorite Christmas Disks #3, Top Mono LP's #46) and debuted his latest I Wish You a Merry Christmas(Top Mono LP's #50).[56] The 1962 Hot 100 had 12 seasonal singles including new releases like The 4 Seasons cover of "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" (Hot 100 #23) and re-charting holiday standards like Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song" (Hot 100 #65). Billboard debuted their first annual Christmas Records charts the following year.
Best Bets for Christmas
Beginning with the issue dated November 30, 1963, Billboard magazine no longer charted Christmas albums or singles on its existing music charts. For the next 10 years, these titles could only be found in their new annual best-selling Christmas Records section (retitled Billboard Top Christmas Sellers in 1965[57] and then Billboard Best Bets for Christmas in 1966[58] through 1973).[A] The 5-position survey ranking of top-selling Christmas Singles[B] and Christmas LP's[C] ran for 3–5 weeks each holiday season expanding in size as sales activity increased.[60]
The Andy Williams Christmas Album was the first number one album and his version of "White Christmas" from the same album was the first number one single, both peaking at No. 1 for the 5 week entirety of the section run in 1963.[61] The chart size increased each holiday season until peaking at 38 singles and 117 LPS in 1967.[62] Beginning in 1971, the Best Bets for Christmas only ran 2–3 weeks a year and listed significantly less titles with the singles chart only having 3 positions on December 18 of that year.[63]
Bing Crosby's Merry Christmas(LPs #2) spent 39 weeks on the LP survey from 1963 to 1973, more than any other album at the time. Harry Simeone's album The Little Drummer Boy(LPs #1)[64] and Nat King Cole's album The Christmas Song(LPs #1) tie at second, both charting 35 weeks between 1963 and 1973. Crosby's Merry Christmas, Cole's The Christmas Song and Johnny Mathis' Merry Christmas(LPs #2) spent more than 25 weeks each in the top 10. The Andy Williams Christmas Album spent the most time on top of the chart at 9 inconsecutive weeks between 1963 and 1965. Andy Williams follow up, Merry Christmas spent 3 inconsecutive weeks at number one from 1966 to 1969.[65][66]Barbra Streisand's 1967 A Christmas Album topped the second most with 6 weeks[67] and Harry Simeone's The Little Drummer Boy album comes in 3rd with 4 weeks at number one on the Best Bets For Christmas album chart.[68][69]
Harry Simeone's "The Little Drummer Boy" single peaked at No. 1 for 10 weeks between 1964 and 1968, the most of any title on Billboard's Christmas 45 rpm record surveys. His hit and 1960's "Please Come Home For Christmas" by Charles Brown(45's #1) spent more time than any other single in the top 10 of the Best Bets for Christmas survey at 33 weeks each. Both, along with Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" (45's #1), Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock" (45's #1) and Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas" (45's #1) spent more than 30 weeks each on the Christmas singles survey between 1963 and 1973. Andy William's "White Christmas" and 1967's "Snoopy's Christmas" by The Royal Guardsmen topped the chart 5 times each tying both for the second most weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Christmas Singles chart.
Titles on these Christmas surveys did not appear on Billboard's other charts until 1973 when "Please Daddy" by John Denver(Hot 100 #69,[76]Hot Country Singles #69)[77] and "If We Make It Through December" by Merle Haggard(Hot 100 #28,[78] Hot Country Singles #1)[79] both peaked at No. 7[80][81] on the Best Selling Christmas Singles chart as well as appearing on the Hot 100 and Hot Country Singles chart.[D] Holiday albums only charted the Best Bets for Christmas that year. Christmas music surveys were not published after the December 22, 1973 Best Bets For Christmas until the section continues in 1983 retitled Christmas Hits.
Billboard sporadically provided a section entitled New Christmas Selections from 1974 until 1976 that alphabetically listed titles of holiday record albums and singles. Many singles and albums have re-charted over the years, but hundreds of titles only appeared in these best-seller sections that are unavailable on Billboard's website. The charts are extensively researched in Joel Whitburn's Christmas in the Charts 1920-2004 that contain statistics on every Christmas single and album that charted all of Billboard's music surveys. From 1974 until 1982, the magazine reverted to charting seasonal hits only on their weekly popular music surveys such as the Eagles' 1978 cover of "Please Come Home For Christmas" (Hot 100 #18)[85] and Dan Fogelberg's 1980 "Same Old Lang Syne" (Hot 100 #9,[86]Adult Contemporary #8)[87] as well as LPs and tapes like John Denver's 1975 Rocky Mountain Christmas(Top LPs & Tapes #14)[88] and Kenny Rogers' 1981 Christmas(Top LPs & Tapes #34,[89]Top Country LPs #10).[90]
Christmas Hits
After 9 years, Billboard began publishing the best-selling Christmas Album and Single chart survey section again under the title Christmas Hits on December 17, 1983. The top 10 charts ran for two weeks each holiday season for the next 3 years[91] then returned in 1987 as a 30 position album only chart. Unlike the Best Bets For Christmas, Christmas Hits would often also chart Billboard's other music surveys such as Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton's 1984 Once Upon A Christmas(Top 200 Albums #31, Top Country Albums #12)[92] and 1985's Alabama Christmas(Top 200 Albums #75, Top Country Albums #8)[93] which both peaked at No. 1 on the Christmas Hits album survey.[94]
Kenny Roger's 1981 Christmas was number one on the album chart for the first two weeks of the Christmas Hits survey. A Very Special Christmas spent the most weeks at the top of the album chart during the 1980s with 3 consecutive weeks starting December 12, 1987.[95][96]Mannheim Steamroller's A Fresh Aire Christmas spent 2 consecutive weeks at No. 1 starting December 24, 1988 and went on to top the chart 4 more weeks during the 1990s.
Barbra Streisand's A Christmas Album(Christmas Hits #2) and 1978's Christmas Portrait by The Carpenters (Christmas Hits #2) charted all 13 weeks of the Christmas Hits album chart. Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton's Once Upon a Christmas, Nat King Cole's The Christmas Song(Christmas Hits #5) and 1984's Mannheim Steamroller Christmas(Christmas Hits #2) tie for second most times on the chart during the eighties with 11 weeks each.[97] Bing Crosby's Merry Christmas, Nat King Cole's The Christmas Song and Elvis's Christmas Album spent more than 40 weeks each on the Best Bets for Christmas and Christmas Hits surveys, more weeks than other LP during the entire holiday album chart run at the time.[98][99]
Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" returned to the top of the singles chart for the first week of the Christmas Hits survey. His hit has charted the most with 37 total weeks during the entire Christmas singles survey run. Bobby Helms comes in second with "Jingle Bell Rock" charting a total of 36 weeks. Harry Simeone's "Little Drummer Boy", Charles Brown's "Please Come Home For Christmas", Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song" and Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas " also charted over 30 weeks each during the entirety of the Christmas singles survey. All 6 of these records peaked at No. 1 over the duration of Billboard's Christmas singles charts.
Elmo 'N Patsy's "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" spent the most weeks at top of the Christmas Hits singles chart during the 1980s with 4 consecutive weeks starting December 24, 1983.[100] It was also the only single that crossed over charting the Hot Country Singles chart at No. 92 in 1984. Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" (Hot 100 #13)[101] reached number 6 on Billboard's Hot Singles Sales chart in 1984 and had sold an estimated 2.5 million copies in the U.S. by January 1985,[102] but did not appear on Billboard's Christmas Hits best selling singles survey.[E]
The Deejay's Favorite Christmas Disks, Christmas Records, Top Christmas Sellers. Best Bets For Christmas and Christmas Hits single surveys ran 46 weeks and charted 134 titles from 1958 until 1985. These are Billboard's top ranking Christmas 45 rpm record singles.[110][111][112][113][114][115][116]
After no holiday charts were published in 1986, the Christmas Hits section resumed December 12, 1987 with a 30-position album survey, but Billboard stopped publishing a singles sales chart.[212] Only alternate weeks of the survey were available in print[98] with alternating weeks available via the Billboard Information Network. The various artist collection A Very Special Christmas topped the survey for the first 3 weeks of its return. Billboard published the chart for 2 consecutive weeks in 1987, then in 1988 began to run the survey every other week 2-3 times a holiday season.
The album-only Christmas Hits section was retitled Top Christmas Albums in 1990. Barry Manilow's Because It's Christmas was the No. 1 album for the first 2 weeks under the survey's new name.[213]Billboard began running the chart 5 consecutive weeks each holiday season in 1991, but all weeks are still not available in print.[214] In 1992, Billboard increased the survey to 7 weeks and started compiling the Top Christmas Albums chart using actual sales figures (SoundScan).[215] After a 6-week run in 1993, Billboard increased the survey size to 40 positions and began publishing the chart 7–10 weeks a year starting with the 1994 holiday season.[216]
Kenny G's Miracles: The Holiday Album topped the Christmas Albums chart for 17 weeks starting December 12, 1994, the most of any album during the 1990s. Kenny G also spent 5 more weeks at No. 1 in the nineties with his Faith: A Holiday Album from 1999. Celine Dion's These Are Special Times spent the second most weeks at the top during the 90's with 9 weeks at number one starting November 21, 1998. The album made its tenth week at No. 1 on October 29, 2016.[217]
Christina Aguilera's My Kind of Christmas topped the chart when Billboard renames the survey Top Holiday Albums on November 25, 2000.[216] The chart size increased to 50 positions in 2002[218] and expanded an 11-week run in 2006.[219] On October 20, 2007, Billboard began publishing the chart online in October for 14–15 weeks each holiday season.[220]
So far this decade, Michael Bublé's Christmas has topped the chart for 30 inconsecutive weeks. The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack has topped the chart for 8 weeks since 2021. Carrie Underwood's My Gift was no. 1 for 7 weeks beginning October 10, 2020. Billboard reduced the Top Holiday Album chart run to 12 weeks in 2022[226] then 10 weeks in 2023.[227]
Most weeks at No. 1
For over 60 years, Billboard has provided a Christmas holiday album survey, consecutively since the 1987 Christmas Hits charts. The following albums have spent at least 6 weeks at the #1 position.[228] They have been sorted by the total weeks charted on all the various named Christmas album charts since Deejay's Favorite Christmas Disks was published on November 24, 1958.[c][234]
Billboard introduced the 25-position Holiday Songs survey online December 8, 2001. The top 15 has occasionally appeared in the print magazine.[297] The chart differed from the discontinued best-selling Christmas singles survey(s) by ranking songs based solely on radio airplay detections as measured by Nielsen BDS of Adult Contemporary and a few Adult Top 40 stations, most of which switch to all or nearly all Christmas music around Thanksgiving.[298]Billboard later began to compile the chart data from all-format radio airplay audience impressions, as measured by Mediabase and provided by Luminate. The first number one Holiday Song was the 1977 track "Celebrate Me Home" by Kenny Loggins.[298] The initial chart had a 3-week run, then expanded to 6 weeks in 2002. Billboard increased the survey to 30 positions and ran the chart 6–9 weeks each holiday season starting in 2006.[299]
Amy Grant has charted the most songs on the Holiday Song survey with nine.[300] Michael Bublé is second with 6 charted songs.[301] 1964's "A Holly Jolly Christmas" by Burl Ives(Holiday Songs #1) and 1963's "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" by Andy Williams (Holiday Songs #2) have both charted 132 weeks, the most of any songs on the survey. Both Brenda Lee's 1958 "Rockin" Around The Christmas Tree" (Holiday Songs #1) and Gene Autry's 1949 "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" (Holiday Songs #2) tie for second most chart appearances with 130 charted weeks each.[302]
The most weeks at the top of the Holiday Songs survey is held by Mariah Carey's 1994 Hot 100 Airplay Christmas classic, "All I Want for Christmas Is You".[303] It has held the number one position for 55 weeks.[304] Lee's "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" has peaked at No. 1 for a total of 30 weeks and Ives' "A Holly Jolly Christmas"[305] has topped the survey the third most times with 20 inconsecutive weeks.[306] Since December 4, 2010, these three songs and 1971's "Feliz Navidad" by Jose Feliciano have alternated the #1 position on the Holiday Songs chart.[307]
Billboard changed the name of the Holiday Songs survey to Holiday Airplay after the launch of the Holiday 100 in 2011 and run the charts concurrently each holiday season. At over 20 years, the Holiday Airplay chart is their longest running holiday single or song survey and their second longest running holiday survey after the Top Holiday Albums chart.
Holiday Digital Song Sales
The Holiday Season Digital Song Sales survey of music download purchases debuted on October 16, 2010. Billboard published the 50-position chart for at least 12 weeks each holiday season mostly coinciding with the Top Holiday Albums chart, until they reduced it to a 7-week run at the beginning of December 2021 and then 6 weeks concurrently with the Holiday 100 in 2022.[308] Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" was the chart's first No. 1 and has topped the survey the most with 77 inconsecutive weeks.[309] Carey has charted 4 different versions on Holiday Digital Song Sales, including the 2011 "SuperFestive!" duet with Justin Bieber that also peaked at number one for one week.[310] Beginning November 5, 2011, Bieber's "Mistletoe" topped the chart for 11 inconsecutive weeks.[311] "Hallelujah" by Pentatonix has spent the second most weeks at No. 1 on the survey with 19 inconsecutive weeks beginning November 12, 2016.[312]
Holiday Digital Song Sales has charted over 750 songs, significantly more titles than any of the Holiday Songs or Christmas Singles surveys. Pentatonix has charted 49 songs on the survey.[313] The Glee Cast,[314]Kelly Clarkson[315] and Michael Bublé[316] have also charted at least 20 songs each. Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You",[317] Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Christmas Eve" (Holiday Digital Song Sales #2),[318] and Wham!'s "Last Christmas" (Holiday Digital Song Sales #2)[319] have appeared on all 160 weeks surveyed. The top 15 Holiday Digital Song Sales occasionally appear in the print magazine.[320]Billboard reduced the chart to 25 positions with a 5-week run starting December 2, 2023.[321]
Holiday 100
An increase of Christmas songs occurred on the Hot 100 in 2010 when 6 holiday songs appeared on the survey with 4 more Bubbling Under the Hot 100. On December 25, Coldplay reached No. 25 on the Hot 100 with "Christmas Lights", making it the first holiday song in their top 40 in the past 11 years.[322] On December 10, 2011, Billboard expanded the Holiday Song chart to 50 positions, reduced it back to a 5-6 week run and renamed it Holiday Airplay. The newly reconfigured Hot Holiday Songs, like the Hot 100, ranks holiday tracks based on a formula blending airplay, download sales and streaming data as tracked by Nielsen Entertainment.[323] The 50-position chart survey begins to appear in print and Billboard.com in early December for 5–6 weeks each year. On December 14, 2013, Holiday Songs was expanded to 100 positions and renamed the Holiday 100, although only the top 50 remain in print.[324]
Topping the inaugural Hot Holiday Songs ranking was Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You".[325] It has been #1 for 60 total weeks.[326][327] After 34 weeks at No. 2, Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" topped the chart for 3 inconsecutive weeks starting December 9, 2023.[328][329][330][331] The other songs that have taken the #1 spot on the Holiday 100[332] are Justin Bieber's "Mistletoe" in 2012,[333]Ariana Grande's "Santa Tell Me" in 2015[334][335] and both Pentatonix's "Little Drummer Boy" in 2013[336] and "Mary, Did You Know?" for 2 weeks in 2014.[337][338] Michael Bublé, Pentatonix and Bing Crosby have charted the most songs on the Holiday 100 with 15 or more each.[339]
Holiday Streaming Songs
Billboard also began publishing their 25-position Holiday Streaming Songs chart on December 14, 2013.[340] The survey runs for 5–6 weeks concurrently with the Holiday 100 each holiday season. The chart size increased to 50 positions in 2016.[341] The survey measures the top streamed holiday radio songs, on-demand songs and videos from the leading U.S. online music services.[342] Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" has been #1 for 47 inconsecutive weeks on the survey.[343] Besides Carey's hit, the only other songs that have topped the Holiday Streaming Songs charts are Pentatonix's "Mary, Did You Know?" for 3 weeks,[337] Grande's "Santa Tell Me"[344] for 2 weeks and most recently Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" for 6 weeks.[345][346]
Michael Bublé has charted 15 songs on the Holiday Streaming Songs survey.[347] Bing Crosby[348] and Pentatonix[349] tie for second most songs with 10 each. Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You", Lee's "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree", Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)" (Holiday Streaming Songs #2),[350] Gene Autry's "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" (Holiday Streaming Songs #2) and 2011's "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" by Michael Bublé (Holiday Streaming Songs #2)[351] have charted all 58 weeks of the Holiday Streaming Songs survey. Mariah Carey's chart topping success[352][353] and other songs that appear on Billboard's Holiday Song surveys every year have met criticism.[354][355]
Holiday 100 Songwriters and Producers
In 2022, Billboard launched the Holiday 100 Songwriters and Producers charts that run during the same seasonal period as the Holiday 100. The weekly 25 position charts are based on points accrued by a songwriter and producer, respectively, for each attributed song. They join Billboard's 26 other songwriter and producer rankings covering the Hot 100 and all other “Hot”-named genre charts: Christian, country, dance/electronic, gospel, Latin, R&B/hip-hop, R&B, rap, rock & alternative, rock, alternative and hard rock. On the inaugural Holiday 100 Songwriters survey, Johnny Marks(who died in 1985 at age 75) was No. 1 for seven songwriting credits on the Holiday 100. Lee Gillette(who died in 1981 at age 68) topped the inaugural Holiday 100 Producers chart for seven production credits.[356] Both have held their number 1 positions for the 12 weeks each chart has run.[357][358]
Holiday 100 most charted songs
Billboard's Holiday 100 has charted 305 songs. The following ranked by peak position have consecutively charted all 68 weeks since its debut on December 10, 2011.
The following songs debuted on the Holiday 100 after December 20, 2011, and have consecutively charted every week following for at least two holiday seasons.
↑ "Pretty Paper" by Roy Orbison had already began charting on the Hot 100 in 1963 and did not appear on Billboard's Christmas Singles Chart until the following year. It did peak at No. 1 for 4 weeks on 1963's Cashbox magazine's short-lived Christmas Record Activity singles chart.[59]
↑ The top-selling Christmas Singles was titled Best Selling Christmas Singles in 1966
↑ The top-selling Christmas LP's was titled Christmas Albums in 1963 and Best Selling Christmas LP's in 1966
↑ The only exceptions were The Harry Simeone Chorale's 1964 "O'Bambino" and the 1966 single "There Won't Be Any Snow"[82] by Derrik Roberts.[83] Both charted for 1 week on the Bubbling Under the Hot 100 survey at No. 105 the same week that each debuted on the Christmas singles chart. On a few occasions, Christmas singles would chart Billboard's weekly charts instead of the Christmas singles chart. In 1970, James Brown's "Santa Claus Is Definitely Here To Stay" charted Best Bets For Christmas peaking at No. 7 while "Hey America" from the same holiday album Bubbled Under the Hot 100 at No. 105.[84]
↑ "Do They Know It's Christmas" has charted every year of the Holiday Songs chart peaking at No. 6 in 2003.[103]
↑ All chartings of Harry Simeone's "The Little Drummer Boy" since 1972 have been the 1965 remake from the album O Bambino - The Little Drummer Boy.[118]
↑ Beginning 1984, the 1982 re-recording of "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" issued on Epic Records charted instead of the original 1979 recording issued on Soundwaves Records.[122]
↑ Herb Alpert's "My Favorite Things" charted the Hot 100 peaking at No. 45 in 1969, but did not chart the Best Sellers For Christmas.[126]
↑ The serial number for Bobby Helm's original 1957 Decca Records recording of "Jingle Bell Rock" was listed with the title until 1970. Occasionally re-recordings made on 3 different record labels would be listed with the same entry. The other recordings were released in 1965 on Kapp Records, 1967 on Little Darlin' and 1970 on Certron. In 1972 and 1973, only the 1965 Kapp Records remake was listed. The 1957 version made available on MCA Records was listed from 1983-1985.[128]
↑ The 1957 recording of Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas" received its first commercial single release as the B-side of "Wooden Heart" which Bubbled Under the Hot 100 at No. 107 in 1964.[130]
↑ Elvis Prelsey's "Blue Christmas" was re-released in 1965 with the flip side "Santa Claus Is Back in Town" which was a U.K. hit single in 1957.[131]
↑ Charles Brown's "Please Come Home For Christmas" first charted Billboard's Hot 100 in 1961 peaking at No. 76 in 1962.[133]
↑ Bruce Springsteen's 1975 live recording of "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" was first released on the Sesame Street album In Harmony 2 in 1981 before Springsteen released it as the flip side to his 1985 "My Hometown" single.[139]
↑ Charles Brown's 1962 version of "Merry Christmas Baby" on Imperial Records peaked at #4 12/19/64. His 1968 re-recording released on King Records charted for 2 weeks in 1973 peaking at #2, making it his third version to make the survey.[144]
↑ Brook Benton's "This Time Of The Year" peaked at No. 66 on the Hot 100 in 1959.[160]
↑ The Temptations' "Silent Night" peaked at No. 7 on the Christmas singles chart.[165] The 1980 remake from their album Give Love at Christmas peaked at No. 9 in 1985[166]
↑ Bryan Adams re-released "Reggae Christmas" as the flip side to "Christmas Time" It was released the previous year on a fan club single and featured on MTV.[175]
↑ Perry Como's "Home For The Holidays" first charted Billboard in 1954 peaking at No. 8 on the Most Played By Jockeys Singles chart.[176]
↑ The Supremes' "Children's Christmas Song" peaked at No. 7 on the Christmas singles chart.[182]
↑ Re-chartings of the original 1958 #1 Hot 100 recording of "The Chipmunk Song" was reissued by Liberty Records with the 1959 #3 non-holiday hit "Alvin's Harmonica" as the flip side. Both sides re-charted on the Hot 100 during the holiday seasons of 1961 and 1962. "Alvin's Harmonica" did not chart the Christmas Hits chart.[183]
↑ Harry Belfatonte's "Mary's Boy Child" first charted Billboard in 1956 peaking at No. 12 on the Best Sellers In Stores Singles chart.[186]
↑ Lowell Fulson first peaked at No. 7 on Billboard's Rhythm and Blues chart in 1950 with "Lonesome Christmas"
↑ Nancy Wilson's "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" peaked at No. 17 on the Christmas singles chart.
↑ Gene Autry first charted Billboard in 1949 with "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" peaking at No. 1 January 7, 1950 on the Best Selling Pop Singles chart.[192]
↑ The flip side of Dolly Parton's "Winter Wonderland/Sleigh Ride" is "Once Upon A Christmas", a duet with Kenny Rogers that peaked at No. 81 on the Hot 100, #40 on the Adult Contemporary Chart and #53 on the Hot Country Singles chart the same year, but did not chart the Christmas singles survey.[193]
↑ "Christmas Won't Be The Same This Year" was listed twice as the flip side to the Jackson's 5 "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" on December 26, 1970 and December 18, 1971,[71] but did not receive a chart ranking on its own. This was the only time Billboard used this practice on their Christmas singles chart.
↑ 'Billboard's online Top Holiday Album chart history goes back to the December 21, 1985 Christmas Hits chart.[229] Only the data for the #1 position are listed for the weeks of 11/28/92,[230] 12/5/92,[231] 11/26/94[232] and 11/22/97.[233]
↑ Kenny G's Miracles: The Holiday Album also charted 2 weeks in print on 11/26/1994 and 11/22/1997.
↑ Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: Special Edition also charted a total 55 weeks peaking at No. 1 for 3 weeks beginning 1/6/2007.
↑ The Andy Williams Christmas Album charted a total 30 weeks peaking at No. 1 for 9 weeks between 1963 and 1973.
↑ Barbra Stresidand's A Christmas Album charted 24 weeks between 1967 and 1984.
↑ Mannheim Steamroller's A Fresh Aire Christmas charted 3 weeks in print on 12/5/1992, 11/26/1994, and 11/22/1997.
↑ Elvis' Christmas Album charted for 31 weeks from 1963-1973. It charted in print on 11/26/1994 and charted 189 weeks under the title It's Christmas Time beginning 2003.
↑ Bing Crosby's White Christmas album first charted for 41 weeks under the original title, Merry Christmas, prior to 1987. It charted in print on 12/5/1992 and 11/26/1994.
↑ A Charlie Brown Christmas charted in print the week of 12/5/1992.
↑ Mariah Carey's Merry Christmas charted in print the week of 11/22/1997.
↑ Nat "King" Cole's The Christmas Song album charted for 37 weeks prior to 1985 and also charted in print the weeks of 12/5/1992, 11/26/1994 and 11/22/1997.
↑ The Carpenter's Christmas Portrait charted for 3 weeks prior to 1985 and also charted in print the weeks of 12/5/1992, 11/26/1994 and 11/22/1997.
↑ Mariah Carey first peaked at No. 12 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart on December 31, 1994 with "All I Want For Christmas Is You".[359] Songs with no commercial single available were ineligible for the Hot 100 until December 5, 1998. The song debuted on the Hot 100 at No. 83 on Christmas Day 1999 and went to No. 1[360] in 2019.[361]
↑ Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" peaked at No. 1 for 6 weeks on the Holiday Songs chart prior to the Holiday 100. It also peaked at No. 1 for 7 on the Holiday Digital Songs Sales chart in 2010 prior to the Holiday 100.
↑ Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" peaked at No. 1 for 23 weeks on the Holiday Songs chart prior to the Holiday 100.[363]
↑ Justin Bieber's "Mistletoe" peaked at No. 11 on the Hot 100 in 2011.[364]
↑ Andy Williams' It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100 in 2021.[366]
↑ Andy Williams' "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" peaked at No. 2 for 3 weeks on the Holiday Songs chart prior to the Holiday 100.[368]
↑ Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock" peaked at No. 1 for 9 weeks on the Holiday Songs chart prior to the Holiday 100.[369]
↑ Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock" began to re-chart the Hot 100 annually in 2015, eventually peaking at No. 3 in 2020.[371]
↑ Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song" peaked at No. 1 for 7 weeks on the Holiday Songs chart prior to the Holiday 100.[372]
↑ Burl Ives' "Holly Jolly Christmas" peaked at No. 1 for 16 weeks on the Holiday Songs chart prior to the Holiday 100.[306]
↑ Jose Feliciano's "Feliz Navidad" peaked at No. 2 on the Holiday Songs chart prior to the Holiday 100.[375]
↑ Jose Feliciano's "Feliz Navidad" first entered the Hot 100 in 2017 and has re-charted annually, peaking at No. 6 in 2021.[377]
↑ Wham's "Last Christmas" first charted in Billboard on the Hot 100 airplay chart at No. 58 in 1997.[378] It peaked at #4 on the Hot 100 in 2023[379]
↑ The same recording of "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)" first charted by Savatage on the Hot 100 Airplay chart in 1995, then re-charted as by Trans-Siberian Orchestra peaking at No. 49 in 1996 and 1997.[381]
↑ Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Christmas Eve" peaked at No. 3 for 4 weeks on the Holiday Digital Songs Sales chart in 2010 prior to the Holiday 100.[318]
↑ Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" peaked at No. 1 on the Holiday Songs chart prior to the Holiday 100.[383]
↑ Gene Autry's "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" peaked at No. 3 for 2 weeks on the Holiday Songs chart prior to the Holiday 100.[302]
↑ Michael Buble's "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" peaked at No. 96 on the Hot 100 in 2011. It began charting the Hot 100 annually in 2020 peaking at No. 19 in 2023.[385]
↑ John Lennon's "Happy Xmas" peaked at No. 2 for 4 weeks on the Holiday Songs chart prior to the Holiday 100.[387] It also peaked at No. 1 on the Holiday Digital Songs Sales chart on October 23, 2010 prior to the Holiday 100.[388]
↑ John Lennon's "Happy Xmas" peaked at No. 38 on the Hot 100 in 2022.[390]
↑ Andy William's "Happy Holiday/The Holiday Season" peaked at No. 9 for 2 weeks on the Holiday Songs chart prior to the Holiday 100.
↑ Andy Williams'" Happy Holiday/The Holiday Season" peaked at No. 18 on the Hot 100 in 2021.[366]
↑ Elvis Prelsey's "Blue Christmas" peaked at No. 9 for 3 weeks on the Holiday Songs chart prior to the Holiday 100.[391]
↑ Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas" began to re-chart the Hot 100 annually in 2017, peaking at No. 18 on January 6, 2024.[393]
↑ "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" first peaked at No. 2 on the Holiday Digital Songs Sales chart on January 1, 2011 prior to the Holiday 100.[394]
↑ "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" peaked at No. 31 on the Hot 100 in 2022.
↑ Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" first charted Cashbox magazine in 1979 on their Top 100 peaking at No. 83 on January 12, 1980. It first appeared in Billboard peaking at No. 10 on its Christmas Hits chart in 1984.[395]
↑ Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" peaked at No. 8 for 3 weeks on the Holiday Songs chart prior to the Holiday 100.[396]
↑ Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" first charted the Hot 100 in 2018, peaking at No. 26 on January 6, 2024.[398]
↑ Johnny Mathis' "It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas" peaked at No. 3 on the Holiday Songs chart prior to the Holiday 100.[399]
↑ Bruce Springsteen's "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" peaked at No. 13 on the Holiday Songs chart prior to the Holiday 100.[401]
↑ The Vince Guaraldi Trio's "Christmastime Is Here" peaked at No. 39 on the Hot 100 on January 6, 2024.[403]
↑ Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby" first charted in 1953 peaking at No. 4 on January 2, 1954 on Billboards Best Selling Singles chart.[405]
↑ Bing Crosby's "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" peaked at No. 12 on the Holiday Songs chart prior to the Holiday 100.
↑ The Eagles' "Please Come Home For Christmas" peaked at No. 2 for 2 weeks on the Holiday Songs chart prior to the Holiday 100.[407]
↑ The Ronettes's "Sleigh Ride" peaked at No. 8 on the Hot 100 in 2023.[409]
↑ The Vince Guaraldi Trio's "Linus & Lucy" peaked at No. 37 on the Hot 100 in 2022.
↑ Kelly Clarkson's "Underneath the Tree" peaked at No. 11 on the Hot 100 in 2023.[411]
↑ Pentatonix's "Mary, Did You Know?" peaked at No. 26 on the Hot 100.
↑ Ariana Grande's "Santa Tell Me" peaked at No. 11 on the Hot 100.[414]
↑ Chuck Berry's "Run Rudolph Run" first charted December 28, 1958 on the Hot 100 peaking at No. 69.[416] It began to re-chart annual in 2018, peaking at No. 10 in 2021.[417]
↑ Pentatonix's "Hallelujah" peaked at No. 23 on the Hot 100.
↑ Nat King Cole's "Deck The Halls" peaked at No. 16 on the Hot 100 in 2022.[421]
↑ Katy Perry's "Cozy Little Christmas" peaked at No. 53 on the Hot 100.[422]
↑ The Jonas Brothers' "Cozy Little Christmas" peaked at No. 40 on the Hot 100 on January 6, 2024.[426]
↑ Ed Sheeran and Elton John's "Merry Christmas" peaked at No. 42 on the Hot 100 in 2022.[428]
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