The story behind Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas Is You'

In an 11-minute Amazon mini-documentary from 2019, the star revealed how she would eagerly await the festive season as a child, but her family would "ruin it every year." But her mother's enthusiasm for the holidays rubbed off on the young Mariah, and she vowed to make her own Christmases "perfect."

Getty Images

4 / 31 Fotos

Perfect Christmas -

She's certainly achieved her dream—her smash hit is one of very few modern songs to be added to the canon of classic holiday songs, with its popularity undimmed nearly 30 years after its release.

Getty Images

5 / 31 Fotos

Reigning Christmas royalty -

There's no questioning Carey's unofficial role as Queen of Christmas. Ever since her catchy holiday song first chimed out in 1994, she's been the smiling face of the festive season. But the hit was actually written in only 15 minutes!

Getty Images

6 / 31 Fotos

Mariah magic -

Fresh from the success of her 1993 best-selling third album 'Music Box,' Mariah was set to sprinkle gold dust on any project that she took on, and was casting around for album ideas.

Getty Images

7 / 31 Fotos

A Christmas album -

Together with her then-husband, Sony Music Entertainment boss Tommy Mottola (pictured with Mariah in 1995), Carey hit on the idea of releasing a Christmas album. It was the perfect opportunity to capture her undiminished love for all things festive.

Getty Images

8 / 31 Fotos

Holiday cheer -

At the time, Christmas albums were not popular among younger artists, and releasing a big Christmas song seemed a questionable choice for a glamorous star at the top of her game.

Getty Images

9 / 31 Fotos

A new holiday hit? -

Writing a brand new holiday hit was an even more unlikely decision. Competing with classics such as 'Jingle Bells' and 'Santa Claus is Comin' to Town' seemed a tough task. But the singer was keen to include a new track on the 'Merry Christmas' album.

Getty Images

10 / 31 Fotos

Walter Afanasieff -

Carey composed the track with songwriting partner Walter Afanasieff, with the pair reportedly penning the classic in just 15 minutes. He later told Songwriter Universe: "Back in the early ‘90s, it wasn’t as common for a newer artist to record a Christmas album. They would usually wait until much later in their career to do so."

Getty Images

11 / 31 Fotos

Musical inspiration -

Wanting to create a timeless track, Carey and Afanasieff took influence from '60s girl bands such as The Ronettes, aiming to replicate the lush "Wall of Sound" technique of Ronettes producer Phil Spector (pictured).

Getty Images

12 / 31 Fotos

Christmas spirit...in the summer -

The song was recorded in August 1994, a long way from the chilly days of Christmas! Carey filled her studio with Christmas decorations, lights, and trees, to enter into the festive spirit.

Getty Images

13 / 31 Fotos

Festive success -

With sales of over 16 million copies (and counting), the classic track is the best-selling Christmas record by a female artist, and one of the best-selling physical singles of all time.

Getty Images

14 / 31 Fotos

Guinness World Records -

In November 2019, the singer received the Guinness World Record for "highest-charting holiday song on the Billboard US Hot 100 by a solo artist" live on stage in Nevada during a performance of her touring All I Want for Christmas is You show. Her children Monroe and Moroccan joined her on stage for the magical moment.

Getty Images

15 / 31 Fotos

Setting the bar high -

Carey sets the bar high for other seasonal singers. Her holiday hit has also earned Guinness World Records for "most streamed track on Spotify in 24 hours (female)," and "most weeks in the UK singles Top 10 chart for a Christmas single."

Getty Images

16 / 31 Fotos

Most annoying? -

Despite its enduring success, the song is clearly not to everybody's taste. In a 2019 survey conducted by mobile phone company Huawei, the UK public voted it the most annoying holiday song of all time.

Getty Images

17 / 31 Fotos

'Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special' -

It's unlikely to have worried the singer. Her hit has paved the way for her festive-themed touring performances, one-off shows, and TV specials. In 2020, an Apple TV+ special, 'Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special,' saw her joined on stage by a whole host of other stars.

BrunoPress

18 / 31 Fotos

Famous fans -

Ariana Grande, who has covered Carey's hit live on stage, was among the stars who joined in the Apple TV+ spectacular.

BrunoPress

19 / 31 Fotos

A long journey to the top spot -

It took a long time for Mariah's Christmas hit to reach the top of the charts. It was originally ineligible for the Billboard Hot 100 as it wasn't released commercially as a single. The rules had changed by the 2000s, allowing for downloads and streams.

Getty Images

20 / 31 Fotos

A Christmas number one...eventually -

Climbing higher up the charts each year, the track finally topped the Billboard Hot 100 in December 2019. Across the pond in the UK, the song finally reached the top spot in December 2020—26 years after its release.

Getty Images

21 / 31 Fotos

Record royalties -

Mariah's modest childhood Christmases are firmly in the past. According to Business Insider, 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' had netted around US$60 million for the singer by 2018.

Getty Images

22 / 31 Fotos

The gift that keeps on giving -

Although the singer's exact earnings from the record are kept private, she's thought to earn big bucks from streaming as well as sales—it's Spotify's most-streamed Christmas song of all time. And shows such as the Apple TV+ special can't hurt her bank balance, either.

BrunoPress

23 / 31 Fotos

Enduring popularity -

Carey certainly seems to have hit upon the winning formula for creating Christmas magic. Her hit gains in popularity year after year, and has been covered countless times.

Getty Images

24 / 31 Fotos

New versions -

In 2010, Mariah Carey released a new version of the track, called 'Extra Festive,' for her second holiday album 'Merry Christmas II You.' The following year, she recorded a duet version with Justin Bieber.

Getty Images

25 / 31 Fotos

Justin Bieber's holiday album -

The pair's duet appeared on Bieber's album 'Under the Mistletoe,' which topped the Billboard album charts on its release. Mariah's own success was clearly a game changer for holiday albums!

Getty Images

26 / 31 Fotos

Cover versions -

Carey's Christmas hit has been covered numerous times. Big names who have belted out their own versions of the track include Shania Twain, Michael Bublé, Cee Lo Green, and Miley Cyrus.

Getty Images

27 / 31 Fotos

A new hit? -

In November 2021, Carey dropped a new Christmas record, 27 years after she released the biggest holiday hit of all time.

Getty Images

28 / 31 Fotos

Christmas collab -

For 'Fall in Love at Christmas,' the star is joined by gospel singing superstar Kirk Franklin, who has previously released his own Christmas albums of new and classic songs.

Getty Images

29 / 31 Fotos

R&B vibes -

The track also features vocals from R&B star Khalid. The mellow tune is a major change in direction from the catchy 'All I Want for Christmas is You.'

Getty Images

30 / 31 Fotos

Christmas dream come true -

Whether her new track gets anywhere close to the runaway success of 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' remains to be seen. But for a girl who grew up longing for happy holidays, Mariah Carey is already living a Christmas dream come true.

Sources: (Smooth Radio) (Parade) (Official Charts) (Songwriter Universe)

Getty Images

31 / 31 Fotos

The story behind Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas Is You'

The classic holiday hit makes record return to No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100

25/12/21 | StarsInsider

MUSIC Holidays

Is it even the holiday season if Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' isn't ringing out from radios, in-store speakers, and just about everywhere else? The subject of countless memes, Mariah's holiday smash hit is the most popular Christmas song ever, and the diva enthusiastically embraces its timeless appeal each year.

Now the beloved track has officially returned to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, logging its sixth week total and becoming the first song to have led in three distinct runs on the ranking, including previously in the 2019 and 2020 holiday seasons, Billboard reports. Carey also extends her record for the most cumulative weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100, with an impressive 85.

The Queen of Christmas has dropped a new festive tune for 2021, but it would be tough to match the success of her own enduringly popular seasonal hit.

Feeling festive? Click through this gallery to discover the story behind the holiday hit.