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

The classic holiday hit has been ringing out for more than 30 years

The true story behind Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas Is You'
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StarsInsider
21/10/2025 15:00 ‧ 11 hours ago | 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 Christmas anthem was released in 1994, and it’s proving more popular than ever. It first reached the Billboard Hot 100 in 2017, and then topped the charts in 2019. It is estimated that Carey earned US$60 million in royalties during the song’s initial release, and makes roughly $3 million more each year in annual royalties.

Thirty years on, Mariah Carey is still the reigning Christmas queen—but how did she get there? Click through this gallery to discover the story behind the holiday hit.

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