Mariah Carey reclaimed the crown on Christmas Eve, knocking Wham!’s “Last Christmas” from the top spot after its brief but historic global comeback.
By December 24, Carey’s perennial holiday hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You” surged back to No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, overtaking “Last Christmas,” which slipped to No. 2 just days after reaching the summit following four decades of near-misses.
The reversal underscored the annual late-December streaming rush that has turned Carey’s 1994 single into one of the most dominant seasonal songs in modern chart history.
The updated rankings placed Carey at the top with “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” followed by Wham!’s “Last Christmas” at No. 2. Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” climbed to No. 3, while Taylor Swift’s “The Fate Of Ophelia,” one of the few non-holiday tracks in the upper tier, held at No. 4. Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” rounded out the top five.
The shakeup came less than two weeks after Wham!’s 1984 classic achieved a milestone that had long eluded it. “Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ Hits No. 1 on Billboard Global 200 for First Time,” a December 15 report noted, calling it “the most special (special) season yet on the chart for the festive favorite.” The song’s ascent marked the first global chart-topping moment of its kind since its release more than 40 years ago.
Andrew Ridgeley reflected on the achievement as the song reached new highs, saying it had become “beloved by all generations,” and praising “the special place the song occupies in so many hearts and one that George Michael would have been immensely proud of.” Michael’s estate described the track as “a timeless record that embodies the very sound of Christmas and continues to resonate with audiences,” per Billboard.
