Current:Home > reviewsChristmas queens: How Mariah Carey congratulated Brenda Lee for her historic No. 1 -SummitInvest
Christmas queens: How Mariah Carey congratulated Brenda Lee for her historic No. 1
View
Date:2025-04-12 15:11:10
Mariah Carey may have a bit of competition for that queen of Christmas crown, and her name is Brenda Lee.
Lee's holiday staple "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart this week, overtaking Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You," which usually sits comfortably at the top all season long. While Lee may have overtaken Carey to hit the top, Lee says the pop diva sent her the sweetest note.
Lee, 78, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the songstress sent flowers to her with congratulations for hitting the No. 1 slot.
Lee's last No. 1 hit was more than 60 years ago, with her hit "I'm Sorry" in 1960.
Here's a look at the resurgence of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and what Lee has achieved with it.
Brenda Lee breaks records with 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree'
Getting to the top spot on the Billboard once again breaks several records — many of which were held by Carey's almost three-decade-old "All I Want for Christmas Is You".
Lee beat out Louis Armstrong's record of the oldest person to top the chart. Armstrong held the record when "Hello, Dolly" hit No. 1 in 1964. He was 62 at the time.
"Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" is only the third holiday No. 1 ever on the Hot 100.
Brenda Lee's 'Rockin' Around the Christma Tree' at Christmas at the Opry
Lee took her chart-topping hit to the Grand Ole Opry for Christmas at the Opry on Wednesday.
The singer spread some holiday cheer on NBC's "Christmas at the Opry," hosted by Wynonna Judd. The musical special is now available to stream on Peacock.
An encore of the special will run on Dec. 20 at 9 p.m. EST.
Watch Lee's performance below.
When was 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' released?
Many people can probably recall the iconic scene from "Home Alone" where Kevin McAllister (Macaulay Culkin) threw a party as Lee's song played. (If you need a refresher, you can find it here.)
But Lee's song was considered an oldie even in the '90s.
Lee recorded "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree" along with multiple other Christmas songs penned by songwriter Johnny Marks in 1956.
Record's producer and iconic Nashville creator, Owen Bradley, didn't think the song had much staying power, Lee said in an interview last month. But 65 years later, the song is still a Christmas staple and now a No. 1 hit.
Contributing: Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean
It's time for Christmas music!50 of the best songs to get you in the holiday spirit
veryGood! (198)
Related
- Stamford Road collision sends motorcyclist flying; driver arrested
- Here's who Biden will meet with when he goes to Rome and Glasgow this week
- Jane Goodall encourages all to act to save Earth in 'The Book of Hope'
- PHOTOS: Cyclones and salty water are a threat. These women are finding solutions
- Angelina Jolie nearly fainted making Maria Callas movie: 'My body wasn’t strong enough'
- As Climate Summit Moves Ahead, The World's Biggest Polluters Are Behind
- How loss of historical lands makes Native Americans more vulnerable to climate change
- Nations are making new pledges to cut climate pollution. They aren't enough
- Sonya Massey's father decries possible release of former deputy charged with her death
- A church retreat came to the aid of Canada's latest disaster survivors
Ranking
- This was the average Social Security benefit in 2004, and here's what it is now
- That boom you heard in Pittsburgh on New Year's Day? It was probably a meteor
- Cardi B Speaks Out After Controversial Dalai Lama Video
- Succession Takes Shocking Turn With Death of Major Character
- Former longtime South Carolina congressman John Spratt dies at 82
- Madewell's Extra 30% Off Clearance Sale Has $20 Tops, $25 Skirts & More Spring Styles Starting at $12
- Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to go to China
- How decades of disinformation about fossil fuels halted U.S. climate policy
Recommendation
Paige Bueckers vs. Hannah Hidalgo highlights women's basketball games to watch
Pope Francis names 21 new cardinals, including prelates based in Jerusalem and Hong Kong
Climate change is making it harder to provide clean drinking water in farm country
Get $141 Worth of Peter Thomas Roth Top-Selling Skincare Products for Just $39
'No Good Deed': Who's the killer in the Netflix comedy? And will there be a Season 2?
A climate change disaster led this shy 24-year-old from Uganda into activism
Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn Break Up After 6 Years Together
Draft agreement at the COP26 climate summit looks to rapidly speed up emissions cuts