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Billboard Explains: Mariah Carey and Brenda Lee’s Battle for the Christmas Throne
Mariah Carey and Brenda Lee have an annual battle for No. 1 on the Hot 100 with with Christmas songs. Billboard Explains breaks it down. Watch.
There a dozens of holiday classics, new and old, to choose from at this time of year, from Wham!’s “Last Christmas” to Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” and Burl Ives’ “A Holly Jolly Christmas.” But when it comes to the top spot, there are really only two songs that keep jostling for the No. So in an era when dozens of new Christmas albums and songs flood the zone in search of classic standing, what explains the strength of Carey and Lee’s anthems? The rise of streaming and curated holiday playlists, as well as strong radio airplay and sales has helped both tracks become annual staples.
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