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Make room, Mariah! Are Ariana & Kelly the next queens of Christmas?

Make room, Mariah! Are Ariana & Kelly the next queens of Christmas?

Ariana Grande WSJ Innovators Awards Mariah Carey in christmas outfit on Macys Thanksgiving Day parade float Kelly Clarkson 2022 American Song Contest
XNY/Star Max/GC Images; a katz/shutterstock; Kathy Hutchins/shutterstock

While Mariah Carey keeps extending her all-time record on the Billboard Hot 100, jolly holiday bops from Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande are poised to challenge Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" reign in the next few years.

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Watch out, Mariah Carey! Pop sensations Ariana Grande and Kelly Clarkson have officially entered the Christmas Queen chat in a major way.

On Dec. 23, 2024, Carey's smash hit "All I Want for Christmas Is You" reached its groundbreaking 17th week at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, making it the third longest-running chart-topper of all time and the longest-running hit of the superstar's career — surpassing even the 16 weeks that "One Sweet Day" spent at no. 1 in 1996.

Carey's holiday hit was originally released on the singer's 1994 album Merry Christmas. Since then, it has sustained its position as the ultimate Christmas anthem in the United States.

On the other hand, holiday bops from Grande and Clarkson have re-entered the top 10 of the Hot 100 charts and could become even bigger challengers to Carey's song in the next few years.

This Hot 100 chart released on Dec. 23, 2024 shows Grande's adorable 2014 track "Santa Tell Me" reaching the no. 9 spot, while Clarkson's 2013 "Underneath the Tree" rounded out the top 10.

As a big surprise for her fans — and perhaps a final holiday push — Grande shared a live version of "Santa Tell Me" on YouTube Monday morning.

This is the first time for either song to chart this high on the Billboard Hot 100, likely as a result of Clarkson's very successful daytime talk show The Kelly Clarkson Show and Grande's dazzling performance as Glinda in the Wicked movie.

These stats make it clear that Carey's undisputed reign as the queen of Christmas is now facing some really strong challengers… and it wouldn't be that shocking if these tracks place even higher on next week's Hot 100 chart.

Only one singular song appeared on this week's Hot 100 chart: "Die With a Smile" by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree," Wham's "Last Christmas," Bobby Helms "Jingle Bell Rock," and "A Holly Jolly Christmas" by Burl Ives all made it to the top 5 on this week's chart — though it's hard to imagine those songs growing over time in comparison to Clarkson's and Grande's holiday bops.

This could be the first sign that the Christmas Pop Anthem Wars are just getting started. Be jolly, but stay tuned!

The Advocates with Sonia BaghdadyOut / Advocate Magazine - Jonathan Groff and Wayne Brady

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