Can there still be any doubt about who really wears the Queen of Christmas crown? Brenda Lee has returned to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart with “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” 65 years after the song was recorded in 1958.
The chart-topper sees the singer, once known as Little Miss Dynamite, break at least several Billboard records, including the longest wait between a song’s release and reaching No. 1, as well as the longest time between No. 1s. Hits by an artist. At 78, Lee is the oldest person to ever top the chart, a record previously held by Louis Armstrong, who was 62 when “Hello, Dolly” peaked in 1964.
Lee was just 13 years old when she recorded one of the most beloved and enduring holiday classics, and she celebrated the song’s 65th anniversary in a big way: Last month, she appeared in the song’s first-ever video, with guest appearances from country stars Tanya Tucker and Trisha Yearwood (see above); and she is scheduled to perform the rocking song on NBC’s “Christmas at the Opry,” which airs Dec. 7.
Oh, and she joined Tik Tok, where she brought the “sentimental feel” of a “Christmas party hop” to a whole new generation of listeners.
In today’s announcement, Deadline’s sister publication Billboard traced the stats and history of the song, which was written by Johnny Marks and produced by Nashville’s legendary Owen Bradley. Although the song was recorded and released in 1958, it didn’t hit the Hot 100 until 1960, peaking at number 14. “Rockin'” has made it to number 2 over the years – 2019 and 2022 – but has never made it to the top Great.
With the song’s current peak, Lee can boast of becoming only the third Christmas song to reach No. 1 (the other two being The Chipmunks’ 1958 “The Chipmunk Song” with David Seville and Mariah Carey’s seasonal chart-topper). Long-running hit “All I Want for Christmas” from 1994). Are you”).
The song is Lee’s third Hot 100 #1, following the two 1960 hits “I’m Sorry” and “I Want to Be Wanted.”
With this week’s top spot, Lee sets the following chart records, according to Billboard:
- Longest run at No. 1. Gary Trust of Billboard writes: “Lee’s ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ breaks the record for the longest wait from a song’s release – 65 years – to reaching No. 1 on the Hot 100 he traces the 25-year gap between the release of Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” in 1994 and its rise to No. 1 in 2019″;
- Longest span of #1s. “Lee also rewrites the record for longest period at the top of the Hot 100 by a female artist: 63 years, four months and three weeks, from her first week at No. 1 with “I’m Sorry” (July 18, 1960) to …” latest list. She replaces Carey, whose span of leadership is 32 years and five months, from her first week at the top (August 4, 1990) with her debut single “Vision of Love” to her final week at the top with “All I Want for.” “Christmas is your last Christmas”;
- Longest gap between No. 1s: “Making more history,” writes Billboard, “Lee marks the longest gap between No. 1s on the Hot 100: 63 years, one month and two weeks between ‘I Want to Be Wanted’ (April 24). .October 1960). ) and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”;
- Oldest Artist #1: “Lee is 78 years young; Her new Hot 100 coronation will add to her birthday celebration on December 11,” says Billboard. “She becomes the oldest female artist to top the charts, surpassing Louis Armstrong, who was 62 when ‘Hello, Dolly!’ led in 1964. For women, Lee surpasses the also busy Cher, who was 52 when “Believe” topped the Hot 100.”
Meanwhile, Cher had some good Christmas news of her own: “DJ Play a Christmas Song,” from her first-ever holiday album Christmas, is No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary radio airplay chart.