In 1994, Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff released "All I Want for Christmas Is You" without anticipating its rise to become a holiday classic. Initially, the song peaked at number 12 on the Billboard All-Genre Radio Songs chart in the United States and reached number two in the UK and Japan. However, over the years, it gained immense popularity, ultimately topping charts in over 25 countries.
The song holds three Guinness World Records and was named the greatest Christmas song of all time last year. According to a 2017 report by The Economist, the four-minute hit has generated more than $60 million in royalties for Carey since its release. Each year, the song continues to yield significant profits, with Carey earning approximately $3 million annually from royalties alone.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of "All I Want for Christmas Is You," Carey will host a one-hour special on BBC Radio 2, airing on December 25. During this pre-recorded performance, she will express gratitude to her fans and share a playlist of holiday songs from artists who inspired her, such as Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Whitney Houston.
Additionally, Carey has embarked on her concert tour, "Mariah Carey's Christmas Time," which kicked off on November 6 in Highland, California, and will conclude with a show in New York City on December 17.