Kate Leinbaugh

But in the early aughts, that started to change. Services like iTunes let people buy All I Want for Christmas as a standalone single. And a lot of people did. Mariah and her label started putting more marketing behind the song. She did those Christmas concerts and specials. And then last year, 25 years after it first came out, the song hit number one.

Mariah gives credit for the song Surge to her fans. They've been organizing for years to vault the song to the top of the charts in 2019 and make it her 19th number one hit.

Mariah gives credit for the song Surge to her fans. They've been organizing for years to vault the song to the top of the charts in 2019 and make it her 19th number one hit.

Mariah gives credit for the song Surge to her fans. They've been organizing for years to vault the song to the top of the charts in 2019 and make it her 19th number one hit.

John says you can also trace the song's rapid rise to streaming.

John says you can also trace the song's rapid rise to streaming.

John says you can also trace the song's rapid rise to streaming.

In 2012, All I Want for Christmas had 3 million audio streams. In 2019, it had 166 million. And a lot of that growth came from playlists.

In 2012, All I Want for Christmas had 3 million audio streams. In 2019, it had 166 million. And a lot of that growth came from playlists.

In 2012, All I Want for Christmas had 3 million audio streams. In 2019, it had 166 million. And a lot of that growth came from playlists.

It feels like streaming is giving a lot of older songs a boost. We've seen it this year with Dreams from Fleetwood Mac. Is this happening a lot?

It feels like streaming is giving a lot of older songs a boost. We've seen it this year with Dreams from Fleetwood Mac. Is this happening a lot?

It feels like streaming is giving a lot of older songs a boost. We've seen it this year with Dreams from Fleetwood Mac. Is this happening a lot?

Every time December rolls around and we add All I Want for Christmas to our holiday playlist, Mariah Carey, the song's co-writer, co-producer, and singer, gets paid.

Every time December rolls around and we add All I Want for Christmas to our holiday playlist, Mariah Carey, the song's co-writer, co-producer, and singer, gets paid.

Every time December rolls around and we add All I Want for Christmas to our holiday playlist, Mariah Carey, the song's co-writer, co-producer, and singer, gets paid.

Mariah didn't give John a number, but he estimates these days the song makes at least a million dollars a year on streaming alone. But that estimate is low because it doesn't include other, even bigger sources of revenue, like radio play around the world and licensing, including for this podcast. When we think about money and the Christmas season, generally people are just thinking about retail.

Mariah didn't give John a number, but he estimates these days the song makes at least a million dollars a year on streaming alone. But that estimate is low because it doesn't include other, even bigger sources of revenue, like radio play around the world and licensing, including for this podcast. When we think about money and the Christmas season, generally people are just thinking about retail.

Mariah didn't give John a number, but he estimates these days the song makes at least a million dollars a year on streaming alone. But that estimate is low because it doesn't include other, even bigger sources of revenue, like radio play around the world and licensing, including for this podcast. When we think about money and the Christmas season, generally people are just thinking about retail.

Maybe that's because it's like the money coming out of our own pockets. But every time you hear any Christmas song... Baby, It's Cold Outside, Jingle Bell Rock, like, All I Want for Christmas is You, that's money going into someone's pocket.