"All I Want for Christmas Is You" is a Christmas song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. She co-wrote and co-produced it with Walter Afanasieff for her fourth studio album and first holiday album, Merry Christmas (1994). Columbia Records released it as the lead single from the album on October 28, 1994. The track is an uptempo love song that includes bell chimes, backing vocals and synthesizers.
Ever since its release, "All I Want for Christmas Is You" has been met with universal critical acclaim, with The New Yorker describing it as "one of the few worthy modern additions to the holiday canon". It is Carey's biggest international success, topping the charts in twenty-six countries including Australia, Canada, France and Germany. In 2019, it topped the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time, 25 years after its original release, thus breaking several records, including the longest trip to number one. The following year, it also topped the charts in the United Kingdom for the first time, spending a record 69 weeks in its top 40 prior to reaching number one. With an estimated sales of over 17 million copies, it is the best-selling Christmas single by a female artist and one of the best-selling singles of all time. By 2017, it had reportedly earned $60 million in royalties.
Two music videos were originally commissioned for the song. The primary video features grainy home-movie-style footage of Carey, her dogs and family during the holiday season, as well as Carey dressed in a Santa suit frolicking on a snowy mountainside. Carey's then-husband Tommy Mottola makes a cameo as Santa Claus, bringing Carey a gift and leaving on a red sleigh. The second video was filmed in black and white, and features Carey dressed in 1960s style in homage to the Ronettes, alongside back up singers and female dancers. A third music video directed by Joseph Kahn was released in 2019 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the song.
Carey has performed "All I Want for Christmas Is You" during numerous live television appearances and tours throughout her career. In 2010, Carey re-recorded the song for her second holiday album, Merry Christmas II You (2010), titled "All I Want for Christmas Is You (Extra Festive)". Carey also re-recorded the song as a duet with Canadian singer Justin Bieber for his 2011 album Under the Mistletoe, titled "All I Want for Christmas Is You (SuperFestive!)".
The song has become a Christmas standard and continues to surge in popularity each holiday season.
Last Updated: June 12, 2021
