"All I Want" Achieves 100 Weeks at No. 1 on Billboard
"Carol Pension" Dominates Top of the Charts with "First Snow" and "White Longing"
The music charts have once again been overtaken by the "onslaught of carols." As Mariah Carey, the "symbol of Christmas," has written a new chapter in Billboard history, domestic music consumption, which had been subdued last year due to social turmoil, has regained its usual vitality, resulting in a noticeably rapid resurgence of carols.
The power of the "carol pension," which returns every Christmas season, is remarkable. On December 22 (local time), Billboard announced that Mariah Carey’s main single chart "Hot 100" has reached a cumulative 100 weeks at number one. This is an unprecedented record in the 67 years since the chart’s inception in 1958. "All I Want For Christmas Is You," released in 1994, has held the top spot for 21 weeks, achieving this milestone. She has easily surpassed Rihanna (60 weeks) and The Beatles (59 weeks).
This year, songs with a winter vibe are popular on domestic charts. Unlike last year, when tracks such as Girls’ Generation’s "Into the New World" (2007) topped the charts and became the background music on the streets instead of carols due to the aftermath of the December 3 Martial Law, this year’s atmosphere is different. In contrast to last year, when citizens holding cheering sticks sang together in public squares and those songs climbed the charts again, the Christmas spirit has taken hold early this year.
According to Genie Music, a music platform, as of December 24, Mariah Carey’s signature song has soared from the 70s to 9th place since the beginning of the month. EXO’s "First Snow" (2013), a steady-selling K-carol, surged to second place on Melon’s "Top 100," fending off the "attack" from Mariah Carey. Having climbed more than 110 spots in just three weeks, this song has now established itself among domestic fans as the signal for the start of Christmas.
Regardless of borders, "classics" remain popular. Ariana Grande’s "Santa Tell Me" and IU’s "Merry Christmas in Advance" (2010) have both secured mid-to-high positions on Melon’s weekly chart, demonstrating the enduring power of these steady sellers. Among newly released songs this year, Promise Nine’s remake of Kim Minjong’s original "White Longing" after 24 years has entered the top 20 on the charts.
The "carol polarization" phenomenon, where the dominance of established songs leads to a decrease in new releases, is also evident. The number of new carols released this year has plummeted to just one-third of what it was two years ago. Filling this gap is unique collaborative content. "The Christmas Song," a project featuring Google’s artificial intelligence Gemini and actor Byun Wooseok, as well as a music video starring IVE’s Jang Wonyoung and aespa’s Karina, has attracted attention as multimedia content.
An industry insider commented, "K-pop songs continue to gain popularity and exert influence in the global market, but in December, pop stars’ carols firmly dominate the top of the charts. With domestic carol consumption, which had been subdued by social issues last year, returning to normal this year, the year-end music market has finally returned to its proper track."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
