Here's a holly, jolly recap of all the holiday songs to top the AC chart. Perhaps surprisingly, only slightly more than half (10) of the 18 seasonal leaders are covers of decades-old standards, including Train's; despite AC's reliance on familiarity, more modern fare by the likes of Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson and Josh Groban, among others, have also jingled all the way to No. 1.
Holiday No. 1s on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart (Title, Artist, Chart Date Reached No. 1, Weeks at No. 1)
"This Christmas," Train, Dec. 17, 2015, one (to date)
"This Christmas," Seal, Jan. 2, 2016, one
"Baby It's Cold Outside," Idina Menzel duet with Michael Buble, Dec. 20, 2014, three
"Underneath the Tree," Kelly Clarkson, Dec. 2, 2013, four
"Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow," Rod Stewart, Dec. 8, 2012, five
"All I Want for Christmas Is You," Michael Buble, Dec. 10, 2011, five
"Oh Santa!," Mariah Carey, Dec. 18, 2010, four
"A Baby Changes Everything," Faith Hill, Dec. 20, 2008, three
"I'll Be Home for Christmas," Josh Groban, Dec. 22, 2007, three
"Frosty the Snowman," Kimberley Locke, Dec. 15, 2007, one
"It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," Daryl Hall John Oates, Dec. 30, 2006, two
"Jingle Bells," Kimberley Locke, Dec. 23, 2006, one
"Up on the Housetop," Kimberley Locke, Dec. 17, 2005, four
"Believe," Josh Groban, Dec. 11, 2004, five
"Sending You a Little Christmas," Jim Brickman with Kristy Starling, Jan. 3, 2004, one
"O Holy Night," Josh Groban, Dec. 28, 2002, two
"Simple Things," Jim Brickman featuring Rebecca Lynn Howard, Jan. 5, 2002, one
"The Christmas Shoes," NewSong, Jan. 6, 2001, one
With the inauguration of "Christmas," Train tallies its fourth AC No. 1. The group previously led with "Calling All Angels" (three weeks, 2004), "Hey, Soul Sister" (22 weeks, 2010-11) and "Drive By" (one week, 2012).
The new leader is from Train's 2015 holiday set Christmas in Tahoe (and is being promoted to the format fully for the first time this season). The band's new album, A Girl a Bottle a Boat, featuring the single "Play That Song" (which has reached No. 22 on AC), arrives Jan. 17.
Meanwhile, thanks to Train's takeover following Seal's, "Christmas" marks the first song (beyond holiday titles) in nearly 27 years to hit No. 1 on AC after a previous version led the list. On the Dec. 30, 1989, chart, Michael Bolton's "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" spent its first of three weeks at No. 1. Laura Branigan's recording of the ballad had logged three weeks on top in 1983.
