Mariah Carey On Biggest Hot 100 Holiday Hit in 60 Years: 'This Is the Star On Top Of My Christmas Tree'

"It never ceases to amaze me when this song re-emerges on the Billboard charts every year," Carey tells Billboard of her perennial hit in an exclusive statement. "What an incredible Christmas gift. It's been an amazing year for me with the release of my album Caution, and this is the star on top of my Christmas tree. Thank you everyone for the support."

Carey's "Christmas," first released on her Merry Christmas album in 1994, hit the Hot 100's top 10 for the first time last holiday season, reaching No. 9; a week ago, it bested that rank, rising to No. 7.

"Christmas" passes two No. 7-peaking Christmas-season songs, Kenny G's "Auld Lang Syne" and New Kids on the Block's "This One's for the Children," and now trails only "The Chipmunk Song" as the highest-charting such hit in the Hot 100's 60-year history. (Click here for details on the eligibility of holiday hits on the Hot 100 over the years.)

Carey's modern classic tops the Holiday 100 chart for a 33rd of 38 total weeks since the survey began in 2011 and is the top seasonal song in all metrics; it rises 8-6 on the Streaming Songs chart (28.1 million U.S. streams, according to Nielsen Music); 9-7 on Digital Song Sales (14,000 downloads sold); and 32-24 on Radio Songs (34.5 million in airplay audience).

Carey's latest album, Caution, debuted as her eighth No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart (dated Dec. 1). It opened as her 18th top 10 on the Billboard 200. The set also launched at No. 1 on Top R&B Albums and, a week later, Carey became the first artist to replace herself at No. 1 on the survey when Merry Christmas hit the apex for the first time. Merry Christmas spends a third week at No. 1 on the latest, Dec. 22-dated Top R&B Albums chart, up 5 percent to 33,000 equivalent album units.