List of best-selling Christmas singles in the United States explained

This page shows the best-selling Christmas singles in the United States. It includes artists from around the world, but it only reflects sales in the United States. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby is not only the best-selling Christmas/holiday single in the United States, but also the best-selling single of all time since the advent of recorded music, with estimated sales in excess of 50 million copies worldwide.[1] [2] [3] [4]

Prior to March 1, 1991, the only means of tracking sales figures for record albums and singles in the United States was via the certification system of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), based specifically on shipments (less potential returns) on a long-term basis. From March 1, 1991, through the present day, the Nielsen SoundScan tracking system has been more widely used to accurately track sales of record albums and singles at the point of sale (POS) based on inventory bar code scans, as well as digital music download sales starting in 2003. As of November 25, 2016, the holiday single with the most digital downloads is Mariah Carey's 1994 track "All I Want for Christmas Is You", which SoundScan estimates as having sold 3,200,000 copies.[5]

Best-selling Christmas/holiday singles by Nielsen SoundScan data

This is a list of the top ten best-selling Christmas singles of the SoundScan era in the United States according to the Nielsen Company, as last updated on November 25, 2016. Nielsen SoundScan began tracking digital download sales data at the end of June 2003.

Best-selling Christmas singles

RankTitleArtistReleasedLabelDigital downloads
1"All I Want for Christmas Is You"1994Columbia3,200,000
2"Do You Want to Build a Snowman?", Agatha Lee Monn & Katie Lopez2013Walt Disney1,600,000
3"Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24"Savatage (later credited to Trans-Siberian Orchestra, which featured all Savatage members)1996Lava1,300,000
4"Mistletoe"2011Island1,100,000
5"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"1958Decca1,000,000
6 "Where Are You Christmas?"2000Interscope977,000[6]
7"Christmas Canon"Trans-Siberian Orchestra1998Lava918,000
8"Feliz Navidad"1970RCA808,000
9"Jingle Bell Rock"1957Decca780,000
10"Last Christmas"Wham!1984Columbia751,000

Best-selling Christmas/holiday singles by RIAA certification

This is an incomplete list of the best-selling Christmas/holiday singles in the United States based on certification by the RIAA. This list provides a more complete representation of the best-selling Christmas/holiday albums in history, as it includes those released well before the Nielsen/SoundScan era of music sales.

Digital singles

Year of releaseTitleArtistLabelCertification award[7] Certification date
1994"All I Want for Christmas Is You"Columbia14× Platinum2023-12-08
1958"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"Decca5× Platinum2023-11-03
2014"Santa Tell Me"Republic4× Platinum2024-01-09
2013"Do You Want to Build a Snowman?", Agatha Lee Monn & Katie LopezWalt Disney4× Platinum2023-03-17
2011"Mistletoe"Island3× Platinum2021-01-11
1963"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"Legacy3× Platinum2023-04-07
1963"Sleigh Ride"The RonettesLegacy3× Platinum2023-04-07
1984"Last Christmas"Columbia2× Platinum2019-12-12
2019"Like It's Christmas"Jonas BrothersRepublicPlatinum2023-01-25
2018"Cozy Little Christmas"CapitolPlatinum2022-01-27
2018"What Christmas Means to Me" (Featuring Stevie Wonder)ColumbiaPlatinum2022-03-22
2017"A Ghetto Christmas Carol"XXXTentacionBad Vibes ForeverPlatinum2023-05-02
2017"Snowman"SiaAtlanticPlatinum2022-10-27
2017"You Make It Feel Like Christmas" (Featuring Blake Shelton)InterscopePlatinum2023-12-04
2016"Hallelujah"PentatonixRCAPlatinum2018-02-09
2014"Mary, Did You Know"PentatonixRCAPlatinum2018-02-09
2007"This Christmas"RCAPlatinum2021-10-01
1994"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"ColumbiaPlatinum2022-03-27
1994"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing/Gloria (In Excelsis Deo)"ColumbiaPlatinum2023-12-08
1994"O Holy Night"ColumbiaPlatinum2023-12-08
1965"Christmas Time Is Here"FantasyPlatinum2019-01-31
1963"Winter Wonderland"LegacyPlatinum2023-04-07
1958"Run Rudolph Run"GeffenPlatinum2020-11-18
2021"Pick Out a Christmas Tree"Dan + ShayWarner Music NashvilleGold2024-05-09
2020"Take Me Home for Christmas"Dan + ShayWarner Music NashvilleGold2022-02-03
2019"Do You Hear What I Hear?" Featuring Whitney HoustonRCAGold2023-01-27
2018"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"ColumbiaGold2023-02-14
2017"Candy Cane Lane"SiaAtlanticGold2023-11-15
2017"Santa's Coming for Us"SiaAtlanticGold2023-11-15
2015"Noel" (with Lauren Daigle)sixstepsrecords/SparrowGold2024-03-07
2014"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"CapitolGold2020-02-11
2011"All I Want for Christmas Is You (SuperFestive!)" with Mariah CareyIslandGold2020-06-25
2011"The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" featuring UsherDef JamGold2024-01-10
2011"Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"Def JamGold2023-12-12
2010"Shake Up Christmas"TrainColumbiaGold2024-02-26
2002"Mary, Did You Know?" & Wynonna JuddCurbGold2024-07-25
2000"The Christmas Shoes"NewSongBenson/ReunionGold2020-07-31
2000"My Only Wish (This Year)"JiveGold2023-10-24
1996"Chanukah Song"Warner Bros.Gold2009-10-05
1996"Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24"Savatage/Trans-Siberian OrchestraLavaGold2009-12-14
1994"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"ColumbiaGold2022-03-27
1982"Hard Candy Christmas"RCAGold2022-10-21
1973"Step into ChristmasMCAGold2021-09-27
1965"Linus and Lucy"FantasyGold2019-05-10
1963"Frosty the Snowman"The RonettesLegacyGold2023-04-07

Cellular ringtones

Year of releaseTitleArtistLabelsCertification award[8] Certification date
2006"All I Want for Christmas Is You"Columbia2× Multi-Platinum2009-12-15
2003"Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"Elmo & PatsyLegacy/EpicGold2008-12-10
2003"Santa Baby"LegacyGold2008-12-09

Physical singles

According to the most recent record album certifications, the holiday single title with the highest RIAA certification is Elvis Presley's 1964 single "Blue Christmas", which is certified Platinum by the RIAA (though its date of certification came more than ten years after the RIAA reduced the threshold for Platinum level for singles from two million copies to one million copies).[9]

Year of releaseTitle
(A-side/B-side)
Artist(s)LabelCertification awardCertification date
1965"Blue Christmas"/
"Santa Claus Is Back in Town"
RCA VictorPlatinum1999-07-15
1989"This One's for the Children"/
"Funky, Funky Xmas"
New Kids on the BlockColumbiaGold1990-01-09
1985"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"ColumbiaGold1992-05-05
1984"Do They Know It's Christmas?"/
"Feed the World"
Band AidColumbiaGold1984-12-19
1984"Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"Elmo & PatsyEpicGold1989-12-27
1982"Mickey's Christmas Carol"(no artist listed)Disneyland/VistaGold1989-05-11
1977"A Charlie Brown Christmas"
(Story and Song)
(no artist listed)Buena VistaGold1994-03-25
1977"Frosty the Snow Man"
(Story and Song)
(no artist listed)Disneyland/VistaGold1994-03-25
1976"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"
(Story and Song)
(no artist listed)Disneyland/VistaGold1994-03-25
1970"The Night Before Christmas"
(Story and Song)
(no artist listed)DisneylandGold1994-03-25
1959"Alvin's Harmonica"/
"Mediocre" (David Seville)
The ChipmunksLibertyGold[10]
1958"The Chipmunk Song"/
"Almost Good" (David Seville)
The Chipmunks with the Music of David SevilleLibertyGold
1958"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"/
"Papa Noël"
DeccaGold[11]
1957"Jingle Bell Rock"/
"Captain Santa Claus (and His Reindeer Space Patrol)"
Bobby HelmsDeccaGold[12]
1955"Nuttin' for Christmas"/
"Santa Claus Looks Just Like Daddy"
and His Orchestra
Vocal by Barry Gordon
MGMGold[13]
1952"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"/
"Thumbelina"
ColumbiaGold[14]
1950"Frosty the Snow Man"/
"When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter"
and The Cass County BoysColumbiaGold[15]
1949"I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas"/
"Yingle Bells"
CapitolGold[16]
1949"Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer"/
"If It Doesn't Snow on Christmas"
& The PinaforesColumbiaGold1969-11-10
1948"All I Want for Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)"/
"Happy New Year"
and his City SlickersRCA VictorGold[17]
1948"I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm"/
"I'm A-Tellin' You, Sam"
and his OrchestraColumbiaGold[18]
1947"Here Comes Santa Claus (Down Santa Claus Lane)"/
"An Old-Fashioned Christmas"
ColumbiaGold
1946"Christmas Island"/
"Winter Wonderland"
Andrews Sisters and Guy Lombardo and His Royal CanadiansDeccaGold[19]
1946"The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)"/
"In the Cool of Evening"
The King Cole TrioCapitolGold[20]
1944"White Christmas"/
"If You Are But a Dream"
ColumbiaGold[21]
1943"I'll Be Home for Christmas (If Only in My Dreams)"/
"Danny Boy"
DeccaGold[22]
1943"Jingle Bells"/
"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"
and the Andrews SistersDeccaGold
1942"White Christmas"/
"Let's Start the New Year Right"
DeccaGold[23]
1942"White Christmas"/
"Abraham"
and his OrchestraVictorGold[24]
1935"Silent Night"/
"Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful)"
DeccaGold

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/3315/guinness2007.pdf Guinness Book of Records, 2007 Edition, page 187
  2. https://web.archive.org/web/20110723170832/http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/8412/guinness2008.pdf Guinness Book of Records, 2008 Edition, page 181
  3. http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/4387/guinness2009.pdf Guinness Book of Records, 2009 Edition, pages 14, 15 & 169
  4. News: Roy J. Harris, Jr. . The Best-Selling Record of All. 'White Christmas' and the reasons it endures . It was a peaceful song that became a wartime classic. Its unorthodox, melancholy melody—and mere 54 words, expressing the simple yearning for a return to happier times—sounded instantly familiar when sung by America's favorite crooner. But 67 years after its introduction, some still are surprised to learn that Bing Crosby's recording of the Irving Berlin ballad "White Christmas" became not only the runaway smash-hit for the World War II holidays, but the best-selling record of all time. . . December 5, 2009 . December 6, 2009 .
  5. Web site: Billboard Staff. November 25, 2016 . What Are the Top-Selling Holiday Songs? . Billboard Magazine . November 29, 2016.
  6. News: Top 30 Digital Country Singles: December 3, 2018. RoughStock. Matt . Bjorke . December 3, 2018. December 7, 2018.
  7. Web site: RIAA Gold & Platinum . . November 2, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130225031458/http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS . February 25, 2013 .
  8. Web site: RIAA Gold & Platinum . . November 29, 2017 .
  9. Web site: RIAA Gold & Platinum . . November 2, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130225031458/http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS . February 25, 2013 .
  10. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 27 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  11. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 45 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  12. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 40 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  13. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 50 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  14. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 22 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  15. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 19 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  16. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 66 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  17. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 43 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  18. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 25 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  19. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 18 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  20. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 28 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  21. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 58 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  22. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 31 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  23. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 30 . 0-89820-161-6 .
  24. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) . Record Research Inc . 2004 . Wisconsin . 47 . 0-89820-161-6 .