“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” still climbing charts

Brenda Lee’s holiday hit received its seventh Platinum certification this December from the Recording Industry Association of America decades after its 1958 release. The milestone officially made “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” the second-highest certified Christmas song in the association’s history, behind Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” The 80-year-old singer also joined the Spotify Billions club this month, after her holiday hit streamed 1 billion times on Spotify. It’s the only holiday song by a female country artist to receive the honor, according to American Songwriter.

Why is the song suddenly so popular? The song’s popularity is hardly an overnight success. “Rockin’” first appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart in 1960 but didn’t reach No. 1 until 2023. Lee made history as the oldest woman to achieve Billboard’s top ranking. “Rockin’” is only the third holiday song to reach No. 1 status on the chart, preceded by Carey’s hit and “The Chipmunk Song,” by The Chipmunks with David Seville.

After first charting, the song appeared on Billboard’s Hot 100 during the following two holiday seasons before disappearing from the list for over 50 years. “Rockin’” returned to the Hot 100 list in 2014, where it has reappeared every holiday season since, mostly in the top 10. Lee told the Associated Press that she was only 13 years only when she recorded “Rockin.’” It’s a great song that’s easy to sing and makes people happy, she said. Lee never dreamed that a Christmas song would be her musical legacy, but is more than happy about it, she told the interviewer.

Did 13-year-old Lee write the song? “Rockin’” is one of the many holiday standards penned by musician Johnny Marks. His other enduring holiday tunes include “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” and “Silver and Gold,” among others.

Dig deeper: Read Lynn Vincent’s column piece from WORLD Magazine last Christmas season about how music brings people together.