Brenda Lee (real name: Brenda Mae Tarpley) recorded "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" at age 13 in 1958. And though it may be hard to believe, the song has never made it to #1 on the Billboard charts. We hear it every holiday season but Mariah Carey has occupied that top spot almost the entire time.
But today, Little Miss Dynamite got a big surprise: her classic holiday song has made it to #1, also making Brenda the oldest performer to have a number song\. The song, is a regular fixture on the chart this time of year, but until now it has always stalled out at No. 2.
Brenda also made and released the first-ever official video for the song released today! See it below. Also watch as Brenda is told by Billboard that she finally made it to #1. Here are a few more facts:
With this week’s top spot, Lee sets the following chart records, according to Billboard:
- Longest run to #1. Writes Billboard’s Gary Trust: “Lee’s ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ shatters the record for the longest wait from a song’s release – 65 years – to it hitting No. 1 on the Hot 100. It surpasses the 25-year gap between the release of Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ in 1994 and its rise to No. 1 in 2019”;
- Longest span of #1s. “Lee additionally rewrites the record for the longest span of an artist topping the Hot 100: 63 years, four months and three weeks, from her first week at No. 1 with ‘I’m Sorry’ (July 18, 1960) through the latest list. She supplants Carey, whose span of leaders stretches 32 years and five months, from her first week in charge (Aug. 4, 1990) with her debut single ‘Vision of Love’ through the most recent week on top for ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ last holiday season”;
- Longest break between #1s: “Making more history,” Billboard writes, “Lee marks the longest break between Hot 100 No. 1s: 63 years, one month and two weeks between ‘I Want To Be Wanted’ (Oct. 24, 1960) and ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree'”;
- Oldest #1 artist: “Lee is 78 years young; her new Hot 100 coronation will add to her birthday celebration Dec. 11,” says Billboard. “She becomes the senior-most artist to top the chart, surpassing Louis Armstrong, who was 62 when ‘Hello, Dolly!’ led in 1964. Among women, Lee passes the likewise busy Cher, who was 52 when ‘Believe’ ruled the Hot 100.”
Congratulations....