Mariah Carey begins the holiday season early as “All I Want for Christmas Is You” returns to multiple U.K. charts while “Angel (The Prelude)” unexpectedly becomes a hit. HIGHLAND, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 15: (Exclusive Coverage) Mariah Carey performs onstage for “Merry Christmas One And All!” at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel on November 15, 2023 in Highland, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for MC)
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Every year when the weather begins to turn cold, music fans around the world know they can expect one thing: Mariah Carey and her holiday staple “All I Want for Christmas Is You” will soon be back on the charts. Some years, the track doesn’t return until December, as the Christmas season is typically thought of as beginning after Thanksgiving, at least in America. That’s changed in 2025, as what may be the most successful Yuletide cut of all time has already begun its annual surge in the United Kingdom.
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” makes its way back to multiple rosters, including the most important singles tally. But it is not Carey’s only win at the moment. At the same time, a decade-plus-old cut that never truly earned its moment in the spotlight debuts on multiple charts, becoming a surprise hit for the superstar in what has turned out to be a very exciting moment.
“Angel (The Prelude)” Becomes a Surprise Hit for Mariah Carey
“Angel (The Prelude)” launches on a pair of rankings in the U.K. this week. The tune starts at No. 41 on the Official Singles Downloads list and 10 spaces lower on the Official Singles Sales chart. Carey collects her twenty-sixth placement on the downloads-only roster and her eleventh on the all-encompassing ranking of the bestselling compositions across the nation.
“Angel (The Prelude)” Finds New Life a Decade and a Half After Its Release
The track, which has recently gone viral and is succeeding thanks to Carey’s massive and dedicated fan base, was originally released in September 2009. The tune, which was never served as a single — as it’s essentially an interlude — was featured on her twelfth full-length Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, and only now is it finally becoming a bestseller in major markets all around the world.
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” Reappears on Multiple Charts
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 02: Mariah Carey performs live on stage during Brighton Pride 2025: Pride In The Park at Preston Park on August 02, 2025 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage for ABA)
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As “Angel (The Prelude)” gets off to a somewhat shocking start, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is back. The cut blasts onto five charts in the U.K.
Here’s a rundown of where Carey’s holiday fixture appears on the U.K. charts this frame:
- Official Vinyl Singles – No. 30
- Official Streaming – No. 46
- Official Singles Sales – No. 73
- Official Singles – No. 82
- Official Singles Downloads – No. 91
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” Returns to the Top 40
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” lives on half a dozen tallies across the Atlantic this frame. While it finds its way back to almost all of them, the smash was already present on the Official Physical Singles chart last week.
This time around, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” becomes a top 40 bestseller on physical formats, bolting from No. 51 to No. 31, 56 weeks into its time on the tally. Throughout much of 2025, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has managed to be a top performer on this ranking, even in the spring and summer, when almost all other Christmas tunes are nowhere to be found.
Mariah Carey Builds Momentum From Here for It All
Two songs Carey released decades ago find space on the U.K. charts only a few months after she kicked off her latest musical era. The Grammy winner dropped her first album in seven years, Here for It All, in late September. Several songs — including “Type Dangerous,” “Sugar Sweet” with both Kehlani and Shenseea, and “Play This Song,” a collaboration with Anderson .Paak — were pushed as singles, and all three enjoyed some level of commercial success in countries like the U.K. and the United States, though for the moment, it seems that fans prefer her older material.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2025/11/13/mariah-carey-scores-a-surprise-new-hit-as-her-holiday-takeover-begins-again/
