Why ‘All I Want For Christmas’ Is The Only Modern Holiday Classic

In 1994, when Mariah Carey released "All I Want For Christmas Is You,” there hadn't been a new holiday classic in a decade. And there hasn't been another once since. Mariah’s festive hit is one of the last songs to break into the American Christmas canon. Besides Mariah’s legendary five-octave range, what separates “All I Want for Christmas” from the rest — and why is it the only modern holiday standard? We take a deep dive into the song’s structure to explain its lasting appeal. Mariah Carey and long-time collaborator Walter Afanasieff crafted a timeless staple by drawing on holiday musical traditions spanning centuries, from the Nutcracker ballet of the 19th century, to 1960s girl groups like the Ronettes, to Phil Spector’s famous ‘‘Wall of Sound’. ------------------------------------------------------ #Christmas #Music #Insider Insider is great journalism about what passionate people actually want to know. That’s everything from news to food, celebrity to science, politics to sports and all the rest. It’s smart. It’s fearless. It’s fun. We push the boundaries of digital storytelling. Our mission is to inform and inspire. Subscribe to our channel and visit us at: https://www.insider.com Insider on Facebook:   / insider   Insider on Instagram:   / insider   Insider on Twitter:   / thisisinsider   Insider on Snapchat:   / 4020934530   Insider on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/v/thisisinsider Insider on TikTok:   / insider   Insider on Dailymotion: https://www.dailymotion.com/INSIDER Why ‘All I Want For Christmas’ Is The Only Modern Holiday Classic