Over the years, Mariah Carey has become synonymous with Christmas, with the diva making jokes every year about defrosting for the festive season as soon as December rolls around.
The 56-year-old has always spoken about her genuine love for Christmas, so it only makes sense for her to have one of the most iconic holiday songs of all time with All I Want For Christmas.
Despite being a woman who isn't afraid to acknowledge her own talents, even Mariah has admitted she's still surprised by the success of the song, which she began writing on a little Casio keyboard in the early nineties.
"My goal was to do something timeless, so it didn’t feel like the nineties," she said previously, adding: "I really, truly love the holidays. It’s not fake."
Advert
How much money does Mariah Carey earn from the song?
It seems the songstress' efforts certainly paid off, as All I Want For Christmas is officially the most streamed Christmas song of all time and earning Mariah royalties of around £2 to £3 million each year.
As Hugh Grant's character says in About A Boy, if you can write a great Christmas song, you'll never have to work another day in your life.
It was first released back in 1994, and almost three decades later, by 2023, the song was reported to have made more than £75 million.
As well as stepping out to do her annual festive performances, it seems like the hitmaker has a busy Christmas period, admitting she 'looks forward to Christmas the whole year round.'
"We go to Aspen, which is my favourite place to celebrate Christmas because it’s always snowy and it’s one of the best places ever," she said previously, as per the Sun.
"We do all sorts of things. We go on a sleigh ride with the kids and my extended family, I cook, Santa Claus comes over. I know it sounds like I’m making it up but it’s true — I know him personally, he’s my dude. We have live reindeer. It’s an extravaganza."
Outside of All I Want For Christmas, Slade's Merry Xmas Everybody is said to draw in £500,000 to £1 million each year and Last Christmas by Wham! is believed to earn between £300,000 to £470,000 every time the festive season rolls around.
Christmas songs earn royalties every time they're played, whether it's streaming services, on the radio or as part of TV adverts, although the way the royalties are split between the artist and other people involved in making the song depends entirely on the song.
Topics: Christmas, Mariah Carey, Music, Celebrity News
Emma Rosemurgey