Mariah Carey has officially marked the start of the Christmas season with the release of her “It’s Time!!!!” video. Following Halloween, her 1994 hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has re-entered music charts, showcasing the power of her “carol annuity.” This annual resurgence comes as a generational shift in seasonal anthems is also observed in other parts of the world.
The singer released the “It’s Time!!!!” video on November 1st, signaling the beginning of the holiday period. Her classic song, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” has since re-entered the Spotify Global charts. This track reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2019 and has consistently charted in the upper ranks of the chart every year since, particularly during the end of the year.
The “Carol Annuity” Phenomenon
Mariah Carey’s song “All I Want for Christmas Is You” generates an estimated maximum annual copyright revenue of 5.6 billion won. The song’s predictable chart re-entry each year has been dubbed a “carol annuity,” highlighting its enduring financial and cultural impact.
A Global Pattern of Seasonal Songs
This phenomenon is not unique to Carey or Christmas. In South Korea, for example, specific songs re-emerge each season to dominate the charts. The spring is represented by Busker’s “Cherry Blossom Ending,” which has re-entered music charts every year since its 2012 release, creating the term “sakura annuity.” This year, a generational shift occurred as Do Kyung-soo’s “Popcorn,” released in 2024, entered the daily charts at number 27 on April 6th, emerging as a new “seasonal song” for spring, even being used as a wedding march processional.
Summer and fall also have their representative songs. In the summer, Park Myung-soo and Jessica’s “Naengmyun” re-gained attention after being performed at a special concert. For fall, Yoo’s “Forgotten Season,” released in 1982, is re-examined every October 31st due to its lyric, “On the last night of October.” This pattern shows that while classic seasonal songs remain prominent, new songs are also emerging to represent the changing times.
