Love it or hate it, it is definitely too early for Christmas music. However, perhaps the most iconic (perhaps even annoying?) of all festive ballads has hit headlines long out of season as ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ by American singer Mariah Carey has been added to the National Recording Registry of US cultural heritage for songs to be preserved for posterity.
Its addition is both a no-brainer but may also seem unnecessary – the song shows no sign of disappearing and it's hard to imagine making it through the winter months without hearing it on repeat. Unsurprisingly the song has broken several records, for example on 24 December 2022 it was streamed more than 21 million times on Spotify.
It has also been recorded as a cover on various occasions, including by fellow Christmas ballad artist Michael Bublé and Shania Twain, herself known for hits such as 'That Don't Impress Me Much,' and 'Man! I Feel Like A Woman'.
Every year since 2000, the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress includes 25 additional recordings "showcasing the range and diversity of American recorded sound heritage" to increase preservation awareness. Currently, there are 600 works/titles on the Registry.
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The library selects songs based on a committee’s recommendation and hundreds of submitted suggestions.
Carey's hit was added to the list alongside other 'classics' such as 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)' by Eurythmics, as well as the 1985 album by Madonna, 'Like a Virgin'.