Watch Brenda Lee React To “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” Hitting #1 65 Years After Its Release
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Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” is the reigning #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. It just topped the chart 65 years after its initial release, making Lee the oldest chart-topper ever at 78 years old. Lee and her label gave the song a concerted push this year, putting out a music video for it and engaging in a social media campaign. For the past few years, “Rockin'” has stalled out at #2, unable to take over Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” in the lead spot.
But Lee managed to do so this year, and there was a camera on her when she found out that “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” had hit #1. Cindy Mabe, the CEO of Universal Music Group Nashville, was the one to tell Lee the news. “All these years… Mr. Marks will be proud,” Lee said at one point, referencing the song’s writer Johnny Marks, who passed away in 1985. Here’s the video:
@billboard A message from @Brenda Lee Official to her #Brendanators Watch the exact moment @UMG Nashville CEO Cindy Mabe tells the holiday music icon that “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” reaches No. 1 on this week’s #Hot100, breaking multiple #BillboardCharts records along the way. #brendalee #rockinaroundthechristmastree #holidaymusic #billboardhot100 ♬ original sound – billboard