Mariah Carey Set the Standard for What a Christmas Album Could Be

Mariah Carey Set the Standard for What a Christmas Album Could Be The New York Times spoke with Berklees Maureen McMullan about Mariah Careys lasting impact on holiday music, 30 years after the release of Merry Christmas.

By

Tara Bellucci

November 1, 2024

A still from Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special on Apple TV+

Courtesy of Apple TV+

Its November 1, and the sparkling celesta opening notes of All I Want for Christmas Is You are bound to be in your ears for the next 55 days. Thats all thanks to the legendary Mariah Carey, whose holiday album Merry Christmas is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

The New York Times chatted with the Queen of Christmas herself, as well as senior concert producer Maureen McMullan, on the albums lasting legacy.

Her album set the standard and really kind of redefined what a Christmas album could be, McMullan said to the Times. She is bringing in a lot more contemporary influences-still very much respecting the contemporary gospel traditions, but then having original songs on there, which was quite novel.

McMullan is producing the upcoming Singers Showcase: One Sweet Day-The Music of Mariah Carey, which features over 80 Berklee students celebrating Mimis decades of pop stardom.

Carey tells the Times that at first, she didnt want to do a Christmas album. I felt it was too early in my career, she said. But as a lover of Christmas, she eventually came around. After doing her versions of her favorite classic carols, those opening notes of All I Want for Christmas Is You came to her one night as she tapped them out on a keyboard. The lyrics soon followed. Since its 1994 release, the song has been a chart-topping single, spending 65 weeks on Billboard's Hot 100.

Mariah fans can catch the elusive chanteuse on a 21-date holiday tour starting November 6, but she also told the Times that new non-holiday music is in the works, which could drop as early 2025. I've been waiting to do this for a long time, she said. There are some songs that I've been working on for a long time, and then there are some new songs and new people that I'm working with.

Of course, were still waiting on that secret grunge album to see the light of day.

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