Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 — Week of December 27, 2025
How Holiday Classics & Modern Hits Share the Spotlight
As 2025 comes to a close, the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 chart reads almost like a festive playlist, dominated by timeless holiday classics that have become as much a part of the season as decorations and family gatherings. Yet tucked within this yuletide takeover is a modern pop anthem reminding us that the landscape of music consumption is ever-evolving. Creativedisc
📈 The Top 10 — A Nostalgic Snapshot
Here’s how the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 looks for the week ending December 27, 2025:
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“All I Want for Christmas Is You” – Mariah Carey
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“Jingle Bell Rock” – Bobby Helms
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“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” – Brenda Lee
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“Last Christmas” – Wham!
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“Santa Tell Me” – Ariana Grande
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“The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)” – Nat “King” Cole
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“Underneath the Tree” – Kelly Clarkson
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“Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” – Dean Martin
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“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” – Andy Williams
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“The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift
This list reflects what many music fans feel each December — a warm, familiar set of songs that soundtrack the holidays year after year, supported by heavy radio rotation, streaming spikes, and seasonal playlists across platforms.
🎄 Why Holiday Songs Rule the Year-End Chart
It may seem unusual to see mostly decades-old songs dominating a top singles chart in 2025, but this is a yearly phenomenon — and one that’s only grown stronger in the streaming era.
A Seasonal Surge Like Clockwork
Holiday tracks consistently climb the Hot 100 each December, thanks to:
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Massive streaming increases as listeners seek out festive playlists.
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Radio airplay that switches formats to holiday music.
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Nostalgia-driven consumption is particularly prevalent among older demographics.
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Viral TikTok use of classic lines or covers.
In fact, Billboard has documented how a select group of holiday hits — Mariah Carey’s perennial favorite, classics by Nat King Cole, Andy Williams, and Wham! — repeatedly re-enter and thrive in the Top 10 around the end of each year.
🎤 Standout Tracks from the 2025 Holiday Top 10
Let’s break down a few key songs in this week’s chart:
🥇 All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey
Unsurprisingly, Mariah Carey’s holiday anthem once again sits at No. 1 — a record-setting run that has kept it in the top spot across multiple Decembers. Originally released in 1994, this song has become an annual listening tradition that transcends generations and platforms.
🎷 Jingle Bell Rock – Bobby Helms & Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree – Brenda Lee
These mid-20th-century gems showcase how deeply holiday music is woven into American cultural memory. Both songs have charted year after year thanks to enduring popularity, strong airplay, and inclusion in films, ads, and seasonal playlists.
🎤 Santa Tell Me – Ariana Grande
A modern entry on the list, Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” holds firm at No. 5. Unlike many older tracks, this song was released in 2014 and has become one of the few 21st-century holiday songs that regularly charts — a sign that new holiday songs can still break through.
💫 The Fate of Ophelia – Taylor Swift
Breaking up the holiday classics is this contemporary pop staple from Taylor Swift, positioned at No. 10. Swift’s continued chart presence – even during a seasonal surge – underlines her consistent relevance and fan engagement.
🧠 What This Chart Says About Music Consumption in 2025
This holiday-heavy Hot 100 reveals a few broader trends shaping how people listen:
🔁 Streaming Drives Old & New Songs Alike
Streaming has fundamentally transformed the Hot 100, giving older holiday songs as much chance to chart as today’s newest hits. When listeners flood streaming services with seasonal tunes in December, algorithms boost these tracks into playlists and repeat streams automatically count toward chart placement.
📻 Radio Still Matters for End-of-Year Listening
Traditional radio plays a key role in the holiday chart, often shifting entirely to festive programming in December. That helps classics by Dean Martin and Andy Williams maintain prominence alongside modern hits.
💿 The Nostalgia Economy Is Real
Holiday music has emotional resonance — it’s tied to memories, traditions, and feelings of comfort. In a time of high stress and constant change, listeners turn to familiar music that feels like the holidays. That helps explain why decades-old hits outperform many current releases at year’s end.
🔮 Looking Ahead: Will This Trend Continue in 2026?
Industry changes are on the horizon that could affect future charts. One major shift is that YouTube will no longer share streaming data with Billboard starting January 2026, which may impact how heavily songs are weighted on the Hot 100 — especially those popular on YouTube but not as much on traditional streaming platforms.
If this change sticks, charts could look quite different, with less influence from YouTube streams and more emphasis on other platforms — fundamentally reshaping chart dynamics in the new year.
📌 Final Thoughts
The Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 for December 27, 2025 is a fascinating snapshot of how music taste, technology, and tradition intersect. While holiday classics understandably dominate the list, the presence of a contemporary pop hit like Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” shows there’s still room for today’s stars to make their mark even amidst cultural rituals and seasonal listening habits.
As this year closes and we step into 2026, one thing is clear: charts aren’t just numbers — they’re reflections of how we connect with music emotionally, socially, and through the platforms we love.
