Every Christmas, the classic song “All I Want for Christmas Is You” resounds everywhere and becomes a cultural icon.
But few people know that this song not only brings joy but also a huge source of income for Mariah Carey, who is known as the “Queen of Christmas”.
How much money does the song “All I Want for Christmas Is You” make Mariah Carey each year?
According to Billboard’s estimates, Mariah Carey will earn between $2.7 million and $3.3 million from downloads and streams of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” in 2022. This does not include other sources of income such as Christmas TV shows or advertising contracts.
Since its release in 1994, the song has earned an estimated $103 million. On Spotify alone, the song has been streamed over 2 billion times, generating an estimated $9.8 million in royalties.
Mariah Carey benefited greatly from the song because she not only performed it, but also co-wrote and co-produced it with Walter Afanasieff. This allowed her to receive royalties from both sources: songwriting rights and recording rights.
According to experts, Carey can receive anywhere from 20% to 90% of recording revenue, depending on the contract agreement with the record label. Meanwhile, songwriting royalties are usually divided among publishers and co-writers, but Carey still gets a large portion due to her diverse role in the song’s production.
The music copyright system is complex, with royalties split between multiple parties, including writers, publishers, artists, producers, and record labels. According to Billboard, in 2022: Song recordings bring in $5.3 million, with Carey receiving about $1.9 million. Songwriting royalties bring in $3.2 million, with Carey receiving about $1.6 million, depending on the sharing agreement with Afanasieff and publishers.
In addition, Carey also earns from cover versions of the song, which have been performed by more than 150 different artists, as well as TV, radio and public broadcasts.
How long will this song continue to make money for Mariah Carey?
The song has become a global cultural phenomenon thanks to its catchy melody, positive message and consistent presence every Christmas. Since 2016, the song has consistently held the number 1 global spot on Spotify on Christmas Day.
In the US, the song’s streams increased from 167 million in 2019 to 249 million in 2023, according to Luminate, a testament to the song’s growing popularity.
Under US copyright law, works published after January 1, 1978, are protected for the lifetime of the author and for an additional 70 years after the author’s death. In the case of works with multiple authors, such as “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” the copyright expires after the last author dies.
This means that the Carey family will continue to receive royalties from the song for decades to come, before the song becomes public property, like the classic Christmas songs “Jingle Bells” or “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”.
