A lot of familiar oldies are showing up this week - Brenda Lee hitting number 1 for the first time since the 1960’s. Billboard has changed the rules over the years - not just physical records/CDs sold, but streams, downloads, etc. as well.
Billboard’s rule for decades was that Christmas songs were only eligible for the Hot 100 in the year of their release. They rescinded that rule in 2019, which is why the Christmas standards from the '50s are now able to chart every December when certain radio stations play them to death.
It’s also why “All I Want For Christmas Is You” has topped the charts every December since then.
“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” was on the Billboard charts in 1960, 1961, and 1962. When did they start disallowing Christmas songs in multiple years?
1963, funny enough.