# What is with the hate for Mariah Carey? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [December 13, 2022, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437 "2022-12-13T02:10:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/61 "2022-12-15T16:53:57Z")
You’re on Santa’s naughty list for putting that song back in my head. Those cheesy, bloopy synth stabs make me stabby. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/62 "2022-12-15T19:28:24Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > I like “All I Want For Christmas Is You” but in small amounts. Luckily, that’s how I seem to receive it. Yeah, I don’t listen much to popular radio, etc. PS, re- _I want a Hippopotamus -_ PMJ has a fun version- [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/P5MPbZxgtdY/maxresdefault.jpg "I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5MPbZxgtdY) ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/63 "2022-12-15T22:10:38Z")
You might not like this news. _Time Out_ magazine searched the Spotify playlists of **over 100,000 people** to find which Christmas songs were so popular or well-liked people put them on their playlist. The results are below but the choice and methodology is open to debate. It might include businesses. Maybe novel songs are more likely to appear. Maybe they just interviewed schizoaffectives. Maybe Mariah threatened to sing it repeatedly if they didn’t choose it… **Top 20 Christmas Songs on Spotify in the United States:** **1.”All I Want for Christmas is You" by Mariah Carey** **2.** “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee **3.** “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams **4.** “Last Christmas” by Wham **5.** “Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helms **6.** “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” by Michael Bublé **7.** “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby **8.** “The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole **9.** “Holly Jolly Christmas” by Burl Ives **10.** “Let it Snow! Let is Snow! Let it Snow” by Frank Sinatra **11.** “Santa Tell Me” by Ariana Grande **12.** “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” by John Lennon **12.** “Blue Christmas” by Elvis Presley **14.** “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Frank Sinatra **15.** “Sleigh Ride” by The Ronettes **16.** “Carol of the Bells” by Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych **17.** “Santa Baby” by Earth Kittening **18. “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” by Mariah Carey** **19.** “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” by Burl Ives **20.** “Silver Bells” by Dean Martin ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/64 "2022-12-15T22:12:59Z")
Not saying they are right. > **[Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" is still the most popular...](https://www.timeout.com/usa/news/here-are-the-20-most-popular-christmas-songs-across-the-nation-121020)** > > Surprise, surprise. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/65 "2022-12-15T22:17:07Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > **9.** “Holly Jolly Christmas” by Burl Ives I despise most Christmas music. I like that song a lot. In a world of fake smiles and saccharine laughs, Burl Ives seems genuinely happy in that song. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/66 "2022-12-15T22:45:18Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](#): > > That IS wonderful! Thanks 😀 > [@XOldiesJock](#): > > That is hilarious, as was the reaction of our two cats! They both looked at us like “What the hell?!!!” What makea it great is that Maya is in key!!! ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/67 "2022-12-15T22:49:17Z")
Ugh, I _hate_ “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”. I hate hate hate that woman’s voice. No love for “Christmas Time is Here”, by Ray Parker Jr.? I don’t have a Spotify account myself. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/68 "2022-12-15T23:11:42Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > I despise most Christmas music. I like that song a lot. In a world of fake smiles and saccharine laughs, Burl Ives seems genuinely happy in that song. Yeah, Burl Ives seems to be the Real Thing. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2022, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/69 "2022-12-15T23:36:13Z")
Except for Sinatra and Martin that ranking is the sound torture list in my personal Gitmo. And how the fuck is John Coltrane playing “Greensleeves” or “Back Door Santa” not in this ranking? This is the most _Suburban Life Magazine_ inspired mix tape Christmas song playlist that your Boomer parents put on to impress the neighbors. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/70 "2022-12-16T00:24:38Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Except for Sinatra and Martin that ranking is the sound torture list in my personal Gitmo. Altho I am with you on Deano, I feel that Burl and Bing also belong on any Xmas song list, along with Eartha. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/71 "2022-12-16T00:46:39Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Earth Kittening It’s the first time I’ve seen her called that. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/72 "2022-12-16T01:54:08Z")
Apparently “All I Want for Christmas is You” is so popular that a Christian artist covered it, and thus it played on K-LOVE, the Christian music station my dad listens to. I actually went and looked up the lyrics to see if they’d pulled a Cartman and changed the lyrics (as I only caught the tail end on the radio). But nope. Apparently the artist has also covered Queen, but you don’t get Queen on the K-LOVE, as far as I know. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/73 "2022-12-16T02:02:44Z")
Me too, but that might explain the sensual vibe. I like Bing Crosby. I don’t have strong feelings about most of the songs - a couple I quite like and a few I do not. I’m okay with lots of Christmas music _the actual week_ of holiday and wouldn’t miss it outside that. I tune it out when shopping, it doesn’t bother me. I wouldn’t expect my musical tastes or feelings about Christmas music to be fully reflected by your average Nebraska Sam or Samantha. I wonder who shops at those Christmas in July stores. That said, this list still surprised me a bit. I find Mariah just a little too much. Any decent jazz musician is going to be superior to an average arrangement. I’m sure a popular Christmas song is an easy way to cash in. Can it really be that hard to write one? Talk about snow and mistletoe and reindeer and winter food and cocoa… ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/74 "2022-12-16T02:26:20Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > I think she has an unreal, absolutely amazing voice and uses it to torture people with awful singing. > > It’s like getting in a Bugatti sports car and then plowing through a crowd of people in a parade. Literal LoL, thanks ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/75 "2022-12-16T02:31:26Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Talk about snow and mistletoe and reindeer and winter food and cocoa… Depends on your audience, I guess. Don’t forget cricket, swimming at the beach, seafood bbq, and beer. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/76 "2022-12-16T02:33:23Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > But when she tried, and failed, in being trademarked “Queen of Christmas,” that was it. Probably one of the most idiotic (if completely unimportant) things I’ve ever heard a columnist in a major news outlet say was that the US Patent and Trademark office was being “Grinch-like” for not granting Carey _the exclusive, money-grabbing, selfish_ right to exclusive commercial use of “Queen of Christmas”. Topsy-turvey land indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/77 "2022-12-16T02:35:10Z")
It’s all good. People just want something different from the same old. How hard can it be to write something which sounds kind of traditional? Is there any country outside of the US where Christmas music is _very_ popular for more than a month? I’m sure there are quite a few, probably largely Christian countries… ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/78 "2022-12-16T02:36:45Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Is there any country outside of the US where Christmas music is very popular? At a flea market in Florida, I heard a track from a CD of traditional Christmas music played by a steel drum band. Sadly, they wanted $15 and would not budge. At least I have my memories. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/79 "2022-12-16T02:50:55Z")
The most glaring error on that list is that Wham! and Elvis aren’t the top 2. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2022, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437/80 "2022-12-16T03:06:47Z")
My expectations for the list were surprisingly low. I quite like Elvis. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-with-the-hate-for-mariah-carey/976437.md?page=5)