Brenda Lee was 13 years old in 1958 when she recorded "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." Sixty-five years later, it has become a part of the Christmas music catalog, been covered by hundreds of other artists, and remains an iconic part of every Christmas tree lighting and celebration. But it has never reached No. 1 on the Billboard 100 list until this year. At 78 years old, Brenda Lee toppled Mariah Carey from her throne to become the oldest woman to reach this musical milestone.

Thank God. "All I Want For Christmas" ranks up there with "Feelings" as a song that needs to be retired.

We’ve all sang that song during the holidays. How great for Brenda Lee, after 65 years, to finally hit No. 1 with her hit, ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’. At 78 years young, she’s the oldest woman to top the Billboard Hot 100. pic.twitter.com/Z88TpbUj23

— Deborah Roberts (@DebRobertsABC) December 5, 2023

It’s hard to quite think of someone who was as big a veritable child star as Brenda Lee was in the late ’50s and early ’60s a “late bloomer.” Nor can “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” really be considered an underdog song, after its accrual of quintuple-platinum sales over the decades. And yet it’s spent the last several years peaking at No. 2 each December, after spending most of its lifetime not annually charting at all. Now it’s finally No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, 65 years after its release.

The previous record-holder for the longest climb to the top? Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which took a mere 25 years to accomplish what took “Rockin'” nearly three times as long. Not coincidentally, Carey’s song also looked to be the tune that would forever keep Lee’s in second place, possibly eternally, until the Christmas tortoise caught up with the Christmas hare this week.

It was not without a fun campaign with Lee at center stage, with a lot of juice supplied by Lee's label, Universal Music Group Nashville. Lee has recorded a new music video with fellow country singers Tanya Tucker and Trisha Yearwood to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the song. Lee also recorded a new EP to go with the video.

Along with the music video, she debuted a brand-new accompanying EP, A Rockin’ Christmas with Brenda Lee. This collection features a mix of the Atlanta, GA native’s holiday favorites including “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town,” “Jingle Bell Rock” “A Marshmallow World.” The final track on the project offers a fresh version of “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” reimagined by Filous.

It's nice to know that at 78, Lee is still breaking new ground and having a grand time doing it. Lee also plans to perform "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" on “Christmas at the Opry,” an NBC special set to air on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.

“The song came out when I was a young teenager and now to know that it has resonated with multiple generations and continues to resonate – it is one of the best gifts I have ever received. Keep on Rockin’ and Merry Christmas,” Lee said in conclusion. 

The Christmas Tree is one of my favorite symbols of the holiday, so I will be rockin' with Brenda Lee around mine!