First artist to achieve US No.1 singles in four decades

When “All I Want for Christmas Is You” spent a third week atop the Billboard Hot 100 on 4 January 2020, Mariah Carey (USA) registered an unprecedented fourth decade in which she’d scored at least one chart-topping US single. Starting with “Vision of Love” in August 1990, Carey racked up 14 of her 19 chart-toppers in the 1990s and four in the 2000s before completing the feat with the decades-straddling “All I Want…” in 2019-20.

The success of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” broke a tie with eight acts – all solo artists – who have achieved Hot 100 No.1s in three decades: Stevie Wonder (‘60s-‘70s-‘80s); Michael Jackson and Elton John (‘70s-‘80s-‘90s); Janet Jackson and Madonna (‘80s-‘90s-‘00s); Usher, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera (‘90s-‘00s-‘10s). All eight singers have a full decade to try to match Mariah’s achievement…

“All I Want…” extended Carey’s record-breaking tally of years in which she’d topped the Hot 100 to 16: 1990-2000, 2005-06, 2008, 2019-20. Paul McCartney/Wings, Michael Jackson and Madonna have all registered ‘just’ 10 chart-topping years.

Mariah Carey’s 29-year 153-day span of US No.1 hits are: “Vision of Love” (4 weeks in 1990); “Love Takes Time” (3 weeks in 1990); “Someday” (2 weeks in 1991); “I Don’t Wanna Cry” (2 weeks in 1991); “Emotions” (3 weeks in 1991); “I’ll Be There” (feat. Trey Lorenz; 2 weeks in 1992); “Dreamlover” (8 weeks in 1993); “Hero” (4 weeks in 1993-94); “Fantasy” (8 weeks in 1995); “One Sweet Day” (feat. Boyz II Men; 16 weeks in 1995-96); “Always Be My Baby” (2 weeks in 1996); “Honey” (3 weeks in 1997); “My All” (1 week in 1998); “Heartbreaker” (feat. Jay-Z; 2 weeks in 1999); “Thank God I Found You” (feat. Joe & 98 Degrees; 1 week in 2000); “We Belong Together” (14 non-consecutive weeks in 2005); “Don’t Forget About Us” (2 weeks in 2005-06); “Touch My Body” (2 weeks in 2008); “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (3 weeks in 2019-20). She has spent a cumulative total of 82 weeks at No.1.