Wham! Challenges Mariah Carey in Early 2026 Christmas Streaming Race

Nov 13, 2026 | 2:05 AM

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The race for the most-streamed Christmas song of 2026 is already heating up, with Wham! closing in on Mariah Carey’s longtime holiday favorite.

According to Billboard, Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” led U.S. holiday streaming from November 1 through November 7 with nearly 9.99 million streams. Wham!’s “Last Christmas” followed closely with 9.98 million, leaving only a narrow gap between the two songs.

The numbers also show different trends compared with last year. Carey’s streams declined 4%, while Wham! saw a 17% increase over the same period in 2025.

Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” remained another popular seasonal choice, generating approximately 7.38 million streams.

Early figures for November 8 and 9 showed Wham! moving ahead of Carey, suggesting a competitive start to this year’s holiday listening season.

The renewed interest in “Last Christmas” also comes as George Michael’s legacy receives attention ahead of a December concert documentary and the tenth anniversary of his death.

With Thanksgiving and Christmas still approaching, the holiday streaming rankings remain unsettled.