(Left photo) Spotify’s Gemma McInturff, Tim Foisset, Rachel Whitney with Brenda Lee and UMGN’s Cindy Mabe, Tatiana Angulo, Vipin Reddy and Derek Anderson (Right photo) RIAA’s Jackie Jones, Brenda Lee and UMGN’s Cindy Mabe Photo Credit: Chris Hollo | Download Images HERE
NASHVILLE, TN (December 9, 2024) – Rock and Roll Hall and Country Music Hall of Famer Brenda Lee was recognized for her holiday hit “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” recently with plaque presentations by Spotify and the RIAA.
Spotify celebrated Lee for her milestone of hitting 1 billion streams on Spotify with her iconic song “Rocking Around The Christmas Tree,” which is the only holiday song by a female country artist to enter Spotify’s Billions Club. The hit song, which broke multiple records last year’s holiday season, currently sits at Number 1 on Spotify’s Top 50 US chart.
Lee was also honored for achieving 7x Platinum by the RIAA for “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.” This gives Lee the second highest Christmas title certified in 2024 to date and the second highest certified Christmas title (song or album) in RIAA history.
About Brenda Lee
Brenda Lee signed with the legendary Decca Records label before her 12th birthday and went on to record such landmark hits as “Sweet Nothin’s,” “All Alone Am I,” “Break it to Me Gently” and “I’m Sorry.” Though she had success in multiple genres including rockabilly, pop and rock, Lee found her home in country music. Lee’s best-loved hit, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” celebrated its 65th anniversary last year and continues to top the charts year after year. Not only has Lee sold more than 100 million albums globally, throughout her career she shared stages and earned the respect of the world’s most revered performers. The Beatles opened for her and the lads from Liverpool became good friends with the Southern belle from Atlanta, and Elvis Presley and Lee made their Grand Ole Opry debut on the same night. Lee had nine consecutive top 10 Billboard Hot 100hits from 1960 to 1962 and set a record for a female solo artist that was unequaled until over two decades later. Lee churned out country hits such as “Sunday Sunrise” and “Big Four Poster Bed” and continued to have country hits into the 80s, including “I Love Her So,” a duet with George Jones. Lee was the first woman inducted into both the Rock and Roll and Country Music Hall of Fames and she is a recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement award. Her hit song “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” is certified 7x Platinum by the RIAA and has reached over 1 billion streams on Spotify.
In November 2023, “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time ever, 65 years after the song’s debut, and was at the top spot for three weeks. By hitting the No.1 spot, Lee broke several records, many of which were held by Mariah Carey and “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” whom Lee beat out for the top. Lee claims just the third holiday No.1 ever on the Hot 100.
“Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” is also Lee’s third No. 1. She now holds the record for the longest gap between an artist’s first and most recent week at No.1 on the Hot 100, as her first No.1 was her single “I’m Sorry” in 1960. Lee and “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” now also hold the record for the longest climb to the topof the Hot 100, as the Johnny Marks-written hit was released 65 years ago, when Lee was just 13 years old. Now, at 79-years-old, Lee is also the oldest woman to top the Hot 100, surpassing previous record-holders Cher (“Believe,” age 52) and Carey (“All I Want for Christmas is You,” age 53).
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Media Contacts:
Cindy Finke
UMG Nashville
Tim Plumley
UMe