Internet hails Brenda Lee as 'Queen of Christmas' as she becomes oldest artist to top Billboard Hot 100

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE:  Brenda Lee has topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart with her 1958 recording of ‘Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree,’ solidifying her position as the ‘Queen of Christmas’.

This chart-topping achievement has broken several Billboard records, including the longest wait between a song's release and reaching #1, and the longest span between an artist's #1 hits.

At 78 years old, Lee has become the oldest person to ever top the chart, surpassing Louis Armstrong, who was 62 when ‘Hello, Dolly’ peaked in 1964.

Lee's success is particularly noteworthy given that she was only 13 years old when she recorded the song, which has since become one of the most beloved and enduring holiday classics.

To celebrate the song's 65th anniversary, Lee has been actively promoting it, including appearing in its first-ever video, which features cameos by country stars Tanya Tucker and Trisha Yearwood.

The singer once known as ‘Little Miss Dynamite’ will also be performing the track on NBC's ‘Christmas at the Opry’ on December 7, this year.

The history behind this evergreen, record-breaking Christmas song

The song ‘Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree’ by Brenda Lee was originally recorded and released in 1958.

It was written by Johnny Marks and produced by Owen Bradley.

The song first appeared on the Hot 100 chart on December 12, 1960, at No 64, after Lee had already achieved four top 10 hits that year.

Two weeks later, it reached its original peak at No 14.

Between December 2019 and the last holiday season, the song spent nine weeks at No 2 on the Hot 100.

It shattered the record for the longest wait from a song's release to hitting No 1 on the Hot 100, with a gap of 65 years.

This surpassed the 25-year gap between the release of Mariah Carey's ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ in 1994 and its rise to No 1 in 2019.

Lee's single also broke the record for the longest climb to No 1 on the Hot 100 from a song's debut on the chart.

Lee's achievement also marks the longest break between Hot 100 No 1s, with a gap of 63 years, one month, and two weeks between ‘I Want To Be Wanted’ (Oct. 24, 1960) and ‘Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree.’

At 78 years old, Lee's new Hot 100 coronation will add to her birthday celebration on December 11, this year.

She became the senior-most artist to top the chart, surpassing Louis Armstrong, who was 62 when ‘Hello, Dolly!’ led in 1964.

Among women, Lee passes Cher, who was 52 when ‘Believe’ ruled the Hot 100.

In a bit of time-bending, while Lee is currently 78, the highest age for an artist atop the Hot 100, she was only 13 when she recorded ‘Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree.’

If the song had led when she was that age, she would have been the youngest woman to have reached No 1.

Little Peggy March remains the youngest woman to have led the list, as the singer, now 75, was 15 when ‘I Will Follow Him’ ruled in 1963.

Internet hails Brenda Lee as the rightful ‘Queen of Christmas’ as she tops the Hot 100 list

People on X were stumped by the revelation that it was Brenda Lee and not Mariah Carey who topped the Billboard Hot 100 list this year, becoming the oldest artist to have achieved this feat.

One X user remarked, "That’s what u call GRANDmothering"

Another user said, "Proving age is just a number when it comes to timeless talent!"

Another user wrote, "I’m so proud of her".

One user tweeted, "Lee makes history as the oldest artist to ever reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, at 78 years old."

Another X user reminisced, "This Woman remind me so much about my Mom, as a Kid Brenda was my Mother's favorite Star."

Another user wrote, "Legend in the game".

One X user said, "So happy for her she still achieved this after 65 years that’s really incredible".

Finally, this user tweeted, "Wow!! That’s massive Congratulations to her".