In this Disney handout photo, Grammy Award-winning singer Mariah Carey waves to the crowd while taping the television special “Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade” at the Magic Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on December 3, 2010. Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas is You” is a holiday favorite.

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Handout/Getty Images

In this Disney handout photo, Grammy Award-winning singer Mariah Carey waves to the crowd while taping the television special “Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade” at the Magic Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on December 3, 2010. Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas is You” is a holiday favorite.

Handout/Getty Images

Whether you play it on a loop or it drives you crazy, Mariah Carey’s song “All I Want for Christmas is You” has undoubtedly become a staple in the Christmas song canon.

But the canon of Christmas songs is large and a number of other pop artists have made their own Christmas jingles since 1994, including John Legend, Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift.

But not even the woman who broke records with her Eras tour gave us a holiday song with staying power worthy of The Canon.

Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” has dominated the Christmas music charts for 30 years. NPR’s Stephen Thompson explains what makes it an enduring hit.

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This episode was produced by Marc Rivers. It was edited by Courtney Dorning and Ashley Brown. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.