“All I Want for Christmas is You”: Michael Bublé vs. Mariah Carey

"All I Want for Christmas is You": Michael Bublé vs. Mariah Carey

Brittney Ho, Staff Writer

When December comes around, there is one thing that is so ubiquitous that nobody can escape it: Christmas. And whether you celebrate the holiday or not, while shopping for presents or lacing the tree with tinsel or just going out into the world, we all require the most festive of soundtracks to get us through. Christmas music is an absolute must, even for those who don’t celebrate the holiday.

“All I Want for Christmas is You” is a timeless song that is stuck in everyone’s minds during this time of the year. The festive jingle bells and catchy tune are the epitome of holiday cheer. Michael Bublé and Mariah Carey, who both have versions of the song, have two of the best voices ever made to serenade us all during the winter season. So comes the most epic battle of Christmas love and spirit: who sang it better? Bublé or Carey?

Let’s start with Mariah Carey. She is the original co-writer and singer of the timeless classic, and, typically, her voice is the one that most people associate with the song. It begins with a faint jingling of bells, and, immediately, listeners know that they are about to be blasted with festivity.

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She starts strong, belting out the beginning lines, “I don’t want a lot for Christmas. There is just one thing I need. I don’t care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree. I just want you for my own, more than you could ever know. Make my wish come true. All I want for Christmas is you.”

Then, the fun begins. The beat picks up, adding upbeat drums and backup singers. It is impossible to not dance along to the festive melody and match Carey’s vocal riffs and runs. By the time the bridge has come around, Carey has reminded us all why we call her the queen of Christmas.

Arguably the best part of the song comes at the end. She introduces a fun harmony in the background, accentuated by her trademark flawless whistle notes. It compliments her own voice in the best way, and the end result is an iconic Christmas masterpiece that captures the joy of the holidays. The song has over 87 million streams on Spotify.

However, anyone who believes Michael Bublé isn’t a strong contender against Carey would be mistaken. To begin, his entire Christmas album is a great classic, and any fans of holiday music can agree. He has a voice made for Christmas. Though his cover of the song is slower and perhaps not as energetic, it genuinely captures what it’s like to feel warmth, love, and gratitude during the Christmas season. Isn’t that what the holiday is all about?

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His version starts with harmonious piano chords instead of jingling bells. While Carey’s voice starts light and breathy, Bublé’s is solid and as smooth as butter. At this point, listeners are already melting with the sound of his voice.

Unlike the original, Bublé’s rendition stays relatively calm until the pre-chorus, when a beat is added to the background. The effect is the song becoming more powerful and passionate-sounding as Bublé begs Santa to “bring him the one he really loves.”

In Bublé’s version of the song, he chooses to accentuate different notes than Carey. The subtle nuances and Bublé flare change the mood from fun and energetic to sentimental and longing. In the bridge, Bublé passionately belts what he’d love the most for Christmas, and it truly does tug on people’s heartstrings. The song has over 30 million Spotify streams. It is beautiful, so pleasing to listen to, and every bit as Christmas-y and festive as Carey’s version.

So, you decide. No one can deny that both versions are classic and beautifully capture the spirit of Christmas. However, does Mariah Carey rein queen of Christmas with her upbeat, festive song that captures the joy and fun of holiday spirit? Or does Michael Bublé snatch that title out from under her, covering her song with a sentimental, smooth ballad that reminds us all what Christmas love is all about?

Don’t worry. You can’t go wrong with choosing either of them.