Frank Sinatra posthumously re-enters Billboard Hot 100 with Jingle Bells in a first after 56 years

Frank Sinatra has marked a new milestone in his indelible musical career, of course, posthumously. Ahead of this year's Christmas, the late singer marked his entry into the top 20 for the Billboard Hot 100, with his 1948 recording of Jingle Bells. The last time a Sinatra song was in the top 20 for Billboard Hot 100, was 1967, making this quite a feat.

Frank Sinatra's Jingle Bells enters top 20 on Billboard Hot 100

The song in question, which has brought Sinatra into the Billboard Hot 100 top 20, is his 1948 recording of Christmas classic Jingle Bells. This makes for Sinatra's fourth top 20 hot 100 hit. The last time a Sinatra song fit the bill and achieved the feat was back in 1967. Between December 8 to December 14, Sinatra's song streams increased by 19 per cent, totaling 16.9 million U.S. streams. Additionally, the song has reached 15.3 million all-format radio audiences and sold 1,000 downloads, per Luminate, according to Billboard.

Besides Jingle Bells, three other Sinatra songs have made it to the top 20 on Billboard Hot 100. These include Strangers in the Night in 1966, That's Life (peaking at number 4) also in 1966 and Somethin' Stupid which also featured his daughter Nancy Sinatra, which held position 1 for four weeks in April 1967.

Jingle Bells has always been a Billboard favourite

The Christmas carol, originally written by James Lord Pierpont and published in 1857, has had several renditions of it rank on the charts. Most notable among these include covers by Kimberley Locke, the Glee Cast, Lauren Daigle and Meghan Trainor.

Locke's recording hit the Number 1 slot on Billboard Adult Contemporary Top 30 in 2006, while the Glee Cast’s rendition reached Number 10 on Billboard Holiday Digital Top 25 song sales in 2010. Daigle’s version made it to Number 3 on Billboard Christian Airplay top 50 in 2016. Trainor's version has reached slot 74 on the Holiday 100 chart.

(with inputs from IANS)