Christmas music
Christmas music comprises a variety of
While most Christmas songs before the 20th century were of a
Performances of Christmas music at public
History
Early music
Music associated with Christmas is thought to have its origins in 4th-century
Music was an early feature of the
In the
Puritan prohibition
During the
The Puritan
Puritans generally disapproved of the celebration of Christmas—a trend that continually resurfaced in Europe and the US through the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries.[16]
Royal restoration
When in May 1660
The
According to one of the only observational research studies of Christmas caroling, Christmas observance and caroling traditions vary considerably between nations in the 21st century, while the actual sources and meanings of even high-profile songs are commonly misattributed, and the motivations for carol singing can in some settings be as much associated with family tradition and national cultural heritage as with religious beliefs.[20] Christmas festivities, including music, are also celebrated in a more secular fashion by such institutions as the Santa Claus Village, in Rovaniemi, Finland.[21]
Alms
The tradition of singing Christmas carols in return for
Church feasts
The importance of Advent and the feast of Christmastide within the church year means there is a large repertoire of music specially composed for performance in church services celebrating the Christmas story. Various composers from the Baroque era to the 21st century have written Christmas cantatas and motets. Some notable compositions include:
- Thomas Tallis: Mass "Puer natus est nobis" (1554)
- Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina: O magnum mysterium (1569)
- Orlande de Lassus: Resonet in laudibus(1569)
- Weihnachtshistorie(1664)
- Johann Sebastian Bach: several cantatas for Christmas to Epiphany and Christmas Oratorio (1734)
- Jakub Jan Ryba: Czech Christmas Mass "Hey, Master!" (1796)
- Anton Bruckner: Virga Jesse floruit (1885)
Classical music
Many large-scale religious compositions are performed in a concert setting at Christmas. Performances of
Other classical works associated with Christmas include:
- Marc-Antoine Charpentier, 9 vocal settings and 2 instrumental settings :
- Messe de Minuit H.9 for soloists, choir, flûtes, strings and bc (1690)
- In nativitatem Domini canticum H.314 for 4 voices, 2 flutes, 2 violins and bc (1670)
- Canticum in nativitatem Domini H.393 for 3 voies, 2 treeble instruments and bc (1675)
- Pastorale de Noël H.414 for soloists, choir, 2 treeble instruments and bc (1683–85)
- Oratorio de Noël H.416 for soloists, choir, flutes, strings and bc (1690)
- Dialogus inter angelos et pastores Judae in nativitatem Domini H.420 for soloists, choir, flutes, strings and bc (1695?)
- In nativitate Domini Nostri Jesu Christi canticum H.421 for 3 voices and bc (1698–99)
- Pastorale de Noël H.482 for soloists, choir, 2 treeble viols and bc (1683–85)
- Pastorale de Noël H.483 H.483 a H.483 b for soloists, choir, 2 flutes, 2 treeble viols and bc (1683–85)
- Noël pour les instruments H.531 for flutes, strings and bc (1688?)
- Noël sur les instruments H.534 for flutes, strings and bc (1698)
- Christus (1847) an unfinished oratorio by Felix Mendelssohn
- L'enfance du Christ (1853–54) by Hector Berlioz
- Oratorio de Noël (1858) by Camille Saint-Saëns
- The Nutcracker (1892) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky[30]
- Fantasia on Christmas Carols (1912) and Hodie (1954), both by Ralph Vaughan Williams
- A Ceremony of Carols (1942) by Benjamin Britten.
Christmas carols
This section needs additional citations for verification. (October 2021) |
Songs which are traditional, even some without a specific religious context, are often called Christmas carols. Each of these has a rich history, some dating back many centuries.
Standards
A popular set of traditional carols that might be heard at any Christmas-related event include:[31] [32][33]
- "Angels We Have Heard on High" (in the UK the text of "Angels from the Realms of Glory" is sung to this tune)
- "Away in a Manger"
- "Deck the Halls"
- "Ding Dong Merrily on High"
- "The First Noel"
- "Go Tell It on the Mountain"
- "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen"
- "Good King Wenceslas"
- "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"
- "I Saw Three Ships"
- "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear"
- "Joy to the World"
- "O Christmas Tree" (O Tannenbaum)
- "O Come, All Ye Faithful" (Adeste Fideles)
- "O come, O come, Emmanuel"
- "O Holy Night" (Cantique de Noël)
- "O Little Town of Bethlehem"
- "Once in Royal David's City"
- "Silent Night" (Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht)
- "The Twelve Days of Christmas"
- "We Three Kings of Orient Are"
- "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"
- "What Child Is This?"
- "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks"
These songs hearken from centuries ago, the oldest ("Wexford Carol") originating in the 12th century. The newest came together in the mid- to late-19th century. Many began in non-English speaking countries, often with non-Christmas themes, and were later converted into English carols with English lyrics added—not always translated from the original, but newly created—sometimes as late as the early 20th century.[citation needed]
Early secular Christmas songs
Among the earliest secular Christmas songs was "
Published Christmas music
Christmas music has been published as sheet music for centuries. One of the earliest collections of printed Christmas music was Piae Cantiones, a Finnish songbook first published in 1582 which contained a number of songs that have survived today as well-known Christmas carols. The publication of Christmas music books in the 19th century, such as Christmas Carols, New and Old (Bramley and Stainer, 1871), played an important role in widening the popular appeal of carols.[35] In the 20th century, Oxford University Press (OUP) published some highly successful Christmas music collections such as The Oxford Book of Carols (Martin Shaw, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Percy Dearmer, 1928), which revived a number of early folk songs and established them as modern standard carols.[34][36] This was followed by the bestselling Carols for Choirs series (David Willcocks, Reginald Jacques and John Rutter), first published in 1961 and now available in a five volumes. The popular books have proved to be a popular resource for choirs and church congregations in the English-speaking world, and remain in print today.[37]
- Christmas Carols, New and Old (1871)
- Oxford Book of Carols(1928)
- Carols for Choirs (1961)
- New Oxford Book of Carols(1992)
- A Shorter New Oxford Book of Carols (1992)
Choirmasters poll
In 2008, BBC Music Magazine published a poll of the "50 Greatest Carols", compiled from the views of choral experts and choirmasters in the UK and the US. The resulting list of the top ten favored Christmas carols and motets was:[38][39][40]
- "In the Bleak Midwinter" – Harold Darke
- "In Dulci Jubilo" – traditional
- "A Spotless Rose" – Herbert Howells
- "Bethlehem Down" – Peter Warlock
- "Lully, Lulla" – traditional
- "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day"
- "There Is No Rose" - traditional (15th c.)
- "O Come, All Ye Faithful"
- "Of the Father's Heart Begotten"
- "What Sweeter Music" – John Rutter
Popular Christmas songs
United States
This section needs additional citations for verification. (December 2020) |
According to the
Long-time Christmas classics from prior to the "rock era"[41] still dominate the holiday charts – such as "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!", "Winter Wonderland", "Sleigh Ride" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". Songs from the rock era to enter the top tier of the season's canon[citation needed] include "Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney, "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff and "Last Christmas" by Wham! Radio industry writer Sean Ross noted after the 2004 holiday season that it usually takes about ten years for a song to become a Christmas standard.[42]
The most popular set of these titles—heard over airwaves, on the Internet, in shopping malls, in elevators and lobbies, even on the street during the Christmas season—have been composed and performed from the 1930s onward. (Songs published before 1929 are all out of copyright, are no longer subject to ASCAP royalties and thus do not appear on their list.) In addition to Bing Crosby, major acts that have popularized and successfully covered a number of the titles in the top 30 most performed Christmas songs in 2015 include Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Andy Williams, and the Jackson 5.
Since the mid-1950s, much of the Christmas music produced for popular audiences has explicitly romantic overtones, only using Christmas as a setting. The 1950s also featured the introduction of
Most-performed Christmas songs
"The world may have changed profoundly over the last 50 years, but these songs have been part of the holiday spirit for generations. Part of the wonder of music is how it helps us continue to create real memories and traditions. These treasured songs are very special to so many people and are a beloved part of ASCAP's repertoire."
Paul Williams, President and chairman, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)
The top thirty most-played holiday songs for the 2015 holiday season are ranked here, all titles written or co-written by ASCAP songwriters and composers.[43]
Most of these songs in some way describe or are reminiscent of Christmas traditions, how
Many titles help define the mythical aspects of modern Christmas celebration:
The above-ranking results from an aggregation of performances of all different artist versions of each cited holiday song, across all forms of media, from January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015.[43]
- Of the top 30 most performed Christmas songs in 2015, 13 (43%) were written in the 1930s or 1940s and 12 (40%) were written in the 1950s and 1960s; only five (17%) were written from the 1970s on, two (7%) were from after 1990, and none after 1995. This phenomenon was noted in the webcomic baby boomers' childhoods".[45]
- The newest song in the top 30 most performed Christmas songs – "All I Want for Christmas is You", co-written and performed by Mariah Carey in 1994 – entered the list for the first time in 2015; the song hit the with the same title and theme,[48] which Vince Vance & the Valiants recorded in 1989 and independently became popular at the same time as Carey's song. The melody is similar to Bobby Vinton's "My Heart Belongs to Only You".[49]
- Johnny Marks wrote three songs that appear in these most-performed Christmas songs in 2015: "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", "Holly Jolly Christmas", and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree". Irving Berlin wrote two: "White Christmas" and "Happy Holiday". These are the only songwriters to appear on the list more than once – and both are non-Christian.[50]
- Gene Autry was the first to sing three songs on the list of top 30 most performed Christmas songs in 2015 – "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", "Frosty the Snowman", and "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)" – co-writing the latter song.
- Two of the songs, "Carol of the Bells" and "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24", rely on the same melody, arrangement.
Christmas song surveys
In 2007 surveys of United States radio listeners by two different research groups,
Among the most-hated Christmas songs, according to Edison Media Research's 2007 survey, are
Rolling Stone magazine ranked Darlene Love's version of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" (1963) first on its list of The Greatest Rock and Roll Christmas Songs in December 2010.[52] Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You", co-written by Carey and Walter Afanasieff, was No. 1 on Billboard's Holiday Digital Songs chart in December 2013.[53] "Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues is cited as the best Christmas song of all time in various television, radio and magazine related polls in the United Kingdom and Ireland.[54]
A 2021
Pinnacle Media Worldwide survey
The Pinnacle Media Worldwide survey divided its listeners into music-type categories:
- "Adult contemporary" listeners rated Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" best.
- "Adult Top 40" fans liked Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock".
- "Hip-hop/R&B" fans liked the Jackson 5's "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town".
- "Country" listeners ranked Burl Ives' "A Holly Jolly Christmas" No. 1.
- "Smooth jazz" fans liked "The Christmas Song" as sung by Nat King Cole.
United Kingdom and Ireland
Most played songs
A collection of chart hits recorded in a bid to be crowned the UK
In 2012, PRS for Music (who collect and pay royalties to its 75,000 song-writing and composing members) conducted a survey of the top ten most played Christmas songs in the UK over the past year. The list was as follows:[60]
Rank | Song title | Composer(s) | Performer(s) | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Fairytale of New York" | Jem Finer and Shane MacGowan | The Pogues with Kirsty MacColl | 1987 |
2 | " All I Want for Christmas Is You " |
Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff | Mariah Carey | 1994 |
3 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?" | Bob Geldof and Midge Ure | Band Aid | 1984 |
4 | "Last Christmas" | George Michael | Wham! | 1984 |
5 | "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" | John Frederick Coots, Haven Gillespie | Harry Reser | 1934 |
6 | "Do You Hear What I Hear?" | Noel Regney , Gloria Shayn |
Bing Crosby | 1962 |
7 | " Happy Christmas (War Is Over) " |
John Lennon | John Lennon | 1971 |
8 | "Wonderful Christmastime" | Paul McCartney | Paul McCartney | 1979 |
9 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" | Roy Wood | Wizzard | 1973 |
10 | "Merry Xmas Everybody" | Noddy Holder, Jim Lea | Slade | 1973 |
Included in the 2009 and 2008 lists are such other titles as Jona Lewie's "Stop the Cavalry", Bruce Springsteen's "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town", Elton John's "Step into Christmas", Mud's "Lonely This Christmas", "Walking in the Air" by Aled Jones, Shakin' Stevens' "Merry Christmas Everyone", Chris Rea's "Driving Home for Christmas" and "Mistletoe and Wine" and "Saviour's Day" by Cliff Richard.
The best Christmas song "to get adults and children in the festive spirit for the party season in 2016" was judged by the Daily Mirror to be "Fairytale of New York".[61] Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas is You" was declared "the UK's favourite Christmas song", narrowly beating out "Fairytale of New York" according to a "points system" created by The Independent in 2017. Both score well ahead of all others on the list of top twenty Christmas songs in the UK.[47]
"The Christmas song is a genre in its own right . . More than any other type of music, it spans and links generations with disparate musical taste buds."[62]
Ellis Rich, Chairman of PRS for Music
Christmas Number Ones
The "Christmas Number One" – songs reaching the top spot on either the
These songs develop an association with Christmas or the holiday season from their chart performance, but the association tends to be shorter-lived than for the more traditionally-themed Christmas songs. Notable longer-lasting examples include Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" (No. 1, 1984, the second-biggest selling single in UK Chart history; two re-recordings also hit No. 1 in 1989 and 2004), Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody" (No. 1, 1973), and Wham!'s "Last Christmas" (No. 2, 1984). Last Christmas would go on to hold the UK record for highest-selling single not to reach No. 1, until it finally topped the chart on January 1, 2021, helped by extensive streaming in the final week of December 2020; it eventually reached Christmas number one in 2023.[66]
At the turn of the 21st century, songs associated with
Australia
Situated in the
The tradition of an Australian Christmas Eve carol service lit by candles, started in 1937 by Victorian radio announcer Norman Banks, has taken place in Melbourne annually since then. Carols by Candlelight events can be "huge gatherings . . televised live throughout the country" or smaller "local community and church events." Carols in the Domain in Sydney is now a "popular platform for the stars of stage and music."
Some homegrown Christmas songs have become popular.
Engine's getting hot
Dodge the kangaroos
Swaggie climbs aboard
He is welcome too
All the family is there
Sitting by the pool
Christmas Day, the Aussie way
By the barbecue![71]
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" has been revised to fit the Australian context, as an example: "On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me: 12 parrots prattling, 11 numbats nagging, 10 lizards leaping, 9 wombats working, 8 dingoes digging, 7 possums playing, 6 brolgas dancing, 5 kangaroos, 4 koalas cuddling, 3 kookaburras laughing, 2 pink galahs, and an emu up a gum tree."[72]
Other popular Australian Christmas songs include: 'White Wine in the Sun" by
The Australian carols that do exist are mostly novelty re-workings of existing songs with the holly and the ivy replaced by gum trees and wattle. Santa swapping his fur hat for a corked Akubra and a token Aboriginal word is deemed sufficient to localise the celebration of the day a Middle Eastern tradesman wasn't actually born.[74]
— Ben Anderson, Daily Review
"My Little Christmas Belle" (1909) composed by Joe Slater (1872–1926) to words by Ward McAlister (1872–1928) celebrates eastern Australian flora coming into bloom during the heat of Christmas. Blandfordia nobilis, also known as Christmas Bells, are the specific subject of the song—with the original sheet music bearing a depiction of the blossom.[75] Whereas "The Holly and The Ivy" (1937) by Australian Louis Lavater (1867–1953) mentions northern hemisphere foliage.[76]
Australian singer-songwriter
A lot of the early imagery of Christmas in Australia is related to isolation and distance. You’ve got the Sydney Mail in 1879 saying ’The revels of Christmas tide cannot endure the ordeal of immigration’. It's that sense that it's alien here and we’re so conscious of being away from family and that figures very prominently in the imagery of Christmas back in that time.[74]
— Nicholas Brown, Australian National University
Philippines
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The Philippines, a tropical country, has a long tradition of Christmas music influenced by its climate and cultural traditions. Originally building from Spanish and American influences, Filipinos has developed its own Christmas music traditions. These began as far back as 1933, with carols written by Vicente D. Rubil and Levi Celerio.[77] Most Filipino Christmas music is written in the Tagalog language, and some in English and other Philippine languages.
Most Filipino Christmas songs describe the local Christmas traditions and traditions such as caroling,
Radio stations in the Philippines usually play Christmas music, both local and foreign, as early as September up to Christmas Day or New Year's Eve, but Philippine radio stations usually do not switch to an all-Christmas format, instead interspersing Christmas music onto their regular music programming.[79] Major television networks in the Philippines also have a tradition of producing Christmas-themed station IDs, which take the form of promotional music videos, some of which became popular such as "Star ng Pasko" and "Thank You, Thank You, Ang Babait Ninyo" produced for ABS-CBN.[77]
Other popular Christmas songs
"
"I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm", introduced in the musical film On the Avenue by Dick Powell and Alice Faye in 1937, was written by Irving Berlin. "The Little Boy that Santa Claus Forgot" – written by Michael Carr, Tommie Connor, and Jimmy Leach in 1937 – was notably performed by Vera Lynn and Nat King Cole. "I'll Be Home for Christmas", by lyricist Kim Gannon and composer Walter Kent, was recorded by Bing Crosby in 1943. "Merry Christmas Baby" is credited to Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore, whose group originally recorded it in 1947, featuring singer and pianist Charles Brown. Kay Thompson introduced her "The Holiday Season" in 1945, which later became part of a medley by Andy Williams. "A Marshmallow World" (sometimes called "It's a Marshmallow World") was written in 1949 by Carl Sigman (lyrics) and Peter DeRose (music).
More popular songs which reference the Nativity include "I Wonder as I Wander" (1933), "Mary's Boy Child" (1956), "Carol of the Drum" ("Little Drummer Boy") (1941), and "Do You Hear What I Hear?" (1962).
Other titles and recordings added to the popular Christmas song canon[citation needed] include:
1950s
- 1950: "(Everybody's Waitin' for) The Man with the Bag", written by Irving Taylor and Dudley Brooks; popularized by Kay Starr.
- 1950: "Dixieland Band from Santa Claus Land" by Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra.
- 1950: "A Marshmallow World", written by Carl Sigman and Peter DeRose; released by Bing Crosby (backed by The Lee Gordon Singers and the Sonny Burke Orchestra).
- 1950: "Mele Kalikimaka"; written in 1949 by R. Alex Anderson; released by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters as a single (with "Poppa Santa Claus" on the reverse side). The title is the closest approximation of the pronunciation of "Merry Christmas" possible in the Hawaiian language.
- 1951: "Christmas Choir", released by Patti Page on Christmas with Patti Page.
- 1951: "Suzy Snowflake", written by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett; released by Rosemary Clooney as a 78 RPM record through Columbia Records.
- 1953: "Up on the Housetop", written by Benjamin Hanby in 1864; popularized by Gene Autry.
- 1954: "The Christmas Waltz", written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne; released by Frank Sinatra on the B-side of his version of "White Christmas" and later A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra (1957) and The Sinatra Family Wish You a Merry Christmas (1968).
- 1955: "The First Snowfall" written by Paul Francis Webster, Sonny Burke and recorded by Bing Crosby on November 22, 1955.
- 1956: "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day", written by Johnny Marks from a Christmas carol based on the 1863 poem "Christmas Bells" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; released by Bing Crosby as a single (with "Christmas Is A-Comin' (May God Bless You)" on B-side).
- 1956: "Mary's Boy Child", written by Jester Hairston; released by Harry Belafonte on An Evening with Belafonte.
- 1957: "A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra.
- 1958: "Run Rudolph Run", written by Chuck Berry (though Johnny Marks successfully took songwriting credit on derivative work grounds in a lawsuit),[80] released as a single on Chess Records.
- 1959: "Caroling, Caroling", written by Alfred Burt in 1953; recorded by Fred Waring on The Sounds of Christmas.
- 1959: "Frank DeVol for a single that year released by Columbia Records.
1960s
- 1960: "Caroling, Caroling", written by Alfred Burt in 1953; popularized by Nat King Cole on The Magic of Christmas.
- 1960: "the Eagles' 1978 cover).
- 1960: "UK Singles Chart the same year.[83]
- 1960: "Dominick the Donkey" written by Ray Allen, Wandra Merrell, and Sam Saltzberg; recorded by Lou Monte on Roulette Records. The song describes a donkey who helps Santa Claus bring presents ("made in Brooklyn") to children in Italy "because the reindeer cannot climb" Italy's hills.
- 1961: "The Merriest", "Ring a Merry Bell" and "Seven Shades of Snow", all written by Connie Pearce and Arnold Miller; released by June Christy on This Time of Year.
- 1961: "We Wish You the Merriest", written and recorded by Les Brown; released by Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians on 12 Songs of Christmas in 1964.
- 1963: "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)", written by Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry with Phil Spector; released by Darlene Love on A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector.
- 1963: "Happy Holidays/The Holiday Season" medley by Andy Williams of Irving Berlin's 1942 classic with Kay Thompson's "The Holiday Season" from 1945.
- 1963: "Beach Boys as a single and included on The Beach Boys' Christmas Albumin 1964.
- 1963: "Pretty Paper" by Willie Nelson; sung by Roy Orbison. Nelson had a hit with his own song in 1978.
- 1964: "Silver and Gold", written by Johnny Marks; sung by Burl Ives on the Rankin-Bass Christmas special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
- 1964: "Glen McDonough for the operetta Babes in Toyland (originally produced in 1903); released by Doris Day on The Doris Day Christmas Album.
- 1964: "Snowfall", written by Claude Thornhill in 1941, with lyrics later added by his wife, Ruth Thornhill; covered by Doris Day on The Doris Day Christmas Album.
- 1965: "Christmas Time Is Here", written for A Charlie Brown Christmas animated TV special; harmonized by the choir of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in San Rafael, California.
- 1965: "Diana Ross and the Supremes on Merry Christmas.
- 1965: "B-side.
- 1966: "We Need a Little Christmas" written by Jerry Herman for the Broadway musical Mame, and first performed by Angela Lansbury in that 1966 production; popularly covered by Percy Faith & His Orchestra on Christmas Is... Percy Faith.
- 1966: "The Happiest Christmas Tree", written by Cathy Lynn; recorded by Nat King Cole.[84][85]
- 1967: "Snoopy's Christmas", written by George David Weiss and Hugo & Luigi; released by the Royal Guardsmen on Snoopy and His Friends.
- 1967: "What Christmas Means to Me" written by Allen Story, Anna Gordy Gaye, and George Gordy; recorded by Stevie Wonder on Someday at Christmas.
1970s
- 1970: "The Jackson 5 Christmas Album.
- 1970: "Merry Christmas Darling", written by Richard Carpenter with lyrics by Frank Pooler; released by the Carpenters as a single (re-released 1974 & 1977); remixed on Christmas Portrait in 1978 with new vocal by Karen Carpenter.
- 1970: "This Christmas", written by Donny Hathaway (as "Donny Pitts") and Nadine Theresa McKinnor; recorded by Hathaway and released as a single (with "Be There" on the B-side).
- 1971: "My Christmas Card To You" released by the Partridge Family on A Partridge Family Christmas Card.
- 1971: "River" written by Joni Mitchell; released by her on Blue.
- 1973: "Step into Christmas", written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin; released by John as a stand-alone single (with "Ho! Ho! Ho! (Who'd Be A Turkey At Christmas" on B-side).
- 1974: "I Believe in Father Christmas" written by Greg Lake with lyrics by Peter Sinfield; released by Lake as a single (with "Humbug" on B-side). Instrumental riff between verses interpolated from "Troika" portion of Sergei Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kijé Suite, written for 1934 Soviet film, Lieutenant Kijé
- 1975: "A Spaceman Came Travelling", written by Christopher Davison; released under Davison's stage name Chris de Burgh as a single, taken from his album Spanish Train and Other Stories.
- 1976: "When a Child is Born" (original melody titled "Soleado"), written by Ciro Dammicco (alias "Zacar") and Dario Baldan Bembo in 1973 (English language lyrics written later by Fred Jay); released by Johnny Mathis as single entitled "When A Child Is Born (Soleado)" with "Every Time You Touch Me (I Get High)" on the B-side.
- 1977: "Celebrate Me Home", written by Kenny Loggins and Bob James; recorded by Loggins as title track of his debut solo album Celebrate Me Home.
- 1977: "Father Christmas", written by Ray Davies; released by the Kinks as a single (with "Prince of the Punks" on B-side).
- 1977: "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy", "The Little Drummer Boy" written in 1941 by Katherine Kennicott Davis; "Peace on Earth" written by Ian Fraser, Larry Grossman, and Alan Kohan; medley recorded by David Bowie and Bing Crosby for the television special, Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas. (Bowie single released 1982.)
- 1978: "Boney Mas a single.
- 1978: "the Eaglesas a single (with "Funky New Year" on B-side)
- 1979: "Elmo & Patsyas a single (with "Christmas" on B-side).
1980s
- 1980: "It Must Have Been The Mistletoe (Our First Christmas)", written by Doug Konecky and Justin Wilde; released by Barbara Mandrell on Christmas at Our House.
- 1980: "Same Old Lang Syne", written by Dan Fogelberg; released as a single by Folgelberg in 1980 (with "Hearts and Crafts" on B-side). It was included on his 1981 album The Innocent Age.
- 1980: "Stop The Cavalry" written by Jona Lewie; released by Lewie as a single (with "Laughing Tonight" on B-side).
- 1981: "Christmas is the Time to Say 'I Love You'" written by Billy Squier; released by him by as the B-side of his hit, "My Kinda Lover".
- 1981: "Charlelie Coutureon B-side). Also included in a Christmas compilation album.
- 1982: "Hard Candy Christmas"; written by Carol Hall for the musical, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas; released by Dolly Parton as a single (with "Act Like a Fool" on B-side).
- 1984: "Another Rock and Roll Christmas"; written by Gary Glitter, Mike Leander and Edward Seago; released by Gary Glitter as a single, with the instrumental version as the B-side. The song had appeared earlier in the year on his 1984 album Boys Will Be Boys.
- 1984: "Thank God It's Christmas", written by Brian May and Roger Taylor; released by Queen as a single (with "Man on the Prowl" and "Keep Passing the Open Windows" on B-side).
- 1984: "Another Lonely Christmas", written by Prince and the Revolutionas a single.
- 1984: "Brian Nash; released by Frankie Goes to Hollywoodas a single (with "The World Is My Oyster" on B-side).
- 1985: "Merry Christmas Everyone"; written by Bob Heatlie; released by Shakin' Stevens as a single (with "With My Heart" and "Blue Christmas" on B-side).
- 1985: "There's a New Kid in Town", written by Don Cook, Curly Putman, and Keith Whitley.
- 1987: "Run D.M.C. on two Christmas compilation albums: A Very Special Christmasand Christmas Rap, and as a single (with "Peter Piper" on B-side).
- 1988: "Driving Home for Christmas"; written by Chris Rea; originally released as one of two new songs on Rea's first compilation album New Light Through Old Windows in October, then issued as the fourth single from the album in December.
- 1988: "Mistletoe and Wine", written by Jeremy Paul, Leslie Stewart and Keith Strachan for the 1976 musical, Scraps (an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Match Girl"); released by Cliff Richard as a single (with "Marmaduke" on B-side), and on his album Private Collection: 1979–1988.
- 1989: "Vince Vance & The Valiantsas a single.
- 1989: "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)" by The Ramones on their Brain Drainalbum.
1990s
- 1990: "Chris Eaton; released by Cliff Richardas a single (with "Where You Are" on B-side).
- 1990: "Linda Thompson-Jenner, and Amy Grant; released by David Foster with Natalie Cole for his album River of Love (with a 1992 version by Amy Grant).
- 1991: "Mary, Did You Know?", with lyrics written by Mark Lowry (in 1984) and music by Buddy Greene; originally recorded by Michael English on a self-titled album (with a 1996 version by Kenny Rogers and Wynona Judd).
- 1992: "The E Street Band and The Miami Horns. Originally featured on Home Alone 2: Lost in New Yorksoundtrack.
- 1992: "Christmas All Over Again" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on the album box set Playback
- 1993: "Hey Santa!", written (with the help of Jack Kugell) and sung by Carnie and Wendy Wilson on the album of the same name.
- 1994: "Lewis Morton, and Ian Maxtone-Graham; originally performed by Sandler on Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update segment on December 3, 1994. Released as a single by Sandler in 1995 from What the Hell Happened to Me?.
- 1996: "How to Make Gravy" written and performed by Paul Kelly in Australia.
- 1998: "Christmas Canon" by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra on their album The Christmas Attic
- 1998: "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" by NSYNC from the albums Home for Christmas and The Winter Album
2000s
- 2000: "My Only Wish (This Year)" by Britney Spears off the compilation album, Platinum Christmas
- 2000: "Where Are You, Christmas?" co-written by Mariah Carey, James Horner, and Will Jennings, but recorded by Faith Hill. The song was originally recorded by Carey, but because of a legal case with her ex-husband Tommy Mottola, it could not be released, so it was re-recorded and released by Faith Hill.
- 2002: "Maybe This Christmas" by Ron Sexsmith from the compilation album of the same name.
- 2003: "Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)" by The Darkness
- 2004: "Believe" written by Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri for Josh Groban
- 2004: "Joseph's Lullaby" by MercyMe from the album The Christmas Sessions
- 2004: "Paul O'Neill and Robert Kinkel, performed by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra
- 2007: "Mistletoe" written by Stacy Blue and Colbie Caillat, and performed by Caillat.
- 2008: "White Is in the Winter Night" by Enya on the album, And Winter Came...
- 2009: "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas" by Pet Shop Boys(UK No. 40 hit)
2010s
- 2010: "Oh Santa!" by Mariah Carey from her album Merry Christmas II You. A new version, featuring Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson, was released in 2020 for the Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special's soundtrack.
- 2010: "Christmas Lights" by Coldplay
- 2010: "Christmas in Harlem" by Kanye West from the GOOD Fridays series of releases under the GOOD Music label
- 2011: "Mistletoe" by Justin Bieber from his album Under the Mistletoe
- 2012: "Christmas in the Sand" by Colbie Caillat from her album of the same name; meant to conjure up (humorously) what Christmas might be like in Hawaii
- 2013: "Underneath the Tree" by Kelly Clarkson on her album Wrapped in Red
- 2013: "One More Sleep" by Leona Lewis on her album Christmas, with Love
- 2013: "Wrapped in Red" written by Kelly Clarkson, Ashley Arrison, Aben Eubanks, and Shane McAnally and recorded by Clarkson as the opening track on her sixth studio album, Wrapped in Red
- 2014: "That's Christmas to Me" by a cappella group Pentatonix (No. 2 Billboard 200, double platinum by RIAA)
- 2014: "Santa Tell Me" by Ariana Grande on her EP Christmas Kisses
- 2015: "Every Day's Like Christmas" by Kylie Minogue on her album Kylie Christmas
- 2017: "Santa's Coming for Us" written by Sia and Greg Kurstin and released by Sia on Everyday Is Christmas
- 2017: "Snowman" written by Sia and Greg Kurstin and released by Sia on Everyday Is Christmas
2020s
- 2020 "Holiday" by Lil Nas X
- 2020: "Christmas Saves the Year" a single written and recorded by Twenty One Pilots; released after a Twitch stream where lead singer Tyler Joseph played in a Fortnite tournament sponsored by Chipotle in hopes to raise money for Make-A-Wish Foundation.
- 2021: "Merry Christmas" by Ed Sheeran and Elton John
- 2022: Three Lions (It's Coming Home for Christmas) by Baddiel, Skinner & Lightning Seeds; due to the 2022 FIFA World Cup taking place in Qatar the tournament started in November instead of June. As a result, Frank Skinner and David Baddiel recorded a new version of their iconic Three Lions song to make references to both Christmas and the success of the England Lionesses in the Women's Euro 2022.
Christmas songs from musicals
"I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm", written by Irving Berlin, was introduced in the musical film On the Avenue by Dick Powell and Alice Faye in 1937. "White Christmas" was introduced in the film Holiday Inn (1942), while "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" was from Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), and "Silver Bells" The Lemon Drop Kid (1950). The operetta Babes in Toyland (1903) featured the song "Toyland". The 1934 film adaptation, a Laurel and Hardy musical film known by alternative titles, opened with the song. Introducing Christmas-themed songs that have yet to achieve popularity, Scrooge (1970) included "Father Christmas", "December the 25th", and the Academy Award-nominated "Thank You Very Much".
"Mistletoe and Wine" was written for a 1976 musical entitled Scraps, which was an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Match Girl". "
Christmas novelty songs
This section needs additional citations for verification. (November 2022) |
Musical parodies of the season – comical or nonsensical songs performed principally for their comical effect – are often heard around Christmas. Many novelty songs employ unusual lyrics, subjects, sounds, or instrumentation, and may not even be particularly musical. The term arose in the Tin Pan Alley world of popular songwriting, with novelty songs achieving great popularity during the 1920s and 1930s.
The Christmas novelty song genre, which got its start with "
- "Jingle Bells" by the Singing Dogs was recorded in 1955 by Don Charles from Copenhagen; considered the work of Carl Weismann, it was revolutionary in its use of the latest recording technology.[86]
- "radio play parody by Stan Frebergthat came out in 1958 and satirized commercial advertising.
- "I'm Gonna Spend My Christmas with a Dalek," a The Chipmunks.[87]
- "Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy", co-written and recorded by Buck Owens in 1965, has been covered by other country music stars, including Garth Brooks, Travis Tritt, and Brad Paisley.
In the 1970s comedic singing duo
- "The Twelve Days of Christmas" parodies (including one by Bob and Doug McKenzie in 1982)
- "Weird Al Yankovic(1986)
- "Rusty Chevrolet" by Da Yoopers, a parody of "Jingle Bells" (1987)
- "Run–D.M.C.(1987)
- A Rubber Band Christmas – an entire album featuring traditional and popular Christmas songs played on rubber bands, staplers and other office equipment (1996)
- "C.W. McCall song "Convoy" (2006)
Seattle radio personality
Kristen Bell and a cappella group Straight No Chaser "teamed up to poke fun at the modern seasons greeting" with "Text Me Merry Christmas":
- Text me Merry Christmas
- Let me know you care
- Just a word or two
- Of text from you
- Will remind me you're still there
Straight No Chaser singer Randy Stine said of the song: "We wanted a Christmas song that spoke to how informal communication has become."[88]
Juvenile
Christmas novelty songs include many sung by young teens, or performed largely for the enjoyment of a young audience. Starting with "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" sung by 13-year-old Jimmy Boyd in 1952, a few other notable novelty songs written to parody the Christmas season and sung by young singers include:
- "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" sung by 10-year-old Gayla Peevey (1953)
- "Nuttin' for Christmas" by Art Mooney and Barry Gordon, who was seven years old when he sang it (1955)
- "¿Dónde Está Santa Claus? (Where is Santa Claus?)" sung by 12-year-old Augie Rios, featuring the Mark Jeffrey Orchestra (1959)
Christmas novelty songs aimed at a young audience include:
- "Spike Jones and his City Slickers(1948)
- "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" with music and lyrics by British songwriter Tommie Connor was first recorded by 13-year-old Jimmy Boyd in 1952, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard pop singles chart in December of that year. The Jackson 5 recorded a popular cover in 1970 with a young Michael Jackson singing lead.
- "Ross Bagdasarian Sr./David Seville and performed by Alvin and the Chipmunks(1958)
- "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" originally done for the 1966 cartoon special How the Grinch Stole Christmas!; lyrics written by Dr. Seuss, music by Albert Hague, and performed by Thurl Ravenscroft
- "Snoopy's Christmas" performed by The Royal Guardsmen in 1967; a follow-up to their earlier song "Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron" recorded in 1966
- "Santa Claus Is a Black Man" by Akim and the Teddy Vann Production Company (1973)
The number of Christmas novelty songs is so vast that radio host Dr. Demento devotes an entire month of weekly two-hour episodes to the format each year, and the novelty songs receive frequent requests at radio stations across the country.[citation needed]
Non-Christian writers
Approximately half of the 30 best-selling Christmas songs by ASCAP members in 2015 were written by
Others include:[89][90][91][92]
- "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" by Sammy Cahn (born Cohen) and Jule Styne (who also wrote "The Christmas Waltz" together)
- "Winter Wonderland" (composer Felix Bernard was born Felix William Bernhardt)
- "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" by Robert Wells (born Levinson) and Mel Tormé
- "Sleigh Ride" (lyricist Mitchell Parish was born Michael Hyman Pashelinsky in Lithuania)
- "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (composer George Wyle was born Bernard Weissman)
- "Silver Bells" by Jay Livingston (born Jacob Levinson) and Ray Evans
- "(There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays" by Bob Allen (born Robert Allen Deitcher) and Al Stillman(born Albert Silverman)
- "I'll Be Home for Christmas" by Walter Kent (born Walter Kauffman) and Buck Ram (born Samuel).
- "Santa Baby" by Joan Ellen Javits (Zeeman), niece of Senator Jacob Javits, and Philip Springer.[93]
- "Baby, It's Cold Outside" by Frank Loesser
"Peace on Earth" was written by Ian Fraser, Larry Grossman, and Alan Kohan as a counterpoint to "The Little Drummer Boy" (1941) to make David Bowie comfortable recording "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" with Bing Crosby on September 11, 1977 – for Crosby's then-upcoming television special, Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas.[94]
Adopted Christmas music
This section needs additional citations for verification. (October 2021) |
What is known as Christmas music today, coming to be associated with the holiday season in some way, has often been adopted from works initially composed for other purposes. Many tunes adopted into the Christmas canon carry no Christmas connotation at all. Some were written to celebrate other holidays and gradually came to cover the Christmas season.
- "St. Stephen's Day; that day falls on the day after Christmas and within the traditional Twelve Days of Christmas.
- "Joy to the World", with words written by Isaac Watts in 1719 and music by Lowell Mason (who in turn borrowed liberally from Handel) in 1839, was originally written anticipating the Second Coming.[95]
- "Jingle Bells", first published under the title "One Horse Open Sleigh" in 1857, was originally associated with Thanksgiving rather than Christmas.[96]
- With a Welsh melody dating back to the sixteenth century, and English lyrics from 1862, "Deck the Halls" celebrates the pagan holiday of Yule and the New Year, but not explicitly Christmas ("Troll the ancient Yuletide carol/See the blazing Yule before us/While I tell of Yuletide treasure").
"Shchedryk", a Ukrainian tune celebrating the arrival of springtime, was adapted in 1936 with English lyrics to become the Christmas carol "Carol of the Bells" and in 1995 as the heavy-metal instrumental "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24." "
Many popular Christmas tunes of the 20th-century mention winter imagery, leading to their being adopted into the Christmas and holiday season. These include:
- "Winter Wonderland" (1934)
- "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" (1937)
- "Baby, It's Cold Outside" (1944)
- "A Marshmallow World" (1949)
- "Jingle Bell Rock" (1957)
- "My Favorite Things" (1959)
"Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" (2013), from the movie Frozen, features lyrics that are more of an illustration of the relationship between the two main characters than a general description of winter or the holidays, but its title rhetoric and the winter imagery used throughout the film have led it to be considered a holiday song.
"Sleigh Ride", composed originally in 1948 as an instrumental by
Perry Como famously sang Franz Schubert's setting of "Ave Maria" in his televised Christmas special each year, including the song on The Perry Como Christmas Album (1968). The song, a prayer to the Virgin Mary sung in Latin, would become a "staple of family holiday record collections."[98] American a capella group Pentatonix released their version of "Hallelujah", the 1984 song written by Leonard Cohen and covered famously by a number of acts, on their Christmas album shortly before the songwriter's death in 2016. Besides the title, and several biblical references, the song contains no connection to Christmas or the holidays per se. Various versions have been added to Christmas music playlists on radio stations in the United States and Canada.
In the United Kingdom, songs not explicitly tied to Christmas are popularly played during the year-end holidays. "Stop the Cavalry", written and performed by English musician
Radio broadcasting of Christmas music
"There's no other programming tactic in radio history that consistently delivers ratings increases better than Christmas music. Playing Christmas music is all about having a larger audience after Christmas than you did before. People who find the station often stick around after the holidays and discover a new favorite station."[99]
Darren Davis, Senior V.P., Clear Channel
In the United States, it is common for local
Although there is a chance that a station's normal audience may be alienated by a switch to all-Christmas music (
Arbitron (now Nielsen Audio) reported in 2011 that it was not uncommon for a station's average audience to double after switching to Christmas music, citing several large-market stations in 2010 such as Boston's WODS, Los Angeles's KOST, New York's WLTW, and San Diego's KYXY.[99] In 2017, Chicago's WLIT-FM roughly quadrupled its audience share between November (2.8) and December (12.4) after making the switch.[103][104] The practice may not always transition well into financial success, since advertisers do not universally recognize Nielsen's holiday ratings book.[105]
In some markets, there may be one dominant broadcaster of Christmas music, but this is not always the case.[103] Perceiving a competitive advantage in being the first in a market to begin playing Christmas music, it is not uncommon for some stations to adopt the format prior to Thanksgiving, or even as early as late-October. The practice has been considered an example of Christmas creep.[106][101][100] In an extreme example of Christmas creep, at least one station in 2020 (WWIZ in the Mahoning Valley) flipped to Christmas music in late September, exactly three full months before Christmas; the same station had also been first in the nation in 2019, but had begun two months before Christmas that year, on October 25.[107] WWIZ was the first of many stations in the United States that had flipped to Christmas especially early in 2020, in part to alleviate stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[108][109]
The typical Christmas music format in the United States carries a mix of approximately 150 recordings, with a heavy focus on vocal adult standards and MOR selections (both formats otherwise being rare on major commercial radio since the early 21st century) from before 1970.[110] Instrumental selections from that era, which generally fall under the beautiful music category, are rarely heard and unpopular.[42] Rob Lucas, who for 22 years served as music director and morning host for the now-defunct Star 102.5 in Buffalo, New York, outlined his scheduling formula for that station:[110]
- A wider library of core records—over 250 during the station's last season in existence—with 50 or so power rotation (the most frequently played) records replayed every four hours and most of the rest played two to three times per day;
- An emphasis on new releases and contemporary and/or upbeat selections, as this not only fit Star's regular format but helped play against the all-Christmas format's reputation of being slow and boring;
- A willingness to play local artists;
- Judicious spacing of similar records (a half-hour between different instrumental records or religious songs, 11⁄2 hours between cover versions of the same song, and two hours between songs by the same artist or collective) this would include similar-sounding but different groups that appear on the same album, such as selections from A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector);
- The withholding of recurrent rotation without complaints until later in the Christmas season.[111]
The period from late afternoon Christmas Eve to noon Christmas Day, Lucas reserved for heavy rotation of religious and spiritual records, as a nod to the solemnity of the holiday.[110]
As many Christmas songs contain themes strongly associated with Christmas Day (such as references to figures such as Santa Claus), and popular observance of the Christmas season often ends after December 25 (in contrast to the traditional Twelve Days of Christmas, which by definition runs until Epiphany on January 6), most stations typically end their all-Christmas programming at some point on December 25 or 26. If a station opts to continue playing Christmas songs beyond the date itself, Lucas advises that these songs be removed from the playlist, noting a substantial number of seasonal winter records still remain playable through the weekend following Christmas, or even through New Year's Day.[110]
As a stunt format
Christmas music is a popular stunt format for radio stations, either as a "Christmas in July" promotion, or as a buffer period for transitioning from one format to another.
The end of a calendar year is a common time period for format switches, often following an all-Christmas format (either immediately, or with a second stunt occurring directly afterward).
Playing Christmas music outside of the holiday season, or otherwise implying that the format is permanent, is a more obvious stunt. In April 2008, the new radio station CFWD-FM in Saskatoon soft launched with an all-Christmas format in preparation for the station's official launch as a top 40 station.[115][116]
In an extreme case, adult hits station WJSR in Lakeside/Richmond, Virginia maintained a Christmas music format from October 13, 2020, all the way through March 4, 2021, after which it flipped to classic hits; the station had stunted from the beginning of October as "Short Attention Span Radio" before switching to Christmas music.[117][118] Ironically, WJSR's sister station in the same market—WURV—had broadcast a 12-hour block of "inappropriately early" Christmas music on October 7, 2015, as a parody of Christmas creep and stations trying to be the first in their market to play Christmas music.[119][120]
Outside the United States
Christmas music stations in Canada tend to follow a similar pattern to those in the United States but with the addition of Canadian content; because of the relative lack of older Christmas music written or recorded in Canada and/or by Canadians, this leads to a more contemporary sound compared to most American stations.[121]
With the growth in digital broadcasting platforms around the world, the opportunity to offer thematic radio formats on a pop-up basis has increased.
In Ireland, a temporary radio station named Christmas FM broadcasts on a temporary license in Dublin and Cork from November 28 to December 26, solely playing Christmas music.
In the UK, the Festive Fifty list of songs as voted for by listeners is broadcast starting on Christmas Day, originally by DJ John Peel, and nowadays by Internet radio station Dandelion Radio.
Since the early 2010s, a number of Christmas music stations have broadcast on national and local digital platforms in the United Kingdom, with some also being carried on the FM band. These have included:
- Smooth Christmas, launched by the then-owner of Bauer Radio station Kiss. Following the acquisition of Smooth by Global and the addition of Capital Xtra to national DAB in October 2013, there was not capacity available for Smooth Christmas to run in 2013, but the service was revived by Global to run in 2014[124] and 2015[125] before being superseded by Heart extra Christmas on DAB in subsequent years; the name Smooth Christmas has since been revived as a seasonal pop-up stream within the online Global Player service, playing melodic Christmas hits. Several other streams, such as 'Classic FM Christmas' playing thematically appropriate classical music, have also appeared on Global Player at the relevant time of year.
- Heart extra Christmas / Heart Christmas – Following the launch of national digital station Heart extra in February 2016, Global would annually flip that service to playing continuous Christmas music during November and December of each year. The service broadcast in mono using the older DAB standard in 2016,[126] 2017[127] and 2018;[128] following the transition of Heart extra to broadcast in stereo using the DAB+format earlier in 2019, Heart extra Christmas ran in that format in 2019.[129] Following the cancellation of Heart extra in favour of Heart UK on national DAB+ in 2020, Heart Christmas ran from October 2020 as a discrete station at the local tier, broadcast in DAB+ in the London area and in standard DAB in a number of other locations, as well as being available nationwide online.[130]
- Pulse Christmas / Signal Christmas / The Wave Christmas - in 2014, Bauer Radio in 2019 and the absorption of these services into Bauer's Hits Radio and Greatest Hits Radio in 2020. In addition, in 2016[126] and 2017,[127]Wireless additionally ran a similar pop-up Christmas music station, Scottish Sun Christmas, on regional DAB in central Scotland.
- Nation Xmas – Dragon Radio Wales).
- Magic Christmas / Magic 100% Christmas - The Black Country during the period leading up to the relaunch of the frequency as Greatest Hits Radio in January 2019; GHC played Christmas music with announcements regarding the impending new station launch, and information for listeners to the service previously carried on 105.2 FM - Absolute Radio- as to how they could regain access to Absolute by retuning to a digital platform. GHC was not itself broadcast on digital services.
- MincePie NonStop – run by freeing space for this with a reduction in the broadcast bitrate of Pirate FM and its sibling services. Although MincePie NonStop no longer broadcasts, listeners in North Yorkshire were able to access a locally programmed Christmas station on DAB in 2020 with community service YorkMix launching XmasMix on the local digital multiplex.
- Several other smaller services have appeared on individual local DAB platforms in recent times, either popping up as self-contained stations (such as Radio Marsden Christmas, which ran in Surrey in 2015
Christmas music on satellite and Internet radio
Outside of traditional AM/FM radio,
The growing popularity of Internet radio has inspired other media outlets to begin offering Christmas music. In 2009 Phoenix television station KTVK launched four commercial-free online radio stations including Ho Ho Radio, which streams Christmas music throughout the month of December.
iHeartRadio also has two-year-round stations that are dedicated to Christmas music. One station, iHeart Christmas, focuses on more contemporary holiday music, while the other, iHeart Christmas Classics, offers seasonal music from past decades.
See also
- Best-selling Christmas/holiday singles in the United States
- List of Christmas calypsos
- List of Christmas carols
- List of Christmas hit singles in the United Kingdom
- List of Christmas hit singles in the United States
- List of best-selling Christmas/holiday albums in the United States
- Billboard Christmas Holiday Charts
- Villancico
- Halloween music
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Further reading
- "Seasonal Songs With Twang, Funk and Harmony", The New York Times, November 26, 2010.
- Stories Behind The Best-Loved Songs of Christmas by Ace Collins, 160 pages, ISBN 0-7624-2112-6, 2004.
- The International Book of Christmas Carols by W. Ehret and G. K. Evans, Stephen Greene Press, Vermont, ISBN 0-8289-0378-6, 1980.
- Victorian Songs and Music by Olivia Bailey, Caxton Publishing, ISBN 1-84067-468-7, 2002.
- Spirit of Christmas: A History of Our Best-Loved Carols by Virginia Reynolds and Lesley Ehlers, ISBN 0-88088-414-2, 2000.
- Christmas Music Companion Fact Book by Dale V. Nobbman, ISBN 1-57424-067-6, 2000.
- Joel Whitburn presents Christmas in the charts, 1920–2004 by Joel Whitburn, ISBN 0-89820-161-6, 2004.
- Angels We Have Heard: The Christmas Song Stories by James Richliano, ISBN 0-9718810-0-6, 2002.
External links
- Christmas music at Curlie
- Free Christmas sheet music in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)