Christmas music is more than background noise to the hustle and bustle. From Mariah Carey's Christmas cracker 'All I Want For Christmas' to Wham's lost love in 'Last Christmas', each song tells its own story of why it belongs to the festive season.
"The power of Christmas music lies in its ability to put us in touch with our emotions, from celebration to reflection. Although we may not feel that way in the department store when the speakers are blaring," says musicologist Anders Reuter.
"There are about ten recurring Christmas songs and those that manage to become part of our holiday canon are often divided into two categories: festive songs and melancholic compositions," he explains.
"The power of Christmas music lies in its ability to put us in touch with our emotions, from celebration to reflection. Although we may not feel that way in the department store when the speakers are blaring," says musicologist Anders Reuter.
"There are about ten recurring Christmas songs and those that manage to become part of our holiday canon are often divided into two categories: festive songs and melancholic compositions," he explains.
"'All I Want For Christmas' is festive, while 'Last Christmas' is more melancholic. Listening to the same songs year after year is part of feeling that it really is Christmas," says Anders Reuter.
Most played Christmas songs
A Christmas hit is a goldmine that generates huge royalties. And if it becomes a recurring tradition, it guarantees long-term revenue.
Mariah Carey's 1994 festive smash is a perfect example of how lucrative a Christmas hit can be. 'All I Want For Christmas' has earned over USD 60 million in royalties and still tops the charts every year. Bing Crosby's 1940s recording of 'White Christmas' has sold over 50 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling single of all time. And 'Last Christmas' is such a staple of Christmas playlists that avoiding it during the festive season has become a game: Whamageddon. Whoever makes it to Christmas Eve without hearing it wins.
A Christmas classic is something many artists dream of creating, but few succeed. It is also hard to predict which songs will really endure over time.
Mariah Carey has used humour to achieve cult status, according to Anders Reuter. For a few years now, right after Halloween, she has been marking the arrival of Christmas by posting a video declaring that 'it's time' for Christmas music. This has made her as relevant today as in the 1990s. 'All I Want For Christmas' was already popular when it was released. However, it did not reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 until December 2019 - 25 years after its release.
"'All I Want For Christmas' has emerged in an internet culture where there are no longer the same distinct gatekeepers deciding what we should listen to or watch. Instead, popularity can build up over time - not at the speed of a viral phenomenon on TikTok, but every year certain songs and films, like 'Love Actually' or this particular song, become more and more popular," says Anders Reuter.
Chris Rea's 'Driving Home For Christmas' from 1988 also became a classic only years after its release, when it started to be played on the radio. It did not get its big boost until the turn of the millennium, when it was included in popular Christmas compilation albums.
Modern Christmas playlists
Christmas music is characterised by its timeless mix of genres and eras. The 1950s rockabilly of 'Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree', the 1970s glam rock of Slade's 'Merry Christmas Everybody' and the 1980s synthpop of 'Last Christmas' feature back to back on festive playlists without feeling disjointed.
"With Spotify and other streaming services, we can listen to all the music in the world, but we still listen to the same playlists. In that sense, Spotify has not had much impact on Christmas music. It reflects the way we listen to Christmas music and to music in general. It's the same distance to the 1970s as to a new Justin Bieber song," says Anders Reuter.
Christmas music is symbolised by themes such as snow and nature, and sometimes has playful elements about elves and reindeer. Many of the songs are simple and easy to sing along to. Choirs, bells and chimes - both real and synthetic - are typical features. In 'Last Christmas' electronic sounds are used to mimic traditional tones. This gives us elements of irony or kitsch that are also part of the Christmas spirit.
"This reflects our complex relationship with Christmas. On the one hand, Christmas is associated with nostalgia, bells and tradition; on the other hand, it offers a more synthetic, commercialised version of what we recognise," says Anders Reuter.
Modern pop music in Christmas splendour
The 1980s feature prominently in the Christmas repertoire. Many songs from that decade are identified by the new electronic instruments that defined pop music and gave Christmas music a modern, yet warm and playful, feel.
"The 1980s still have a strong presence in festive music, with songs like 'Last Christmas' and other synthpop classics from that era. Instruments such as synthesizers, drum machines and samplers, which are fundamental to modern pop music, became key. There's an innocence to the 80s that's perfect for a Christmas song - a time before the irony of the 90s and Eurodance music."
Anders Reuter is not taking part in the Whamageddon challenge - his favourite festive song is 'Last Christmas'.
"I like the melancholic feeling it conveys. 'Last Christmas' has a combination of chorus and verse reminiscent of many hip-hop songs. The song moves in a circle, without any climactic refrain. It ties in with the Christmas spirit of how everything comes back," says Anders Reuter.
