Since Thanksgiving, radio and streaming platforms have begun overflowing with the gauntlet of holiday songs Americans have come to expect every year. Over the course of multiple holiday seasons, certain songs return again and again until they are integrated into the wider American population’s consciousness even outside the holiday season.
Christmas carols have ventured beyond their exclusively religious contexts and have entered into more secular environments as technology, marketing and distribution have evolved to keep up with the shifting musical and cultural landscape.
“White Christmas” is an Irving Berlin song released in 1942 that touches on the romantic conception of a traditional American Christmas celebration. It was originally released for the “Holiday Inn” soundtrack starring Bing Crosby, but as World War II was picking up and soldiers were being sent overseas, the nostalgic sentiment rang true for many Americans who were spending the holiday season separated from their loved ones. The version sung by Crosby is considered the world’s best-selling single of all time with an estimated 50 million copies sold. According to PBS, the track’s popularity inspired the idea of secular Christmas songs that could retain popularity for years to come.
Elvis Presley’s 1957 version of “Blue Christmas,” originally recorded by Doye O’Dell in 1948, echoes a similar mournful sentiment like “White Christmas” but in more of a relationship based context. Presley’s deep baritone floating over the doo-wop like background vocals give the song a nostalgic but timeless feeling. The track was so significant to Presley’s career that he even revisited it during his 1968 comeback special.
An unexpected Christmas hit came in the form of 1958’s “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” by Ross Bagdasarian, professionally known as David Seville. When Seville released the track, he not only would go on to create a generational spanning franchise of three lovable/intolerable chipmunks, but also popularize a production technique commonly used in contemporary forms of hip-hop and electronic music called “chipmunking.” The concept of artificially pitching vocals might have been seen as novel upon initial release, however pitched vocals have become almost a go-to way of altering samples in music.
Continuing with cartoon characters’ influence on Christmas music is 1965’s “Christmastime is Here” by Vince Guaraldi. Released in tandem with the animated special, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” the instrumental and vocal versions of the composition have become jazz standards at this point with countless covers and interpolations. With its ability to consistently create and relieve tension, it is no wonder why the song has become a staple for jazz musicians for decades.
José Feliciano’s 1970 hit “Feliz Navidad’’ is a unique track in that it is a rare instance of a bilingual Christmas song gaining widespread prominence in America’s annual Christmas lineup. The Puerto Rican’s song is turning 50 years old this year and to celebrate, he is re-releasing the track with special guests Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jason Mraz and others.
“All I Want For Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey released in 1994 can be classified as a modern day Christmas carol classic. With seemingly non-stop radio play and constant reappearances on music charts during the holiday season (it currently sits at second place in the Billboard Hot 100) the single has made its stamp on pop culture. Its ability to embody the modern day Christmas aesthetic with a timeless flair makes it a complementary soundtrack to any holiday mall shopping spree.
Moving into the opposite stylistic direction is 1996’s “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo” released by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Featuring blaring electric guitars, enveloping orchestral instrumentation and classical pianos, the track switches between the familiar melodies of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” and “Shchedryk,” also known as “Carol of the Bells.” Despite its menacing sound especially towards the song’s climatic conclusion, the song returns every year to bring a darker sound to the American Christmas carol catalogue.
When Justin Bieber released his Christmas album “Under the Mistletoe” a year after his widely successful debut in 2010, it was bound to be a commercial success at the time. While he has fallen in and out of public favor over the course of his career, the lead original single “Mistletoe” returns year after year to the Christmas music spotlight with its slick pop production and R&B inspired vocals keeping it modern.
Kelly Clarkson’s single “Underneath the Tree” from her 2013 Christmas album “Wrapped in Red” has come the distance since its debut with increasing chart success every year according to Quartz. With a similar sentiment, pop diva vocals and an equally grand presentation as “All I Want For Christmas is You,” it is likely to have staying power for holiday seasons in the foreseeable future.
While Christmas carols used to be confined exclusively to religious ceremonies, they have since become a distinct genre of music that overtakes almost every faction of the music market between mid-November and late December. In every era, the popular artists at the time take their shots at the subgenre in hopes that their cover or original song has the longevity to last generations. While it takes several years for classics to be established, every year listeners can expect a new influx of holiday songs.
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