Viewers, listeners expect tradition during the holidays
Despite a flurry of new holiday singles, including “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” from the “Frozen” soundtrack, it’s already apparent radio is rolling out the same old Christmas singles and songs this season. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Although the most played single varies from coast to coast (“Feliz Navidad” in Los Angeles, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” in New York City), the top 10 are relatively stable. And they are, in alphabetical order:
• “All I Want for Christmas Is You” – Mariah Carey
• “Christmas Song” – Nat King Cole
• “Feliz Navidad” – Jose Feliciano
• “Happy Christmas” – John and Yoko
• “Holly Jolly Christmas” – Burl Ives
• “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” – Andy Williams
• “Jingle Bell Rock” – Bobby Helms
• “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” – Brenda Lee
• “Sleigh Ride” – Leroy Anderson
• “White Christmas” – Bing Crosby
Most of those singles, of course, were released decades ago. The newest, Carey’s infectious 1990s ditty, succeeded mostly because it sounds like the entire Phil Spector “Christmas Gift for You” (1963) wrapped into one four-minute song. In other words, it’s a very efficient tool for a radio programmer trying to connote an entire decade.
The most performed songs – as opposed to specific records – are similarly as old as Santa’s beard. The most recent report by ASCAP, which licenses a healthy percentage of holiday songs, lists these as the top tunes: “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” (1934); “The Christmas Song” (1944); “White Christmas” (1941); “Winter Wonderland” (1934); “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” (1944); “Sleigh Ride” (1948); “Jingle Bell Rock” (1958); “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1949); “Let It Snow, Let It Snow” (1945); and “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” (1943).
Certainly, the Christmas blockade that is Bobby, Brenda, Burl and a bevy of songs from the ’30s and ’40s is frustrating to the music industry and artists trying to establish a new Christmas song or single. It also implodes the entire subtext of NBC’s “About a Boy” in which the main character retires because he wrote a holiday hit, but that’s another column.
In recent years, only Amy Grant and Michael Buble have received sustained airplay with their versions of standard Christmas songs, and that’s because the tunes are so indistinguishable that they’re perfect filler between the massive hits. And, of course, Trans-Siberian Orchestra has done extremely well with its slightly off-kilter takes on the classics.
But in general, even holiday releases by industry giants (Chicago, Neil Diamond, Rod Stewart, James Taylor) receive radio attention for a few years, then are replaced by the next wave of new releases. Teen acts also may spice up the radio play list, but it’s only for a year or two. Anyone remember Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe”?
It should be noted that all of those artists have nonetheless reaped the rewards of the holidays, as Christmas albums tend to sell well and repeatedly each December. But I imagine the egos of the artists demand they become part of that on-air Christmas club that is harder to enter than the “Saturday Night Live Five-Timers” room.
Simply put, it’s all about the definitive version.
For instance, Madonna is a much bigger star than Eartha Kitt, but the preferable version of “Santa Baby” remains with Kitt. Likewise, the multimillion-selling Hall & Oates can’t top the virtually unknown Bobby Helms when it comes to spins for “Jingle Bell Rock.” And don’t even try to mess with Bing’s “White Christmas” or Nat King Cole’s “Christmas Song.”
Attempting to come up with a new Christmas classic is even more difficult. A few years ago, I thought Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s “Christmas Canon” was a legitimate contender as a standard. Indeed, it cracked the coveted Top 10 a couple times, but it’s since joined the pack of wannabes.
Virtually all of the top 10 songs have become as much a part of the holiday as cookies, Christmas trees and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” “Rudolph,” which marked its 50th year on the air this month, is indicative of TV’s similar penchant for preserving the traditional holiday spirit.
“Rudolph,” “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” “Frosty the Snowman” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” have become a permanent part of the holiday fabric. “Star Wars,” “Shrek” and “The Elf on the Shelf” specials may try to weave their way in, but it’s not going to happen. (“Star Wars Christmas” already has been relegated to online viewing only).
It’s all OK, though. We expect tradition during the holidays, and that’s exactly what radio and television deliver. We may complain when the all-Christmas music stations begin the format Nov. 1, or when the networks roll out the animated specials before Thanksgiving. But they wouldn’t do it if they weren’t rewarded with high ratings.
Nearly 29 million people tune in to those all-holiday music stations on Christmas Eve. No doubt nearly all of them are dreaming of a Christmas just like the ones they used to know. In other words, Bing – not Bieber.
Terry Hazlett can be reached at snowballrizzo@aol.com.