Tag: christmas

Celebrate the Holidays With Festive Playlists From TODAY Anchors

December 15, 2023

the TODAY show anchors standing in front of a green and white backdrop

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and Spotify listeners, as well as our favorite anchors from NBC’s TODAY, are getting into the spirit by streaming their favorite seasonal hits.

Festive favorites from TODAY

Here’s a holiday gift for fans: Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker, Craig Melvin, Carson Daly, Sheinelle Jones, Dylan Dreyer, and Jenna Bush Hager have each created their own Spotify holiday playlist, sharing the tracks they like to entertain, dance, and listen to during the most wonderful time of the year. From Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” to Wham!’s “Last Christmas” to Darius Rucker’s “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” each anchor’s playlist is full of traditional classics and contemporary holiday favorites.

Savannah Guthrie

Hoda Kotb

Al Roker

Craig Melvin

“The songs I chose are ones I listen to every year and share with my family. Our favorite is “Silent Night” by The Temptations, but this playlist also has some classics by Mariah Carey and even Darius Rucker!”

Carson Daly

Sheinelle Jones

“For me, music speaks to my heart in ways words can’t. These are songs that remind me of what’s beautiful about the holidays.”

Dylan Dreyer

“My songs are steeped in nostalgia—I grew up in the ’80s so when I hear U2 or Bruce Springsteen’s Christmas songs, I’m transported to Christmas Eve with my family growing up!”

Jenna Bush Hager

Ho-ho-holiday trends

The TODAY team is in sync with Spotify users who are also creating their own playlists for the festive season. Since the start of November, holiday playlist creation on Spotify has spiked by more than 1,400% as listeners pull together their favorite collections of jolly jingles. 

Canadian singer-songwriter Michael Bublé is the King of Christmas, taking the honor of the top-streamed artist globally this season. If you’re looking for a festive album to set the mood while entertaining or heading on your holiday travels, we recommend Bublé’s Christmas, which is Spotify’s most-streamed Christmas album of all time.

Mariah Carey’s 1994 hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You” remains a favorite as the top-streamed holiday song this year, and the vocal powerhouse is also the second-most-streamed holiday artist.

 

Keep the merriment flowing with Spotify’s other festive playlists, like Christmas Hits, Christmas Classics, Country Christmas, New Music Holiday, and snow globe. 

 

Get Merry With New Spotify Holiday Singles From Laufey, Kirk Franklin, Ezra Collective, and Panter Bélico

November 14, 2023

As the year draws to a close, you might be excitedly getting ready for the holidays. And whether you’re spending time with family or celebrating with friends, you know your gatherings aren’t complete without a great soundtrack.

To help start your merrymaking right, we’re back with another edition of Spotify Holiday Singles. This year, we invited jazz starlet Laufey, gospel legend Kirk Franklin, eclectic fusion quintet Ezra Collective, and rising Música Mexicana star Panter Bélico to record a cover of a classic holiday hit or an original song that channels the spirit of the season.

The end result is four new singles, each with its own distinct sound, making any time the perfect time to enjoy some festive vibes. Here’s what each of our featured artists had to say about their Spotify Holiday Singles.

“Winter Wonderland”

Laufey

Raised between Iceland and the U.S., Laufey is a classically trained cellist and pianist who has quickly become a household name since stepping onto the scene in 2020 with her hit “Street by Street.” As a kid, she became hooked on jazz standards after digging through her dad’s record collection, and now she is the most-streamed jazz artist on Spotify thanks to hit singles like “Let You Break My Heart Again” and record-breaking albums like Bewitched. 

For her Spotify Holiday Single, Laufey reaffirmed her love of jazz standards with her cover of the timeless “Winter Wonderland.”

Why did you choose “Winter Wonderland?”

I chose to cover “Winter Wonderland” because it captures the essence and warmth of  Christmastime at my family’s home in Iceland.

What’s your favorite holiday tradition?

It has to be giving and receiving books on Christmas Eve. Nothing beats sitting down with my family on Christmas Day and diving into the books by the tree.

“Joy To The World”

Kirk Franklin

Since bursting onto the scene 30 years ago, Kirk Franklin has successfully bridged the worlds of gospel, pop, hip-hop, and R&B, steadily delivering a parade of hits to fans around the world. The 19-time Grammy winner first made his mark with his 1993 debut album, Kirk Franklin & The Family, and he hasn’t looked back since. Just last month, the legend released Father’s Day, his 14th studio album.

And for this year’s round of Spotify Holiday Singles, Franklin chose to bring good tidings with his gospel-infused cover of “Joy To The World.”

Why did you choose “Joy To The World?”

I chose “Joy to the World” because the world could always use a little more joy. Christmas is my favorite time of year because it’s a time where people are more optimistic. I want to get the message out there for everyone to spread a bit of joy everywhere they go, today and every day of the year.

What’s your favorite holiday tradition?

I love being with my family and giving them the holiday specials that I never had growing up. Whether that’s eating too much good food or giving them too many gifts. It’s the time where I really get to show my family how much I love and appreciate them for their constant love and support.

“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”

Ezra Collective

Since coming together in 2016, London ensemble Ezra Collective has become known for their distinct fusion of Black genres like jazz, grime, and Afrobeat. Last year the group, which consists of drummer and bandleader Femi Koleoso, bassist TJ Koleoso, keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones, trumpeter Ife Ogunjobi, and tenor saxophonist James Mollison, released its third album, Where I’m Meant To Be, featuring collaborations with like-minded artists Sampa The Great, Kojey Radical, Emeli Sandé, and Nao. 

And for their Spotify Holiday Single, the quintet lent its talent to a cover of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.”

Why did you choose the song you covered?

Femi: Christmas music is all about carols. The simplicity of them, but also the beauty in the melodies. I guess also growing up in church, around the Christmas period it’s the carols I would hear. For us, this tune is a really wavy carol, such a beautiful melody. So much to interpret and make your own. 

What’s a holiday tradition of yours?

Femi: It has to be the Ezra Collective Office Party. We have no office, but the name just makes it sound more grown up. It’s just an opportunity to eat and drink together. Secret Santa, and most importantly whatever that year has been, a moment to be grateful and thank one another. 

“Un Vaquero En Navidad”

Panter Bélico

Just 21 years old, Panter Bélico has become one of the leading lights of the Música Mexicana scene. The former Grupo Arriesgado member broke through as a solo artist earlier this year, topping charts with hits like “LA 701” and “Símbolo Sexual,” along with releasing his debut album, Punto Y Aparte. 

For this year’s edition of Spotify Holiday Singles, the rising star took a different approach and contributed an original song: “Un Vaquero En Navidad.” 

What was the inspiration for “Un Vaquero En Navidad”?

When they asked me to record an original Christmas corrido, I thought I’d go outside of the traditional and tell a story about something I’m passionate about, which is horses. I imagined being a cowboy at Christmas time, and that’s where the lyrics came from. And with my musicians, we realized that the northern cumbia style was best for the period. 

What’s your favorite holiday tradition?

Like everyone, we spend the night of the 24th having a traditional family dinner. We open gifts the morning of the 25th and get together that day for a reheated meal. 

Keep this year’s holiday celebrations turned up to 11 with Spotify Singles: Holiday Collection, featuring our full catalog of original songs and covers. 

Celebrate the Holidays With the Bittersweet Sounds of Our First Sad Sierreño Spotify Singles Collection

November 23, 2022

In Mexico, the holiday season begins with the traditional posadas, a celebration with family, friends, star-shaped piñatas, warm fruit punch, and of course, villancicos or Christmas carols. This year, Spotify is celebrating this tradition with the first-ever sad sierreño edition of Holiday Spotify Singles. 

Sierreño is folk music from Mexico’s northern mountain range region that is best known for nostalgic ballads performed with acoustic guitars. This year there’s been a resurgence of the genre with a Gen Z twist that has formed a new classification: sad sierreño. Sad sierreño is represented by a generation of young Mexican American artists and is distinguished by a bedroom pop production style ethos and sound, resulting in songs about love and heartbreak with an angsty edge.  

The collection includes “Triste Navidad” from DannyLux, a sad Christmas song that echoes Elvis’s “Blue Christmas.” The artist, Daniel Balderrama Espinoza, is originally from California and imprints new-wave influences on the traditional sierreño. 

Eslabon Armado, a trio formed by the brothers Pedro and Bryan Tovar with Gabriel Hidalgo, recorded a version of “Blanca Navidad” with the classic plucked guitars of sierreño and their trademark vocal harmonies. The trio has 7.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify and their album Nostalgia ranked among the most-streamed new releases globally earlier this year. When they were kids, the Tovar brothers listened to the classic Christmas songs of Vicente Fernandez on the radio.

“We chose to do this song because we are big fans of Luis Miguel, who famously made an album with Christmas songs,” Pedro, the lead singer and lyricist of Eslabon Armado, told For the Record. “We have always liked ‘Blanca Navidad’ but we added our style of guitars and bass to this version.”

Los Aptos, a trio from Fort Wayne, Indiana, delivered “Por Ti,” an emotional romantic ballad with a bittersweet taste of nostalgia that invades the holiday season. 

Conexión Divina is the first all-female sierreño trio, formed by Mexican American artists Liz, Sandra, and Ashlee, currently based in Los Angeles. For this collection, they recorded “Cómo Poder Olvidar,” an upbeat track that combines heartbreak lyrics with soft guitars.

Finally, Eduardo Granado Rojas, better known as ERRE, originally from Phoenix, Arizona, rendered “Solo en Navidad,” a track with melancholic lyrics and an indie sound that stands out for a guitar with reverb over acoustic guitar harmony. 

Eduardo’s mother gave him his first guitar for Christmas when he was 11 years old. He drew on inspiration from artists like Ariel Camacho and Los Plebes Del Rancho to learn to play Mexican music on his guitar.

“As a child I listened to the music that my family liked, which were songs like “Navidad Sin Ti” by Los Bukis or songs that came out on the radio and in stores during the holidays,” said ERRE. “I chose this song because the lyrics have a meaning that many people can identify with. In a season that couples enjoy a lot, one can feel lonely for not being able to have that person with whom to have that New Year’s kiss or that affection during the holidays.” 

Listen to all the tracks in our sad sierreño playlist.

The Christmas Hits That Are Trending on Spotify This Season

December 14, 2021

There’s no better way to get in the holiday spirit than by cranking up the festive tunes. From cheerful classics to jolly pop hits, we wanted to see what people are humming along to this season. After looking under the hood of Santa’s sleigh, here’s what we found when it comes to Spotify streaming.

Listeners were eager to get a jump-start on their merry music—Sunday, November 28 saw the most streams of Christmas music outside of the month of December. Mariah Carey’s 1994 pop hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You” continues to be a favorite—it recently hit 1 billion streams on Spotify. But that’s not the only woman-powered song that’s been accumulating some play time on listeners’ speakers. Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” took the top spot in the U.S. for the most-streamed Christmas song during the first week of December this year.

Looking at global listening over the past month (November 1 through December 9, 2021), we found that five familiar tunes are holding their place at the top of the Christmas tree—proving they are classics for a reason. Unsurprisingly, Mariah’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is the most-streamed Christmas song on Spotify. The second most-streamed song is “Last Christmas” by Wham!, followed by Michael Bublé’s “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.” Rounding out the top spots are “Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helms and Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” This roundup comes as no surprise, as four of these songs are ranked in Spotify’s top five most-streamed Christmas songs of all time. 

If you’re looking for more contemporary Christmas songs to add to your playlist, the top five most-streamed Christmas tracks that have been released in the past five years are: “Snowman” by Sia, “White Christmas” by Amy Grant, “Santa’s Coming for Us” by Sia, “Hallelujah” by Pentatonix, and “Merry Christmas” by Ed Sheeran and Elton John.

We also decided to see what other Christmas tunes listeners are adding to their own user-generated playlists. Beyond the songs mentioned above, some of the most popular tracks include: “Mistletoe” by Justin Bieber, “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (with The B. Swanson Quartet)” by Frank Sinatra, and “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” by Band Aid. 

The next time you sit down with your eggnog, make sure these Christmas hits are queued up. And if you’re looking for more, give the Spotify Singles: Holiday Collection playlist a listen.

Spotify Reimagines Holiday Classics With Nao, Ashnikko, Spoon, jxdn, El Alfa, and More Hitmakers From Around the Globe

November 17, 2021

As the weather cools in the northern hemisphere and the spike in seasonal music streaming begins, Spotify traversed the globe to work with artists Nao, Ashnikko, Spoon, jxdn, El Alfa, and more on a holiday haul. So while we didn’t go around the world in a single night, we are excited to share our fifth annual ever-growing Spotify Singles Holiday Collection.

We checked the track list twice and can confirm that this year’s releases feature 12 new reimagined holiday classics, including—for the first time ever—four tracks from international artists. Over the last five years, our Spotify Singles: Holiday Collection has helped connect families and friends across continents and time zones. So this year, for the first time, we tapped creators from Canada, the Nordics, Korea, and Latin America to create new renditions of timeless tunes. The multigenre, multilingual results hit all the right notes, giving each of us a chance to make new memories with a cherished song.

The Singles, which debut today, show off a range of artistic talents and sounds that are sure to bring a welcome dose of holiday cheer.

Give the Gift of Spotify in Every Room This Holiday Season

December 18, 2020

Still working on your holiday gift list? Let us be your guide. This year, a lot of streaming on Spotify was inspired by at-home activities. So why not go with the trends—get a gift that helps your friends and loved ones continue to enjoy audio from any room of their house. 

From smart speakers and TVs to wireless headphones and gaming consoles, these gadgets provide great audio streaming quality for every member of the family. Plus, all of the products work with either a Free or Premium Spotify account, so you know they’ll be in good use. (Just make sure to check that the item is available in the country you live in.)  

For hands-free streaming in the kitchen: Nest Hub Max

Make food prep or dish washing fly by with a simple request: “Hey Google, play my Discover Weekly playlist.” Google’s Nest Hub Max smart display will quickly become the center of your smart home, with personalized answers from Google. Plus, Nest Hub Max’s 10-inch HD screen lets you enjoy watching the news, live sports, your favorite shows and movies via YouTube TV, Netflix, Disney+, and now video podcasts on Spotify. Ask Nest Hub Max to show your favorite family photos, help with recipe suggestions, switch on the lights, or turn down your thermostat, all with “Hey Google.”

For together time in the Family Room: Amazon Fire TV Edition Smart TVs

Why not give the gift of music, TV, and movies all in one? With Spotify on Amazon Fire TV Edition Smart TVs, your loved one will be able to enjoy all the music and podcasts they stream regularly—from the big screen. They’ll be able to flick through albums, songs, and playlists using the remote control, or via Spotify Connect on their phone or tablet. They’ll even be able to switch between the two for a totally seamless experience. For other Amazon Fire TV integrations, take a look at the Fire TV Cube, Fire TV Stick, and Fire TV Edition Soundbar.

For getting in the groove in the home office: Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones

Those working from home this year know that distractions abound. The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 UC will equip your giftee to collaborate with confidence (and stay focused) no matter what else is happening. With a voice-isolating adaptive microphone system, instantly adjustable noise cancellation, and Bose USB Link Bluetooth® module, the user will get personalized, high-quality sound with a reliable wireless connection. Plus, iOS users can start and stop their Spotify listening session with just one touch. 

For unwinding in the basement playroom: Gaming Galore

With two new consoles from PlayStation and Xbox this year, gamers (and their gift-giving loved ones) have a big decision to make. Both PS5 and Xbox X|S integrate with Spotify for amazing music or podcast audio during game play. Or, the recipient can use the consoles as a speaker when they’re taking a screen break. To help make your decision, check out the new ways to control Spotify the PS5 or navigate to to Spotify on the Xbox X|S. Plus, Spotify is now available to download through the Epic Games Store. Grab it from the Epic Games Store launcher or add it to your library directly from Spotify’s product page.

For going between rooms (or even leaving the house): Samsung Galaxy Smartphones with Galaxy Buds+ and Galaxy Buds Live

If your loved one likes to be on the move, get them a gift to match. Spotify comes preinstalled on Samsung Galaxy smartphones globally, including the Galaxy S20, Galaxy Z Flip, and Galaxy Note 20. That means users can start playing their favorite music and podcasts the moment the wrapping paper is off. Plus, for Android users, the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ and Galaxy Buds Live feature one-touch Spotify playback—no wires, no tapping through multiple icons, just music to their ears. Give the gift of one-touch Spotify; the easiest, most personal way to stream wherever, whenever.


Spotify is now available on over 2,000 devices from 200 brands. Browse hundreds of gift ideas for your loved ones (or even yourself).

Get in the Holiday Spirit with Dolly Parton, Jose Mari Chan, Black Pumas, and More

November 18, 2020

In a year that’s brought unprecedented challenges, Spotify data suggests that listeners may be seeking comfort from holiday music earlier than usual in 2020. While festive playlists usually snowball in December, we’re seeing our most popular holiday playlist, Christmas Hits, streamed at a higher rate in September and October compared to previous years. Many think it’s never too early to crank yuletide tunes, and it shows: Listeners have already streamed more than 6.5 billion minutes of Christmas tracks this year.

In this episode of our podcast, Spotify: For the Record, we look at which songs are making it to the top of our listeners’ Christmas lists. One favorite is “Last Christmas,” which was originally released in 1984 by Wham! To date, there are about 1,200 covers of the hit on Spotify.

In addition to digging into the data, we also get in the spirit by chatting with some iconic artists about their holiday hits, including Dolly Parton, who recently released her first Christmas album in 30 years. In the episode, the country legend joins us to talk about the inspiration behind A Holly Dolly Christmas and what it was like to duet with Michael Bublé in the song “Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas.”

Aside from Parton, we also chat with beloved Filipino artist Jose Mari Chan. Known as “The Father of Christmas Music” in the Philippines, Chan shares the inspiration behind his iconic holiday tunes, which have been a staple of festive celebration in the country for the last three decades.

 

This episode is no longer available as of November 2021, however you can get more great stories and news delivered audibly by following our podcasts, Spotify: For the Record, Spotify: Mic Check, and Spotify: Discover This.

Liam Payne, Tori Kelly, Jose Mari Chan and More Record New Takes on Festive Favorites in Spotify Singles: Holiday Playlist

November 25, 2019

Spotify listeners love streaming festive music this time of year—and who can blame them? Whether they’re searching for holiday classics or new wintertime hits, our playlists have a little bit of something for everyone.  One holiday favorite is our Spotify Singles: Holiday Collection, which includes new spins on the songs they know and love from artists we invite to Spotify Studios around the globe. 

We’re excited to announce the 2019 additions to our ever-growing Spotify Singles: Christmas Collection: 13 freshly-recorded tracks from artists of all ages and genres, including Liam Payne, The Lumineers, Tori Kelly, Reik, and Adam Lambert. 

While Payne has carved out a successful solo career with EDM-inflected bops, when he arrived at the studio in New York City in September, he brought a very different vibe. The xx-year-old “Strip That Down” singer channelled Dean Martin for his own version of the crooner’s classic “Let it Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”  

American singer-songwriter Tori Kelly may have decided on a song ahead of time, but she chose to come up with the arrangement on the fly while in New York’s Electric Lady studio. 

“I’ve always loved the song ‘Angels We Have Heard on High’ but I’ve never actually done my own version of it,” she said. “I thought it would be fun to play around with the chords and use live musicians to bring my version to life.”

Mariah Carey Says: Christmas. Starts. Now.

November 21, 2019

Year after year, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by legendary pop star Mariah Carey is the top-streamed holiday song. It’s become a cultural phenomenon with more than 520 million global plays, over 1,000 covers from the likes of Michael Bublé, Milos Foreman, Clementine Duo, and a familiar presence on more than 12 million playlists. So who better than the record-breaking singer-songwriter and “Queen of Christmas” herself to announce that the holiday is officially upon us? 

Watch as Mariah, in all her holiday glory, opens the season from her Christmas control room in an exclusive Spotify video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5dbS4dAMXo

Now that the season has officially begun, Spotify is excited to celebrate not only the holiday, but a special anniversary. This Christmas marks 25 years of Mariah’s self-penned hit single—which, by the way, is streamed every month of the year and not just in November and December—so we partnered with Mariah to launch the Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You Enhanced Album out today, November 21. 

The enhanced album is curated with original content to complement the masterpiece of Mariah’s Merry Christmas (Deluxe Anniversary Edition) album and will serve as the ultimate destination as Mariah Carey fans from around the world stream her songs to celebrate the holiday season for years to come. 

There’s plenty of reasons to believe that Mariah’s music embodies that holiday magic. Last year, there was over a 2,000% increase of streams of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” from October to December, with December 24 understandably being the biggest day of the year for streaming the song globally. Celebrants in the U.S., Great Britain, and Germany tune-in to the song the most, and though they’re younger than the song themselves, Spotify users 18-24 are the top age group to play “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” 

And, if you’re looking to expand your holiday hit horizons, take a listen to one of the top-streamed covers from Michael Bublé, Fifth Harmony, Agnes and Måns Zelmerlöw, and the Glee Cast. 

Looking to get that jingle bell intro stuck in your head for the entire holiday season? Stream Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You Enhanced Album, below.

Holiday Magic (And Music) Comes to Life in ‘Let It Snow’ Exclusive Spotify Playlists

November 18, 2019

If you’re looking for a movie to get you into the holiday spirit with a sprinkle of teen drama —and some festive music to go along with it—the cast of Netflix’s Let It Snow has you covered. 

The film stars Kiernan Shipka, Isabela Merced, and Mitchell Hope (among many others) and made its debut on Netflix on November 8.  

To celebrate the release of the film, Spotify partnered with Netflix to bring you eight exclusive playlists from the cast, all of which can be found on the Pop Culture Hub. 

8 Popular Christmas Songs That Have Nothing to Do With Christmas

December 19, 2018

You’ve heard “All I Want for Christmas is You” approximately 150 times since your last plate of Thanksgiving leftovers, Hulu has a new crop of Christmas movies every time you log in, and your holiday playlists are on heavy rotation. But you may not have noticed that some of the most iconic songs of the season never actually mention decking the halls or trimming the tree.

So how do those tunes make it sound a lot like Christmas? It’s because many of those wintertime favorites are also part of some serious holiday movie magic. Whether part of an original soundtrack or playing in the background of a pivotal scene, here are some classics that have become synonymous with Christmas.

“Pennies from Heaven” – Elf (2003)

Louis Prima’s croony tune might not say much about the North Pole, but whenever you hear “shoob doobie,” there’s a good chance that visions of Buddy the Elf hopping across New York City crosswalks will dance in your head.

“God Only Knows” – Love Actually (2003)

The finale of this holiday fave featuring a collage of sentimental characters at Heathrow airport is enough to make any grinch’s heart grow three sizes. It only makes sense that The Beach Boys’ soul-warming tune has become just as associated with the holidays as the film itself.

“Heat Miser/Snow Miser Song” – The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)

“Whatever I touch starts to melt in my clutch” might not seem very aligned with the joyous spirit of December, but the Miser brothers’ bickering is the perfect (and unshakably catchy) comic touch to a beautiful Christmas story about the importance of believing in yourself.

“Put a Little Love in Your Heart” – Scrooged (1988)

This call for kindness highlights the end scene of Richard Donner’s modern take on Charles Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol. Although it never mentions the holiday or time of year, the song appears on many a Christmas playlist.

“My Favorite Things” – The Sound of Music (1965)

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “My Favorite Things” has become a December-feeling tune, despite the fact that the song is not linked to Christmas at all. But woolen mittens, sleigh bells, and snowflakes … when you’re feeling sad, this does the trick.

“Catch My Disease”– Just Friends (2005)

Don’t let the name fool you—this upbeat tune accentuated the holiday romcom with its consistent, festive, jingle bell beat. And you can’t say that interlude at 2:20 doesn’t sound at least a little bit like Christmas.  

“The Polar Express” – The Polar Express (2004)

It’s a movie about a train chugging through the cold on Christmas Eve, but the melody of “The Polar Express” reminds everyone that you’re never too old to believe in Santa.

“Thankful Heart” – The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

The lyrics, “With an open smile and with open doors I will bid you welcome, what is mine is yours” might not say “Christmas,” but the sentiment is the same.

All of these are classics—but if you’re looking for something different to stream this Christmastime, check out our New Music Holiday playlist.

Why Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ is Streamed More Than Any Other Holiday Song

December 18, 2018

We don’t want a lot for Christmas, we just want to know why Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” holiday hit is so popular—and so insanely catchy.

There’s no point in trying to resist the No. 1 global smash-hit song penned by Carey and Grammy Award-winning songwriter Walter Afanasieff, ironically in the summer of 1994. The earworm quality is by design.

Afanasieff, who’s also written for Whitney Houston and Celine Dion, originally worried that the song was too basic. But it’s the pop song’s simplicity, he says in an ASCAP interview, that made it so incredibly successful. “The oversimplified melody made it easily palatable for the whole world to go, ‘Oh, I can’t get that out of my head!” Afanasieff says.

The Music, Mind and Brain group at Goldsmiths University in London analyzed the musical structures of 1,000 of “the most stubborn” earworm songs to find out why they get burned into our brains. And what they discovered supports Afanasieff’s point. As reported in a recent The Day USA article, the researchers found that highly repetitive songs, like Pharrell Williams’s “Happy,” enable people to emotionally connect to a song without trying very hard. The minor, often predictable, shifts in melody in unforgettable tunes make them easier to commit to memory with minimal effort. What’s more, our brains appear to experience a cerebral, super-satisfying high when a melody continues just how we expected it to.

The seasonal yuletide instruments sprinkled heavily throughout the song are a huge part of why we can’t get enough of it, says Ben Camp, assistant professor of songwriting at Berklee College of Music, in a recent Vice article dissecting the addictive ditty. The glockenspiel-laden melody plays to our childlike sense of wonder and our affinity for nostalgia.

“The song starts with the sound of a glockenspiel, which, for some people, is enough to stir up memories of music boxes and sugarplum fairies and childhood joy,” Camp says.

“But, not only is the sound of the instrument safe and warm, the melody it’s playing is safe as well. It’s outlining the tonic chord—musically speaking, the home key of the song,” he says. “Then we hear that very same melody telling us we’re cozy at home again. But, this time, it’s Mariah’s sweet voice singing it with church bells and sweeping strings behind her.”

According to Professor Camp, “If you were born anywhere between 1970 and 1980, the song’s going to have been introduced to you at a time in your life when you were the most emotionally susceptible to musical imprint.” Interestingly, our streaming data backs up Camp’s claim: People who stream “All I Want For Christmas Is You” the most on Spotify are between the ages of 45 and 54.

But that’s not to say that people of all ages—and all over the world—can’t get their fill of the Christmas favorite, too. It’s the second song on our Global Top 200 songs chart right now. Yes, this 24-year-old Christmas classic is rocking the No. 2 spot directly after Ariana Grande’s No. 1 viral breakup hit, “thank u, next.”

With Mariah crooning, “I don’t want a lot for Christmas/There is just one thing I need/And I don’t care about the presents/Underneath the Christmas tree,” the main theme of the song is bringing loved ones close together at the holidays, rather than material things. This represents one of more than a few clever ways the song universally appeals to the masses—and the common emotions that make us all tick.

Another critical element of the song’s success, says Afanasieff, is its exceptional relatability. “The genius of Mariah doing a rock ’n’ roll is that she created—probably to this day—the only up-tempo Christmas love song that people like just because of the interchangeability of lyrics,” he says. “Anybody can sing it to anybody. It’s about everybody and it can only mean one thing, from father to child or mother to child or wife to husband, it’s just, all I want for Christmas is you.” And who can’t relate to that?

In the mood for Mariah’s catchy tune? Simply hit play and let the holiday magic sweep you off your feet.