Tag: christmas music

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. 

 

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.

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.

5 Tips for Crafting the Perfect Holiday Party Playlist

December 17, 2018

The most wonderful time of the year calls for a wonderful holiday party—and finally, the time has come. You’ve cleaned your house and gotten the food squared away in the kitchen, and now all you need is a solid, holiday-themed playlist.

Whether you’re an annual party host or cutting the crudité for the first time, anyone can use a hand when making a playlist fit for an evening of holiday cheer. Check out our five recommendations for a party playlist that will liven up the party until it’s time to leave.

  1. Think outside the (gift) box

While every store you wander into this time of year may be blasting Mariah Carey, Michael Bublé, or Bing Crosby, that doesn’t mean you have to do the same. Outside the popular classics, there are some great—and slightly more subtle—options. Consider famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma’s album “Songs of Joy and Peace,” which includes a really cool version of “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” with ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro. She & Him’s “The Christmas Song” is irresistibly slow and bluesy, while Fleet Foxes’ “White Winter Hymnal” is a popular offbeat choice. Then there’s Rufus Wainwright’s folky “Spotlight on Christmas.” Go exploring—there’s as much holiday music out there as there are presents in Santa’s workshop.

  1. Consider your audience

Your guest list should determine the tone of your playlist. If your friends are more rock-leaning, look to harder-edge Christmas songs like The Killers’ “A Great Big Sled” and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “Christmas All Over Again.” (Shameless plug: We’re pretty satisfied with Joan Jett’s cover of “Little Drummer Boy,” which she recorded for our Spotify Singles: Christmas Collection). There’s an abundance of awesome country music holiday tracks, too, Lady Antebellum’s “Holly Jolly Christmas” and Kacey Musgraves’ “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” among them. And if you’re hosting a sophisticated cocktail bash, you can’t go wrong with Jane Monheit’s “Moonlight in Vermont” or Frank Sinatra’s “Jingle Bells.”

  1. Get personal

It’s always fun to work in some tracks that will appeal to specific party guests. If one of your friends is nuts about Bruce Springsteen, why not add The Boss’s version of “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town”? Or if you have some Ariana Grande fans in the room (and what room doesn’t have at least three?), there are plenty of tracks to choose from on her 2015 album “Christmas and Chill.”

If kids will be at the party, be sure to include some favorites like “Frosty the Snowman,” and maybe skip any adult-themed tracks, like Albert King’s “Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin’” (great jam, though).

  1. Get on the a cappella train

While it’s always a good idea to mix up genres and eras in a party playlist, if you do plan to group songs a certain way—holiday classics, rocking Christmas, Bublé ballads—a good strategy for creating a transition is to pop in an a cappella track. There’s a crisp, layered feel to this type of vocal music, and it serves as a good palate cleanser before a shift in tone. Pentatonix’s “Mary Did You Know” and “Winter Wonderland/Don’t Worry Be Happy” are popular holiday-themed a cappella tracks with Spotify listeners. Also check out Straight No Chaser’s cheeky “Text Me Merry Christmas” (featuring Kristen Bell).

And finally …

  1. Don’t overthink it

Holiday parties are supposed to be lighthearted. Just as a guest showing up in a deliberately awful Christmas sweater shouldn’t be mocked, nor should you be for grabbing a hairbrush and jumping on the couch to sing along to Wham’s “Last Christmas.” If fun is what you’re after, don’t shy away from the fun songs! If in doubt, position the “cheesier” selections further down so they coincide when the eggnog has truly kicked in.

Find even more inspiration in Spotify’s suite of holiday-themed playlists including Christmas Hits, Christmas Pop, and Christmas Classics.

‘Bells Will Be Ringing’: It’s Christmas Singles Time

November 19, 2018

It’s holiday season—don’t fight it!—and we’re once again unwrapping a playlist of festive covers. Spotify Singles: Christmas Collection features 15 new tracks recorded by an eclectic mix of artists in our studios in Nashville, London, and New York City.

Included in the mix is John Legend singing the Jackson 5’s “Give Love On Christmas Day,” Meghan Trainor performing “White Christmas,” Nina Nesbitt crooning “Oh Holy Night,” and the classic “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” getting a jazz spin from Tony Bennett and Diana Krall.

“‘White Christmas’ has always held a special place in my heart because I sang it with my high school jazz band back in Cape Cod,” says Trainor. “It was nerve-wracking to perform for my peers, but when everyone reacted so loudly I realized I would remember that moment for the rest of my life. I will also always remember seeing this little green light in the audience and it was actually my mom recording the whole thing. She’s the best.”