Tag: christmas

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.

The Spotify Holiday Gift Guide Is Here

November 21, 2018

Festive pajamas, scarves, candles, chocolate … you’ve already exhausted all the go-to gifts for your inner circle. Here’s an obvious but brilliant idea: music. It’s a clear crowd pleaser, and with Spotify, giving the joy of music—to your family, friends, loved ones, or self—may be easier to give than you think.

From a Premium account to a Spotify-compatible wearable, there are plenty of holiday gift options to please everyone—from the pickiest listener to your own music-loving self.

For the bestie who’s always asking what song is playing
We recommend: a Spotify digital gift card

Don’t leave them out of the loop. A gentle nudge toward a Premium subscription means hours of ad-free podcasts, uninterrupted song listening, and more features that help keep a person up to date with the latest releases. A generous gift card will make that transition to Premium even smoother. Gift 12 months for $119.88, 6 months for $59.94, 3 months for $29.97, and 1 month for $9.99.

If you’re looking to keep up with the Joneses
We recommend: Spotify Premium for Family

The Joneses might not all agree with what to listen to at any given moment, but luckily they don’t have to, because *they* have unlimited access to Spotify’s audio library through their shared account. So why not you too? With a Spotify Premium for Family account, allow the young listeners in your house to keep the older generation savvy with what’s hot right now—and also get really into their parents’ throwback playlists. Bonus: Family master account holders in the US ($14.99 a month for up to six family members) get a Google Home Mini voice speaker as part of their plan for a limited time—so it’s a two-for-one.

For the family member who’s always misplacing their smartphone
We recommend: any smart home device

Forget that phone—with a new smart home device, you can access your music speaker with the sound of your voice. First, download Spotify. Then simply say the name, artist, playlist, or burning question, and the built-in assistant will answer. Plus, most smart home devices are compatible with Spotify Connect, so the music will surround you whenever, wherever.

For the college student who’s too stressed to playlist
We recommend: Spotify Premium for Students

We get it, it’s been a tough semester. But no matter how many essays, quizzes, tests, projects, theses, or finals you’ve conquered, there’s always time for a study playlist—or a night off with a movie. So treat yo’ self to Spotify Premium for Students and get access to Spotify Premium—and, if you’re in the US, Hulu and SHOWTIME—for a low monthly price that means you can still afford your textbooks.

For the fitness addict whose playlists are timed to a daily run
We recommend: a Spotify-compatible smartwatch

Some come with Spotify pre-installed, so all you have to do is point toward the tunes that get you going. With others, simply download the Spotify app. Either way, it’s a great way to play your music in style.

For the “It’s the thought that counts” friend
We recommend: Spotify’s relaunched free version

It’s like the mixtapes you once lovingly curated. Play songs in any order, skip all you want, discover new artists, and create your own playlists. The best part? It doesn’t cost a thing. Instruct them to simply download the app, add some of their favorite artists, and go.

No matter whether you’re buying for yourself or for others, check out our latest Spotify Singles Christmas songs to keep you in the holiday spirit, making your list and checking it twice.

‘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.”

Is It Too Early for Christmas Music?

November 5, 2018

These days stores start cranking out yuletide tunes faster than you can say Black Friday. Santa’s elves (and you know they’re everywhere) have been waiting to hear jingle bells since July. Kids, of course, are counting down. Grinches may protest, much preferring a silent night over little drummer boys a moment before December 24. But with millions of Christmas-themed playlists streaming throughout the festive season, we set out to answer the age-old question: How early is too early for Christmas music?

Depending on where you live, the answer is never.

In our eyes, a country has officially started the jingle bell rocking once festive tunes make up more than 2 percent of all listening in the region. On average, most countries start hitting play on holiday hits towards the end of November. But as you can see in this interactive graphic, that’s not the case for all:

According to holiday streaming in 2017, most countries see the first surge in listening around November 1—unless you live in the Philippines.

The Philippines takes Christmastime very seriously—and kicks off the season months before any other country. To celebrate the holiday for as long as possible, Filipinos start shuffling their holiday playlists as early as September. And while they can’t get enough of the global top holiday hits, they also love to stream local veteran singer Jose Mari Chan, whose song “Christmas In Our Hearts” is a favorite in the region.

Not everyone is in such a rush. Some countries, like Argentina and Uruguay, wait until Christmas Day itself to start listening. The United States and Canada wait until November 13 to start—but once they get going, “All I Want For Christmas is You” is on repeat until the reindeer come home.

But no one gets quite into the Christmas spirit like Liechtenstein: Though off to a slow start, in the few days before December 25th, almost 70 percent of all listening is exclusively Christmas music—triple the global average for Christmas listening.

Yet no matter when they get into the spirit, listeners on Spotify worldwide have created over 21 million Christmas-themed playlists full of tried-and-true Christmas classics, from the likes of Frank Sinatra and Brenda Lee to today’s jingle ball jams by Ariana Grande, Michael Bublé, and Justin Bieber. Also check out our global playlists, Christmas Classics, Christmas Pop, and Christmas Jazz. (Or if Hanukkah is more your style, we’ve got that too.)

Whether your gift-bringer is Santa Claus, the German Christkind, or the Niños Dios of Costa Rica, get ready to turn up the volume on Christmas music in the 50 days to come. (But who’s counting?)