MMC Why There May Never Be Another Classic Christmas Song

[Jeff Westover]

A classic Christmas song is one that marks a generation, gets repeated endlessly for decades to come, and never grows out of favor. Jingle Bells, written in the 1850s, is such a song. So is White Christmas.
There will never be another classic Christmas song. Ever.
It has become a modern Christmas tradition to hear All I Want for Christmas Is You to be declared the most popular Christmas song of the year.
Mariah Carey’s hit pop single has raked in millions for the record company, has spun off books, movies and Christmas TV specials, and it gives Carey a little jingle in her pocket every holiday season to the tune of $2.6 million dollars a year.
But it is not and never will be a Christmas classic.
It falls well short of the song of all Christmas songs – White Christmas, written by Irving Berlin. White Christmas is the best-selling song of all time and easily the most recognizable of all Christmas songs.
Granted, White Christmas has a 50-year head start over All I Want for Christmas...

Continue reading...

 

[DixieBelle]

Wonderful article! Every Christmas, I feel like I am the only person in the whole world that dislikes that Mariah Carey song. As a matter of fact, I despise it!

 

[Glittering Tinsel]

I get sick of hearing that song too. It's played waaaay too much. The first one or two times I hear it I like it. After that .. bleah.

 

[Sandy05]

Wonderful article! Every Christmas, I feel like I am the only person in the whole world that dislikes that Mariah Carey song. As a matter of fact, I despise it!

I can't stand Mariah Carey's Christmas music.

 

[GAB]

Great article!!

 

[Ben]

Great article! I love the classics and can't stand the Ariana Grande's and Justin Bieber's of the world's Christmas albums.
There have been some newer original songs come out that certainly have a pop-music feel, but at least they're original. "Here this Christmas" by Gwen Stefani is actually really catchy, "That's Christmas to Me" by Pentatonix is another great original alongside "Christmas Every Day" by David Archuleta. Are those going to be considered classics, though? Probably not, but at least they don't seem to get much hate like Mariah Carey's does.

 

[Jeff Westover]

Great article! I love the classics and can't stand the Ariana Grande's and Justin Bieber's of the world's Christmas albums.
There have been some newer original songs come out that certainly have a pop-music feel, but at least they're original. "Here this Christmas" by Gwen Stefani is actually really catchy, "That's Christmas to Me" by Pentatonix is another great original alongside "Christmas Every Day" by David Archuleta. Are those going to be considered classics, though? Probably not, but at least they don't seem to get much hate like Mariah Carey's does.

"That's Christmas to Me" has in recent years come under fire. Not by traditional Christmas enthusiasts - but by mainstream music publications. This, I think, is the byproduct of some groups like Pentatonix who come out with something Christmas nearly every year.

 

[Sandy05]

A few years ago, a change started in Tulsa, OK. It used to be that at least one of the local radio stations would play Christmas music 24x7 starting at Thanksgiving. Now none of them play Christmas music. It is very sad.

 

[MarthaK]

A very on-point article. My 93 year old Mom told me several times during my life that she was in junior high when she first heard the song White Christmas on the radio. She also recalled on that day her teacher told the class that the song is a classic that will be played for decades. When you know the first time you hear it that it's a classic, it is indeed a classic.

 

[Christmasstar]

I love Christmas music. What I do not understand is why with so many amazing songs available local radio stations seem to only have a handful that they play over and over again.
Occasionally they throw in a classic like White Christmas.
This is why I love our kingle radio