Why do new Christmas songs fail?

Switched on Pop

Vox Media Podcast Network

Music Interviews, Music History, Music, Music Commentary

4.6 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 29 November 2022

⏱️ 26 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In case you missed it last year: why are there no new Christmas songs? One one hand, there's more holiday songs than we’ll ever need. Every year pop stars drop countless holiday-themed album. But despite the annual glut of Christmas releases, few of these new songs join the rotation of holiday classics. On Billboard's Holiday Hot 100 chart right now, there's only four songs from the past ten years that have made it to the top fifty. We listen to each of these holiday hits—from Kelly Clarkson, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, and the Jonas Brothers—and and ask if these songs can go the distance and become the 21st century members of the Christmas music canon. Songs Discussed - Playlist Kelly Clarkson - Underneath the Tree Ariana Grande - Santa Tell Me Justin Bieber - Mistletoe Jonas Brothers - Like It's Christmas The Bird and the Bee - You and I at Christmas Time Loretta Lynn - White Christmas Blue Woody Goss - One for One Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - 8 Days of Hannukah Jenny Owen Youngs, Tancred, John Mark Nelson - Fireside Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is supported by Airbnb.
0:02.2	When you're staying at an Airbnb,
0:03.5	you might have wondered, could my place be an Airbnb?
0:06.0	And if so, what could it earn?
0:08.0	That's something that Gil in St. Louis thought to,
0:11.2	he says all it took was his nephew moving out
0:13.5	to realize his extra space would be a perfect spot
0:15.9	for an Airbnb.
0:17.1	Now the extra space helps fund his retirement.
0:19.4	So yeah, you might not realize it,
0:20.9	but you might have an Airbnb too.
0:22.8	Find out what your place could be earning
0:24.3	at Airbnb.com slash host.
0:26.9	McKinley.com
0:34.6	Switched on pop.
0:41.4	Welcome to Switched on pop.
0:42.6	I'm Musicologist Nate Sloan,
0:44.4	and I'm songwriter Charlie Harding.
0:45.9	Charlie Harding, can you do me a favor?
0:48.5	Sure.
0:49.2	I'd like you to put on a ugly sweater.
0:50.6	I'd like you to pour yourself a cup of eggnog.
	...

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