Christmas music rotations

[johnbasalla]

I notice that on the all-Christmas music stations, you're never to far away from hearing one of the Rock-based Christmas hits, such as "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree", "Jingle Bell Rock", John Mellencamps inspired take on "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", "Happy Christmas (War Is Over) by ex-Beatle John Lennon and "Wonderful Christmastime" by ex-Beatle Paul McCartney. I'm thinking that many/some operators put different types of Christmas songs in different categories/folders so they have better control over content and rotation. What are the different ways that Christmas music is programmed?

 

[whit979]

Your guess about types of Christmas songs being in different rotations is correct. There are only 20-30 Christmas songs that mass audiences generally want to hear, the five titles you named being among them. Keeping those songs in a tight, often-heard rotation is key to keep people from tuning out. Newer artists' campy covers of the classics usually have high burn, and while it's inevitable that covers are a part of any Christmas rotation, they should play only a fraction of the time that you're playing those monster hits that have stayed through the years (Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Brenda Lee, Mariah Carey et al.).

 

[cyberdad]

you're playing those monster hits that have stayed through the years (Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Brenda Lee, Mariah Carey et al.).

Kinda like hauling out those same tree ornaments and other "stalwart" decorations every year. ;D

 

[oldies76]

"Happy Christmas (War Is Over) by ex-Beatle John Lennon

Enough is enough! Played so frequently...like it was a 2010 release! Nice song to be heard once or twice. Considering it has a sad melody to it (like many Christmas songs) it should be played less frequently than the others. Also many other songs are being left out this year, especially Muzak type songs, that are never heard on radio. "Marshmallow World" is a great example and so is "Christmas All Over the World".

I think the Muzak holiday stations have the best selection, even though it repeats frequently.

 

[Don Juannn]

There are only 20-30 Christmas songs that mass audiences generally want to hear, the five titles you named being among them. Keeping those songs in a tight, often-heard rotation is key to keep people from tuning out.

Care to list the 20-30?

 

[johnbasalla]

Would "Christmas Eve (Sarejevo)" by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra be in that 20 or 30 in 2010? I hope so, as it is a compelling piece of music and was all the rage when it came out. A most interesting song to listen to, and done by a guy from a Metal band (Savatage) makes it quite cool to hear on your local A.C., even while acknowledging that they have no idea about that.

 

[hornet61]

There are only 20-30 Christmas songs that mass audiences generally want to hear, the five titles you named being among them. Keeping those songs in a tight, often-heard rotation is key to keep people from tuning out.

Care to list the 20-30?

elvis - here comes santa claus
vince vance and the valiants - all i want for christmas is you
jackie wilson - I'll be home for christmas
Beach boys - santa's beard
temptations - silent night
bobby rydel and chubby checker - jingle bell rock
carpenters - merry christmas baby
al martino (from the Godfather) - have yourself a very merry christmas
bobby vee - electric trains
alan jackson - holly jolly christmas....
bob rivers (twisted christmas) - Police stopped my car (Feliz navidad)
bob rivers (twisted christmas - Walking around in women's underwear (Winter wonderland)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G1KHc4H08w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qduWy3xwjtc

 

[Seltzer]

"Happy Christmas (War Is Over) by ex-Beatle John Lennon

Enough is enough! Played so frequently...like it was a 2010 release! Nice song to be heard once or twice. Considering it has a sad melody to it (like many Christmas songs) it should be played less frequently than the others. Also many other songs are being left out this year, especially Muzak type songs, that are never heard on radio. "Marshmallow World" is a great example and so is "Christmas All Over the World".

I think the Muzak holiday stations have the best selection, even though it repeats frequently.

Based on ratings results of stations that due this year in and year out, your assessment is 100% WRONG. Happy Holidays though.

 

[oldies76]

Based on ratings results of stations that due this year in and year out, your assessment is 100% WRONG. Happy Holidays though.

And it's 100% wrong to play the same Christmas songs 7 times a day.

 

[imhomerjay]

Not if you want to win the ratings race.

 

[hornet61]

Based on ratings results of stations that due this year in and year out, your assessment is 100% WRONG. Happy Holidays though.

And it's 100% wrong to play the same Christmas songs 7 times a day.

Amen oldies 76

 

[firepoint525]

"Happy Christmas (War Is Over) by ex-Beatle John Lennon

Enough is enough! Played so frequently...like it was a 2010 release! Nice song to be heard once or twice. Considering it has a sad melody to it (like many Christmas songs) it should be played less frequently than the others. Also many other songs are being left out this year, especially Muzak type songs, that are never heard on radio. "Marshmallow World" is a great example and so is "Christmas All Over the World".
I think the Muzak holiday stations have the best selection, even though it repeats frequently.

Just a theory here, but I'm guessing that "Happy Christmas," if it has indeed been getting extra airplay this year, it might be because this is the 30th anniversary of the murder of John Lennon. Hard to believe it has been that long! And with his murder being in December, it is just the "perfect storm" to play "Happy Christmas" as part of the Lennon tributes.

 

[firepoint525]

Based on ratings results of stations that due this year in and year out, your assessment is 100% WRONG. Happy Holidays though.

And it's 100% wrong to play the same Christmas songs 7 times a day.

I feel your pain. But AC stations leave my presets in November and December for that very reason! I can't stand them either, especially "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." Brenda Lee herself must be sick of that one by now! :

I still have a few favorites among the heavily overplayed titles, but they have remained favorites because I do NOT hear them repeated ad nauseum! Hearing them in stores and restaurants is enough for me!

 

[whit979]

Care to list the 20-30?

Go to Mediabase, pull up WBEB/Philadelphia, click "All Songs." Their top 20-30 are typically the most popular songs. And yes, it's boring and definitely not fun if you're in the radio industry. But it works.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Would "Christmas Eve (Sarejevo)" by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra be in that 20 or 30 in 2010? I hope so, as it is a compelling piece of music and was all the rage when it came out. A most interesting song to listen to, and done by a guy from a Metal band (Savatage) makes it quite cool to hear on your local A.C., even while acknowledging that they have no idea about that.

"Sarajevo" is the worst tragedy in the history of Christmas music.

And that Dial Global's standards format would dare to play such a thing is enough to put them on Santa's naughty list.

Fortunately I haven't heard it this year.

 

[CTListener]

Care to list the 20-30?

Go to Mediabase, pull up WBEB/Philadelphia, click "All Songs." Their top 20-30 are typically the most popular songs. And yes, it's boring and definitely not fun if you're in the radio industry. But it works.

Are there any markets in which only one station goes all-Christmas every year, and that station uses an expanded playlist? Or does nobody anywhere take that chance because they fear that a competitor will emerge with the "safe 200" Christmas/frozen precipitation songs in saturation rotation, crush their station in the ratings and kill their advertising rates for the next quarter?