Which age group does Christmas Music target most?

[andrewduong77]

Which demographic group by age does Christmas Music target most?

Most Christmas songs tends to be very old and slow. I believe a lot of Christmas songs includes everything from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, and Today's and Christmas music tends to be very soft and easy listening. As time goes on, most AC stations already limit old and soft music and focus on more current hardcore pop music. Obviously they start flipping to Christmas music earlier as time goes on. Obviously they embrace more on Christmas music over time in the 25-54 market even though most Christmas songs are really old, slow, and soft. It's funny how AC stations already phased out old and soft music by The Carpenters and Barry Manilow while they embrace Christmas Music that actually still play songs by The Carpenters and Barry Manilow as time goes on in the 25-54 market. That's funny? What's going on? Isn't it the 9/11 causing the AC stations to head this direction?

I do have a college friend about my age around 19 or 20 and he listens CHR KHKS and start listening to AC KVIL when the holiday music hit the playlist. Funny, so we as young audience listen to pop hits by Ke$ha and Taio Cruz, dashed for holiday music by The Carpenters and Barry Manilow during the holidays. I don't get this, the world of music and radio is really going out of place. Hmm...

Anyways, which age group does Christmas music really target most? 25-34, 35-44, or 45-54? Anybody knows?

 

[firepoint525]

Most Christmas songs tends to be very old and slow. I believe a lot of Christmas songs includes everything from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, and Today's and Christmas music tends to be very soft and easy listening. As time goes on, most AC stations already limit old and soft music and focus on more current hardcore pop music. Obviously they start flipping to Christmas music earlier as time goes on. Obviously they embrace more on Christmas music over time in the 25-54 market even though most Christmas songs are really old, slow, and soft. It's funny how AC stations already phased out old and soft music by The Carpenters and Barry Manilow while they embrace Christmas Music that actually still play songs by The Carpenters and Barry Manilow as time goes on in the 25-54 market. That's funny? What's going on? Isn't it the 9/11 causing the AC stations to head this direction?I do have a college friend about my age around 19 or 20 and he listens CHR KHKS and start listening to AC KVIL when the holiday music hit the playlist. Funny, so we as young audience listen to pop hits by Ke$ha and Taio Cruz, dashed for holiday music by The Carpenters and Barry Manilow during the holidays. I don't get this, the world of music and radio is really going out of place. Hmm...

Often wondered this myself. Radio seems loathe to play any "old" music, as in anything from the '60s or earlier, but yet they burn "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (recorded in 1958!) to death!

 

[Silkie]

It is probably to the demographic most likely to nag us to death for what they want. It does not work with many of us, but they still try.

 

[Seltzer]

Christmas is about memories. And the songs you feel are burned to death stroke a positive chord with many people.

As for the age group, it is very wide. But I believe many young moms..late 20s-30s and their young children really enjoy the music.

The same group who listens to CHR and Hot AC the rest of the year.

 

[Gregg]

Andrew put it very well. It is an unusual paradox. AC stations get more and more uptempo and many play nothing older than 1980. Yet one month a year (or maybe five or six weeks a year) all that goes out the window. Artists who've been dead for decades (Bing Crosby, Karen Carpenter, Nat King Cole, Burl Ives) rule.

WLTW in NYC last year put up billboards showing Mariah Carey in a Santa Claus dress (red fabric with white fur trim) next to Bing Crosby, advertising their Holiday music. Who would have ever thought a major AC station would take out billboards with the likeness of Bing Crosby on them?

I'm listening to 94.7 The Wave on line from Los Angeles. They're running a contest till Dec. 25 giving away $1000 a day each time they play "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby.

I guess the nostalgia for happy times and family this time of year is more important than keeping the music current and contemporary. Virtually every AC station that does it, in markets large and small, zooms to the top of the ratings in December. Some enjoy double or triple the listenership. So it must be working



Gregg
[email protected]

 

[andrewduong77]

I see, so it's really people my age group who normally listen to Hot AC and CHR listens to Christmas music on AC during Christmas. So, many listeners my age who normally listen to Hot AC and CHR put upbeat pop hits like Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, and Taio Cruz aside and listen to really old and soft Christmas music on AC by Bing Crosby, The Carpenters, and Barry Manilow.

I wonder if old and soft Christmas songs by Bing Crosby, The Carpenters, and Barry Manilow gets large amount of MP3 downloads during Christmas?

It's funny how true AC listeners grew unhappier with the format overtime as AC stations ditched older and softer music and focus more on upbeat pop music overtime along with expanding all-Christmas music from a two day period into a whole month to six weeks period. While in the past, AC stations played more older and softer music with little Christmas music during Christmas which makes the AC format more friendlier to true AC listeners back in the days. (I'm only 19 now and I never listen to music much until I was 11 in 2003 which is when I start listening to AC, so I never knew what AC sounds like in the past 90s or 80s, but based on what people stated in other topics, I heard that AC doesn't play Christmas music much back in the days.) Now the AC format is really slipping out of place with upbeat pop music from Hot AC err... I mean from CHR while all-Christmas music starting as early as Halloween is over.

 

[andrewduong77]

Actually, most AC stations do still play 70s even when it's 2011 already lol. Actually, few AC stations even play 60s today. I used to think 2010 is the new decade where AC stations start phasing out 70s and 80s music and I'm gonna missed the 80s favorites since I have listen to them a lot along with current pop hits on AC as a pre-teen throughout mid-2000s even though I was born in 1992.

The 70s songs we hear on AC today are like Rod Stewart's "Maggie May" and "(Find A) Reason To Believe", Elton John's "Crocodile Rock" and "Your Song", The Eagles "Hotel California", etc. which is still common to hear on AC today and tough for AC to drop cause they sound very contemporary. Few AC stations still play 60s by The other 70s songs by artists like The Carpenters and Barry Manilow are actually Soft AC/Easy Listening/Adult Standards and they are what Easy Listening stations used to play before Easy Listening stations actually evolved into AC stations and phased out such artists. Also few AC stations today still play 60s like The Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody", The Temptations' "My Girl", Ben E. King's "Stand By Me", and Louis Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World".

Actually, AC stations is still playing old and soft materials while embracing upbeat current pop music at the same time. Although, they already had phased out slow easy listening songs by Carpenters and Barry Manilow a long time ago already.

Anyways, AC stations still slipped out of place overtime embracing more upbeat current pop artists by Katy Perry and Lady Gaga while embracing old and slow Christmas hits by The Carpenters and Barry Manilow as early as Halloween is over.

 

[turkeydance]

targeting the demographic that spends the most during the Christmas season? Grandmothers!

 

[Seltzer]

Which demographic group by age does Christmas Music target most?

Most Christmas songs tends to be very old and slow. I believe a lot of Christmas songs includes everything from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, and Today's and Christmas music tends to be very soft and easy listening. As time goes on, most AC stations already limit old and soft music and focus on more current hardcore pop music. Obviously they start flipping to Christmas music earlier as time goes on. Obviously they embrace more on Christmas music over time in the 25-54 market even though most Christmas songs are really old, slow, and soft. It's funny how AC stations already phased out old and soft music by The Carpenters and Barry Manilow while they embrace Christmas Music that actually still play songs by The Carpenters and Barry Manilow as time goes on in the 25-54 market. That's funny? What's going on? Isn't it the 9/11 causing the AC stations to head this direction?

I do have a college friend about my age around 19 or 20 and he listens CHR KHKS and start listening to AC KVIL when the holiday music hit the playlist. Funny, so we as young audience listen to pop hits by Ke$ha and Taio Cruz, dashed for holiday music by The Carpenters and Barry Manilow during the holidays. I don't get this, the world of music and radio is really going out of place. Hmm...

Anyways, which age group does Christmas music really target most? 25-34, 35-44, or 45-54? Anybody knows?

Again Christmas is about memories. The Carpenters, Bing Crosby, and Andy Williams evoke those memories. And it continues generation after generation. That's why these are the artists that get alot of the airplay.

 

[firepoint525]

The 70s songs we hear on AC today are like Rod Stewart's "Maggie May" and "(Find A) Reason To Believe", Elton John's "Crocodile Rock" and "Your Song", The Eagles "Hotel California", etc. which is still common to hear on AC today and tough for AC to drop cause they sound very contemporary. Few AC stations still play 60s by The other 70s songs by artists like The Carpenters and Barry Manilow are actually Soft AC/Easy Listening/Adult Standards and they are what Easy Listening stations used to play before Easy Listening stations actually evolved into AC stations and phased out such artists. Also few AC stations today still play 60s like The Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody", The Temptations' "My Girl", Ben E. King's "Stand By Me", and Louis Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World".

It's worth noting that all of the titles that I have highlighted here were either rereleased, rerecorded, or in the case of "Unchained Melody," both. Most of these would not still be getting airplay had they not been rereleased/rerecorded. These are all still getting airplay because there was a renewed interest in them in the '80s or '90s. "Stand By Me," for instance, is now 50 years old, and "What a Wonderful World" peaked at the lofty position of #116 (bubbled under) when it was first released in 1968.

 

[firepoint525]

The same group who listens to CHR and Hot AC the rest of the year.

I'm not sure that I buy this. If AC stations have such an uptick at this time of year, then clearly they are picking up listeners who do not tune in the rest of the year. And it would have to be a big enough increase to offset all the pissed-off listeners who tune OUT!

 

[firepoint525]

Again Christmas is about memories. The Carpenters, Bing Crosby, and Andy Williams evoke those memories. And it continues generation after generation. That's why these are the artists that get alot of the airplay.

If this is the case, then current recording artists are wasting their time covering songs by these and other similar artists. Yet the record companies still force them to do so, anyway. :

 

[andrewduong77]

Which demographic group by age does Christmas Music target most?

Most Christmas songs tends to be very old and slow. I believe a lot of Christmas songs includes everything from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, and Today's and Christmas music tends to be very soft and easy listening. As time goes on, most AC stations already limit old and soft music and focus on more current hardcore pop music. Obviously they start flipping to Christmas music earlier as time goes on. Obviously they embrace more on Christmas music over time in the 25-54 market even though most Christmas songs are really old, slow, and soft. It's funny how AC stations already phased out old and soft music by The Carpenters and Barry Manilow while they embrace Christmas Music that actually still play songs by The Carpenters and Barry Manilow as time goes on in the 25-54 market. That's funny? What's going on? Isn't it the 9/11 causing the AC stations to head this direction?

I do have a college friend about my age around 19 or 20 and he listens CHR KHKS and start listening to AC KVIL when the holiday music hit the playlist. Funny, so we as young audience listen to pop hits by Ke$ha and Taio Cruz, dashed for holiday music by The Carpenters and Barry Manilow during the holidays. I don't get this, the world of music and radio is really going out of place. Hmm...

Anyways, which age group does Christmas music really target most? 25-34, 35-44, or 45-54? Anybody knows?

Again Christmas is about memories. The Carpenters, Bing Crosby, and Andy Williams evoke those memories. And it continues generation after generation. That's why these are the artists that get alot of the airplay.

I truly agree, those artists are great memories of Christmas. They can't be let go even generations after generations and that AC stations had to embrace such memories when Christmas comes. It's the only time of the year where listeners of all age gets to hear the memories of Christmas songs by The Carpenters, Bing Crosby, and Andy Williams. That's why AC stations ppm ratings skyrocketed every December. I understand now. As time goes on and such Christmas songs by The Carpenters, Bing Crosby, and Andy Williams becomes more valuable as they fall further behind into the past and that AC stations would have to embrace more heavily on them to bring back such Christmas memories as it becomes more valuable overtime. That's why as time goes on AC, Classic Hits, or Hot AC stations flips to Christmas earlier and even earlier overtime since Christmas memories are becoming more valuable as they get older and that even younger demographics will value such memories.

 

[andrewduong77]

Again Christmas is about memories. The Carpenters, Bing Crosby, and Andy Williams evoke those memories. And it continues generation after generation. That's why these are the artists that get alot of the airplay.

If this is the case, then current recording artists are wasting their time covering songs by these and other similar artists. Yet the record companies still force them to do so, anyway. :

That's true, current artists like Mariah Carey, Michael Buble, and Kelly Clarkson are wasting their time covering Christmas songs. Although record companies still forces them to do so anyways and such covers by current artists isn't valued as much as songs by the original artists like The Carpenters, Bing Crosby, and Andy Williams is valued by listeners.

 

[imhomerjay]

Shockingly, people can like both. Liking memories of Bing or Andy or whomever doesn't mean they don't also enjoy covers by current artists. Many times a newer recording may be preferred by any given person over the old one.

 

[firepoint525]

Shockingly, people can like both. Liking memories of Bing or Andy or whomever doesn't mean they don't also enjoy covers by current artists. Many times a newer recording may be preferred by any given person over the old one.

It seems to me that the songs by newer artists that actually become hits tend to be the "newer" songs. Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" from her first Christmas album seemed to be the big "hit" from that one, although she also included covers (and did quite well with them, IMO) on that album.

 

[andrewduong77]

That's true, especially songs by Josh Groban.

 

[imhomerjay]

Though old enough to be a classic hit now, something like Springsteen's Santa Claus is coming to Town is but one example of a song covered that some people prefer over past versions, OR alongside it. Personally, I prefer Bob Seger's Little Drummer Boy to any "classic" version to be had. Covers do find an audience, or they wouldn't sell.

 

[andrewduong77]

Though old enough to be a classic hit now, something like Springsteen's Santa Claus is coming to Town is but one example of a song covered that some people prefer over past versions, OR alongside it. Personally, I prefer Bob Seger's Little Drummer Boy to any "classic" version to be had. Covers do find an audience, or they wouldn't sell.

Me too! I really like Bob Seger's version of "The Little Drummer Boy" and KMGL/Oklahoma City is playing it like crazy.

 

[andrewduong77]

I'm surprised Justin Bieber made a successful crossover to the Christmas format on AC for the holidays with his "Mistletoe" cover which kinda fit the Christmas format on AC although I don't really like it. :-\

I think a few good Christmas songs that me and others really enjoyed are Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Christmas Canon" and "Christmas Eve", Dan Fogelberg's "Same Old Lang Syne", Vanessa Williams' "Do You Hear What I Hear", Gloria Estefan's "Christmas Through Your Eyes", Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band's "The Little Drummer Boy", Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" and a few other ones as well.