Posted on 12/18/2006 10:41:45 PM PST by freedomdefender
PORTLAND, Maine -- The holiday classics haven't changed that much -- radio stations still turn to Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and Burl Ives to spread yuletide cheer. But your chances of hearing them on the radio are growing fast.
As of Monday, 399 stations from Maine to Hawaii were playing Christmas tunes around the clock to bring in listeners and advertising dollars. Portland has two stations competing over holiday listeners, and some cities have as many as five or six.
Most of the programming kicked off after Thanksgiving; the earliest station made the switch in October before trick-or-treaters made the rounds.
"It's gotten to the point of ridiculousness," said Tim Moore, operations manager at Portland's WHOM-FM, which began broadcasting its holiday programming on the day after Thanksgiving.
Ridiculous or not, Americans can't get enough of it, said Tom Taylor, editor of Inside Radio, a trade publication owned by Clear Channel.
The number of stations playing those timeless holiday songs already outnumbers the previous record of 386 in 2003, the first year Inside Radio began tracking the numbers, Taylor said from his office in Trenton, N.J.
"Christmas music, for most people, puts a smile on your face. Even if you resist it for a while, you can't hold out forever," he said.
The deluge of Christmas airplay may yield a few humbugs, but it succeeds nearly universally in boosting ratings, industry officials say.
For listeners, the nostalgic music creates a soundtrack as they shop, wrap presents, decorate trees, bake cookies and go to parties.
"It's like a counterpoint to all of the misery in the world. That's the only thing I can figure out," said Phil Crosland, executive vice president of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers in New York.
Behind the holiday cheer and good will are strong ratings: Portland's WHOM sees a 38 percent bump in the number of listeners after it switches its format from adult contemporary to 24-7 holiday music.
In New York City, WLTW-FM sees a 25 percent increase in listeners even in one of the nation's most diverse markets, said Jim Ryan, programming director.
In Milwaukee, WMYX-FM saw a jump of nearly 50 percent last year despite holiday competition from three other radio stations, said Brian Kelly, operations manager. The year before that, the station's listenership grew nearly 100 percent in December.
"People from the outside may ask why we do this," Kelly said. "The answer is because it works, and that's what our listeners want."
The vast holiday treasure chest includes offerings from artists as varied as Jessica Simpson, B.B. King, Barenaked Ladies, Regis Philbin, Bruce Springsteen and Twisted Sister.
But listeners seem to prefer the old songs such as Crosby's "White Christmas," Cole's "The Christmas Song," Ives' "A Holly Jolly Christmas," Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock" and Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Round the Christmas Tree."
"It's a sad fact and a sad reality that there are 30 to 50 Christmas songs that research really well. We already know them," Moore said. "They don't want Clay Aiken's version of 'White Christmas.' They want Bing Crosby, for the most part."
For some, it's just too much.
"It's terrible. It kills me every year. It's the same songs over and over," said Jake Millett, 21, of Portland, who's subjected to it every Christmas Eve at his grandmother's house. He rolled his eyes when a co-worker talked about "the holiday spirit."
At the other extreme is Stacey Milliken, who can't get enough.
"I think it's a great idea. It gets everybody in the spirit, but I can completely understand how some people would get sick of it," said Milliken, 30, of Portland.
It's hard to say exactly when the trend began, but one consultant traces it to the 1980s when he began recommending that radio stations play holiday music on the day after Thanksgiving, a time when Americans flock to malls to begin their Christmas shopping.
"I think it's one of the most significant and successful programming strategies in the past couple of decades," said Dan Vallie, president, chairman and CEO of Vallie Richards Donovan Consulting, who's a pioneer in recommending the format.
I'm from Portland, and I think it's awesome that they're doing this!
If they would just stop playing WHAM's "Last Christmas" junk. . .as Charlie Brown says, "I can't stand it, I just can't stand it."
I've put myself into a Christmas music-free zone until Christmas Eve. The closest thing I've beeen listening to "Christmas music" lately is Handel's Messiah, and that can really be listened to year-round. I heard an instrumental version of "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" being played at a Christmas party on Sunday, and other than that and hearing people singing carols at the same party from a distance, I really haven't heard any.
We had another good thread about this article last week, with lively discussion:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1752122/posts
92.9 in Nashville. When we're all in the family vehicle and are going somewhere it's great to sing along to the timeless classics; Bing, Nat King Cole, Carpenters, Engelbert Humperdinck, Elvis, Sinatra ...... Kenny Rogers and Wynona's version of "Mary Did You Know" is one of my favorites also. Downloaded it off iTunes the other day.
This is what I'm gonna be listening to for the next couple of weeks....NAUGHTY WORDS ALERT!!
DO NOT click on this if you are offended by harsh language directed at jihadi scum!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymLJz3N8ayI&eurl=
XM Radio has several Christmas channels. Our family favorite is "Classical Christmas", which plays choral arrangements of treasured carols, sacred hymns, etc. A nice change of pace when one wearies of Jingle Bell Rock and Grandma/Reindeeer.
Here's a thought for all you younger types who hate old songs. The reason why this music is so popular is the songs actually have melodies something missing from todays popular music. I doubt that the percentage of people over forty who listen to comtemporary adult music is very large. Forty years ago one could still hear all the major non-rock popular musicians on the top-forty stations. And many of them, like Sinatra and others, still had hits. That disappeared in the seventies. I would guess that the percentage of people listening to the x-mas music trends heavily to the over forty types. They certainly aren't tuning in the rap stations.
Sirius has 2-3 spread all over the spectrum. Narrow-casting is a good thing!
Giving your customers what they want is ridiculous?
Hope that doesn't get back to your listeners, pard...
WSRS 96.1 Worcester, Ma been doing it, kinda, for about 15 years. Almost tolerable.
Here in KC we've got two adult easy listening stations that compete for the all Christmas market by trying to be the first to start the Christmas format. One of them started playing nothing but Christmas music on November 1st. And it isn't even good Christmas music, just the current modern slop. If I never hear "Santa Baby" again it'll be too soon. Ditto for "I want a hippopotomus for Christmas".
Yes, I am glad that radio stations are playing Christmas music again. Unfortunately, for the most part, it is bad Christmas music they are playing, whihc is why I always keep several of my Christmas CDs in my car at this time of year.
Like BS's godawful "Jingle Bells."
Amazing to think that Bing's last duet was with Bowie.
My 12 year old daughter and I have been recording music in our basement studio for a while now. In 2004, we recorded a 21st century pop-rock version of "Angels We Have Heard On High." There's a link below to an mp3 download of this just-over-4-minute song.
http://www.personal.psu.edu/rcs8/Angels.mp3
I guess to each his own. I kind of like the hippo song! (just not 10 times a day) I agree with you on "Santa Baby". The absolute worst is "When Allah meets Jesus". Gimme a break.
Most of what the local station plays is "modernized" versions of traditional favorites and I can't stand it. Even though I'm not from their generation, I'd still prefer to hear Bing Crosby and Burl Ives singing, rather than some jazz, rap or hiphop version of traditional carols and songs.
My ideal station would play traditional music, with the occasional novelty piece (Chipmunks, Jingle Bell dogs barking, but nothing disrespectful) thrown in.
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