Dissecting the 'Christmassy Sound'

The concept of encapsulating the sensations of the season in a specific sound has always fascinated me. Christmas might be the only festivity that has built a global music genre dedicated to it - or at least with its level of prominence amongst culture. You certainly won’t hear Halloween or Easter tunes on the radio. Valentine’s might be excused - as love is present everywhere in music💌 Even more fascinating is our tendency to listen to the same Christmas tunes, year after year.

The origins of Christmas music go back to the 13th century’s Franciscan Friars’ devotion to the arrival of Baby Jesus. This is the seed of the ‘Carols’ per se, which reveal the religious roots of the celebration.

As time went by, though, the secularization of the population in the 1950s led to a shift of focus on the content and even the instrumentation used for the makings of these pieces. 'White Christmas' as sung most prominently by Bing Crosby was an inflection point on how Jazz started to dominate and represent the sound of the ‘season’ rather than the ‘reason’ of the celebration. It evokes a level of sentimentality and nostalgia that few other genres could convey more effectively. Hence, the perdurance of this sound and its association with the holidays.

If you browse your average “Christmas Hits” playlist, this classic sound still dominates, with a handful of newer tracks breaking through. Though they represent a relatively small subset, these Wham!, Mariah Carey, and the Biebs banger (!!!) album boast massive replay value. But how do these contemporary hits capture that timeless holiday feeling while embracing modernity?

One cool fact David Bennett came to find is that pre-1970s, only 36% of Christmas songs included sleight bells in them, while 67% of songs following that decade relied on this element. This goes to show how the instrument has been used as a substitute for the lack of nostalgic and slow melodies. The genre also displays a tendency to use the major key to “keep things holly jolly”. Another thing worth highlighting is that poor Baby Jesus is being given any shoutouts in modern tracks…

All these mentioned resources help modern tracks tap into the same festive nostalgia that older Christmas songs evoke.

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This dissection of the genre naturally answers my initial question: why do we keep singing the same ten tunes, December after December? It’s all about tradition. Holidays are a time to revisit the familiar—whether it’s the same lights from the backroom, our great-great-grandma recipes passed down through generations, or gifts under the tree— all while Mariah Carey’s whistling (gracefully) pierces our ears in the background. And I am v much so grateful for that🤶🏼

PS: this view might be quite American-centric. Holidays can sound incredibly different from region to region, religion to religion, or even not be a part of one’s soundscape. In my case, I am THANKFUL for my Venezuelan gaitas🔊🔊 (if yk, yk), and so so appreciate to have a variety of sounds I can blast on.

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My Ultimate Christmas Mix

If you wanna switch things up this year and try to incorporate some new sounds into your holidays, there you go [full playlist here].

This year’s fixation. Riquísima. Espero ver a mi fam lanzarse unos pasos prohibidos con esta si me dan el aux el 24.

Makes me sad that I haven’t ever seen the Charlie Christmas Movie, cause this soundtrack album sonically depicts the childlike wonder and excitement of the season. I feel like a lil wondering kid listening to it🧦

Not necessarily a Christmas tune, I know!!! However, it has become a tradition of mine to play it first thing January 1st; not only because of the title itself, but the Beach House’s whimsical, mysterious staple sound captures the uncertainty of what’s to come. Listening to this song literally provokes this feeling in your chest, like the one you get from being at the very edge of a huge cliff towards the ocean… maaaaan…

Yes, Sufjan, you made me cry on Christmas Day. And the day before. And the day after.

Ma jews, I’ve gotcha🫱🏼‍🫲🏽

Stevie, te amo. If you love Stevie the same way I do,