America’s Top-Testing Christmas Songs!
• As more radio stations make their annual Christmas music flip, P1 Media Group recently tested the 40 most-played Christmas songs (according to Mediabase) from last year’s holiday season. P1’s Ken Benson and Max Dugan sampled a group of 25-54 listeners in the Top 50 radio markets that reported listening either “Frequently” or “Sometimes” to Christmas music on a local radio station during the holiday season. The 40 songs tested were the most played Christmas Songs from 2016, according to Mediabase.
Some highlights: 1) Timeless holiday classics rule — 7 of the Top 10 Christmas songs were released between 1945 and 1963. 2) Christmas music is equally appealing among men and women and across adults 25-54. 3) Top 40 and Country listeners have the most interest in listening to an all-Christmas music station. 4) Two versions of “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Sleigh Ride” landed in the Top 15, while Burl Ives placed two songs in the Top 10.
Here are the Top 10-testing songs for 2017: 10) “Sleigh Ride,” The Ronettes; 9) “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer,” Burl Ives); 8) Santa Claus Is Coming To Town,” Frank Sinatra & Cyndi Lauper; 7) “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24,” Trans-Siberian Orchestra; 6) “The Christmas Song,” Nat King Cole; 5) “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas,” Bing Crosby; 4) “Holly Jolly Christmas,” Burl Ives; 3) “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year,” Andy Williams; 2) “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” Brenda Lee, and 1) “Jingle Bell Rock,” Bobby Helms.
P1 Media Group conducted this survey the weekend of November 17-19, 2017. The full results of all 40 songs tested are available at p1mediagroup.com/Christmas.
