P1 Issues America's Top 100 Christmas Songs 2024

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, November 5, 2024 | 4:46pm CT

P1 Media Group

P1 Media Group's annual Christmas Music Research has arrived. The media research and strategy firm, surveyed radio listeners nationwide who were likely to listen to an all-Christmas music radio station during the holiday season. We tested the appeal of the 100 most-played Christmas songs from the 2023 Holiday Season, according to Mediabase.

Key Findings:

"Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms remains America's #1 best-testing Christmas song for seven of the past 8 years. "Christmas music's appeal remains as strong as ever amongst American radio listeners who listen to All Christmas stations 'frequently' or 'sometimes' and personally enjoy Christmas music on a local radio station during the holiday season," says Ken Benson, Partner, and co-founder, of P1 Media Group.

• The Holiday standards dominate the Top 100 with five versions of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town, "Sleigh Ride," and "Winter Wonderland" making the list.

• Three Artists, Amy Grant, Frank Sinatra, and Andy Williams, have four songs in the Top 100.

• Women score Christmas music on average four points higher than Men. Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" is the #1 tester for Women, while Jose Feliciano's "Feliz Navidad" is #1 for Men.

The top testing Christmas songs by age are:

• 18-24 "All I Want for Christmas is You" Mariah Carey
• 25-34 "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas" Michael Buble with Burle Ives version a close second.
• 35-44 "Ring Christmas Bells" Ray Conniff
• 45-54 "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" Any Williams.

Kelly Clarkson's "Underneath the Tree" from 2010 and Ariana Grande's "Santa Tell Me" 2014 are the two highest-testing original Christmas songs from the 2000s, ranking #51 and #54, respectively.

The favorability of Christmas music remains strong. Seventy of the Top 100 songs tested with an appeal score of 75 or higher on a 100-point scale, and 95 songs tested 70 or higher.

More say Christmas Music should begin in early November this year than last.

• 31% Early November (up from 23% last year)
• 17% Mid November
• 28% Thanksgiving (27% in 2023)
• 22% early December
• 2% mid-December

Most Christmas music lovers, 52% (60% in 2023 and 48% in 2022), want Christmas music programming to stop on New Year's Eve.

• 14% Christmas Day
• 22% December 26th
• 7% December 27th
• 52% on New Year's Eve
• 3% some other time

America's Top 100 Testing Christmas Songs 2024

1. "Jingle Bell Rock," Bobby Helms (1957) 82.70 18-54 Score
2. "Holly Jolly Christmas," Burl Ives (1963) 82.36
3. "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," Andy Williams (1963) 82.34
4. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," Brenda Lee (1964) 82.22
5. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," Jackson 5 (1970) 81.74
6. "Feliz Navidad," Jose Feliciano (1979) 81.70
7. "Holly Jolly Christmas," Michael Buble (2011) 81.35
8. "The Christmas Song," Nat King Cole (1960) 80.80
9. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," Leann Rimes (2004) 80.77
10. "It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas," Bing Crosby (1945) 80.75
11. "Carol of the Bells," Mannheim Steamroller (1984) 80.62
12. "All I Want for Christmas is You," Mariah Carey (1994) 80.35
13. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," Frank Sinatra & Cyndi Lauper (1992) 80.27
14. "Sleigh Ride," Ronettes (1963) 80.20
15. "Ring Christmas Bells," Ray Conniff (1962) 80.03
16. "Sleigh Ride," Amy Grant (1983) 79.95
17. "You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch," Thurl Ravenscroft (1966) 79.89
18. "We Wish You a Merry Xmas," Bing Crosby (1992) 79.86
19. "Winter Wonderland ," Amy Grant (1963) 79.79
20. "Jingle Bells," Frank Sinatra (1957) 79.49
21. "Linus and Lucy," Vince Guaraldi Trio (1964) 79.29
22. "Carol of the Bells," David Foster (1997) 79.25
23. "Last Christmas," Wham (1986) 79.21
24. "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow," Andy Williams (1965) 79.10 2
25. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," Dean Martin (1959) 79.06
26. "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24," Trans-Siberian Orchestra (1996) 78.94
27. "Jingle Bell Rock," Brenda Lee (1964) 78.83
28. "Sleigh Ride," Leroy Anderson (1952) 78.77
29. "Sleigh Ride," Air Supply (1987) 78.72
30. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," Frank Sinatra (1963) 78.55
31. "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow," Frank Sinatra (1967) 78.54
32. "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow," Harry Connick Jr. (1963) 78.52
33. "Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)," Darlene Love (1963) 78.47
34. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," Burl Ives (1950) 78.46
35. "It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas," Perry Como (1951) 78.32
36. "Jingle Bell Rock," Hall & Oates (1984) 78.21
37. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," Gene Autrey (1949) 78.16
38. "Winter Wonderland," Andy Williams (1965) 78.15
39. "Sleigh Ride," Johnny Mathis (1958) 77.95
40. "Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)," Mariah Carey (1994) 77.80
41. "Deck the Halls," Percy Faith (1954) 77.68
42. "O Tannenbaum," Vince Guaraldi Trio (1965) 77.63
43. "Run Rudolph Run," Chuck Berry (1958) 77.57
44. "Frosty the Snowman," Ray Conniff (1959) 77.45
45. "It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas," Johnny Mathis (1986) 77.41
46. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," The Carpenters (1978) 77.39
47. "Jingle Bells," Ray Conniff (1959) 77.29
48. "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," Amy Grant (1992) 77.28
49. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," Amy Grant (1992) 77.15
50. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," Harry Connick Jr (1993) 76.92
51. "Underneath the Tree," Kelly Clarkson (2023) 76.61
52. "Frosty the Snowman," Willie Nelson (1979) 76.44
53. "Deck the Halls," Nat King Cole (1960) 76.41
54. "Home for the Holidays," Perry Como (1954) 76.24
55. "Santa Tell Me," Ariana Grande (2014) 76.16
56. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," Mariah Carey (1994) 76.15
57. "This Christmas," Train (2015) 75.99
58. "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa," Jackson 5 (1970) 75.97
59. "Christmas Baby, Please Come Home," Michael Buble (2011) 75.85
60. "Here Comes Santa," Gene Autry (1948) 75.78
61. "White Christmas," Bing Crosby (1942) 75.68
62. "Last Christmas," Taylor Swift (2007) 75.60
63. "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow," Dean Martin (1964) 75.47
64. "The Little Drummer Boy," Harry Simeone Chorale (1958) 75.45
65. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," Crystals (1963) 75.25
66. "Winter Wonderland," Air Supply (1987) 75.25
67. "Wonderful Christmastime," Paul McCartney (1979) 75.23
68. "Do You Hear What I Hear?," Carrie Underwood (2007) 75.11
69. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," Bruce Springsteen (1981) 75.09
70. "Frosty the Snowman," Jimmy Durante (1952) 75.04
71. "Happy Xmas (War is Over)," John Lennon (1971) 74.96
72. "Up on the Housetop," Gene Autry (1957) 74.94
73. "O Holy Night," Kelly Clarkson (2003) 74.93
74. "Winter Wonderland," Johnny Mathis (1958) 74.91
75. "Do You Hear What I Hear?," Martina McBride (1999) 74.72
76. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," Jessica Simpson (2000) 74.66
77. "Happy Holidays/The Holiday Season," Andy Williams (1963) 74.36
78. "It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas," Michael Buble (2011) 74.09
79. "Home for the Holidays," Carpenters (1970) 73.57
80. "Here Comes Santa Claus," Elvis Presley (1957) 73.24
81. "This Christmas," Donny Hathaway (1968) 72.96
82. "Santa Baby," Taylor Swift (2007) 72.88
83. "Holly Jolly Christmas," Lady A (2012) 72.86
84. "Blue Christmas," Elvis Presley (1957) 72.28
85. "Santa Baby," Madonna (1987) 71.98
86. "Last Christmas," Backstreet Boys (2022) 71.81
87. "White Christmas," Drifters (1954) 71.77
88. "Where Are You Christmas," Faith Hill (2000) 71.40
89. "Chipmunk Song," Chipmunks (1958) 71.32
90. "Little St. Nick," Beach Boys (1964) 71.22
91. "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays," 'N Sync (1998) 71.17
92. "Do They Know It's Christmas," Band Aid (1984) 70.92
93. "Christmas Canon," Trans-Siberian Orchestra (2001) 70.87
94. "Winter Wonderland," Eurythmics (1987) 70.54
95. "Please Come Home for Christmas," The Eagles (1978) 70.28
96. "Wrap Me Up," Jimmy Fallon & Meghan Trainor (2023) 67.05
97. "All I Want for Christmas," Vince Vance (1990) 66.73
98. "Someday at Christmas," Stevie Wonder (1967) 66.55
99. "Step into Christmas," Elton John (1973) 63.49
100. "DJ Play a Christmas Song," Cher (2023) 60.78

Poll: Strong Bipartisan Support for Public Radio Funding National Public Radio (NPR) A new national poll conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of NPR finds that two-thirds of Americans support continued federal funding for public radio, with broad bipartisan approval and high levels of trust in public radio's role in emergency communication and community service. More

Bruce Logan Returns to Audacy Houston as VP/P Bruce Logan Veteran radio programmer Bruce Logan has reported rejoined Audacy Houston as Vice President of Programming and Program Director for Country KILT-FM (100.3 The Bull). While the company has not yet made an official announcement, the move marks a return to familiar territory for Logan, who previously held the More

Red Apple Media Appoints Bert Goldman as CTO Bert Goldman Red Apple Media names veteran broadcast engineer Bert Goldman as its new Chief Technology Officer. He brings more than 50 years of radio engineering experience to the role, with a deep background in station construction, facility upgrades, signal optimization, and regulatory compliance. Goldman has More

Chris Fillar Joins WWJ Newsradio 950 as Morning Co-Anchor Chris Fillar Audacy names Chris Fillar as the new morning co-anchor on WWJ-AM (WWJ Newsradio 950) in Detroit. Fillar steps into the role alongside Jackie Paige, with the duo now leading weekday broadcasts from 5-10am ET. Fillar, who has delivered sports updates on WWJ and sister WXYT-FM (97.1 The Ticket) since 2018, More

Anna & Raven Show Expands to Montgomery and Columbia Anna & Raven Show Syndicated Anna & Raven Show continues its rapid growth, adding two major Southern markets to its expanding list of affiliates. Beginning this week, the morning program will now be heard on WMXS (Mix 103.3) in Montgomery, AL and WARQ (Live 93.5) in Columbia, SC. The show is now carried in more than 75 More

SiriusXM Adds Low-Cost, Ad-Supported Subscription Plan SiriusXM SiriusXM has unveiled SiriusXM Play, a new low-cost, ad-supported subscription package aimed at attracting more price-sensitive consumers and expanding its reach across North America. Priced at under $7 per month, the new plan offers access to more than 130 curated music, talk, and More