P1 Study: Christmas Fans Favor Later Radio Start

RADIO ONLINE | Friday, November 6, 2026 | 12:10pm CT

P1 Media Group

Christmas classics remain strong listener favorites, but a growing majority would prefer radio stations to wait until Thanksgiving or later before switching to all-holiday programming, according to P1 Media Group's 2026 "America's Top 100 Christmas Songs" study.

The nationwide survey, sponsored by GoldDisc by TM Studios, found that 56% favor a Thanksgiving-or-later launch, up from 49% in 2025. Just 18% prefer an early November start, down from 23% last year and 31% in 2024.

Thanksgiving was the most popular starting point at 28%, followed by mid-November at 26% and the beginning of December at 25%. Another 3% preferred mid-December.

"Christmas music continues to be one of radio's most powerful audience magnets," said P1 Media Group Founder and Partner Ken Benson. "The Nielsen ratings demonstrate its extraordinary ability to attract listeners, but our research also reveals an important shift. While Americans still love their Christmas classics, they're becoming more selective about when they want the holiday season to begin."

P1 surveyed 400 radio listeners ages 25-54 across the nation's top 50 radio markets, testing the appeal of the 100 most-played Christmas recordings from the 2025 holiday season, as measured by Mediabase.

Bobby Helms' 1957 recording of "Jingle Bell Rock" again ranked first, earning an appeal score of 80.80 on a 100-point scale. It has led the study in nine of the past 10 years.

Jose Feliciano's "Feliz Navidad" placed second, followed by Andy Williams' "Sleigh Ride," Frank Sinatra's "Jingle Bells" and Bing Crosby's "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas."

Three versions of "Jingle Bell Rock" finished in the top 10: Helms at No. 1, Brenda Lee at No. 6 and Daryl Hall & John Oates at No. 7. The Hall & Oates recording received the highest percentage of "Love" ratings among all songs tested, at 59.66%.

Older recordings continued to anchor the rankings. Fifty-five of the top 100 were released before 1980, including 22 from the 1950s and 19 from the 1960s. Overall, 34 recordings earned appeal scores of at least 75, while 87 scored 70 or higher.

Preferences varied by demographic. Sinatra's "Jingle Bells" led among women, while David Foster's "Carol of the Bells" topped the rankings among men. Adults ages 45-54 gave the overall library its highest average score, at 77.10, compared with 74.11 among ages 25-34 and 71.60 among ages 35-44.

Contemporary titles also found an audience. Ariana Grande's "Santa Tell Me" ranked No. 43 overall and scored 80.85 among adults ages 25-34. Kelly Clarkson's "Underneath the Tree" placed No. 83.

Listeners' preferences for ending the holiday format were divided. Forty-two percent favored continuing through New Year's Eve, down from 48% in 2025 and 52% in 2024. Another 33% preferred ending December 26, while 20% selected Christmas Day.

"Successful Christmas programming isn't just about playing the right songs," said Benson. "It's about understanding your audience, knowing when they're ready for the season to begin, and delivering the right mix of familiar favorites and contemporary hits."