BY ISABELLE MCLOUGHLIN
Quick! Name a Christmas song.
Did you say “Jingle Bell Rock”, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”, or “Let it Snow”? These festive tunes are among the hottest of holiday hits, dominating radio stations and spotify playlists every December. Not only do they share the common theme of Christmas, but they also hold the honor and status of being considered “classics” - a label that is somewhat elusive in its definition.
So that begs the question, what exactly makes a song a classic? According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a classic is “a work of enduring excellence” - so it’s something that has stood the test of time. But this implies that things that were once new can become classic, and conversely things that were once classics can become lost and forgotten. The cheery realm of Christmas music is no exception to this dynamic. For instance, “Sleigh Ride” by the Ronettes is now hailed by society as a classic Christmas song, and has even the most stubborn grinches whispering along to the lyrics whenever it's played. Yet, when it first graced the airwaves in November of 1963, it was simply a modern song, far from “classic”. Overtime, it’s achieved its status and now stands as one of the most popular “classic” Christmas songs. A recurring theme emerges: classics bear the mark of age. Thus, the classics of tomorrow are produced today.
Picture yourself 30 years from now, gathered around the fireplace with family and friends, when you suddenly hear a knock at the door. You open the door and find a group of children caroling out in the snow. As they begin to harmonize, their voices blend with the wispy winter wind and they uniformly begin their rendition of Ariana Grande’s song, “Santa Tell Me”.
Sounds wild, right? But at least songs like “Santa Tell Me”, “Mistletoe”, and “All I want for Christmas is You” are somewhat well-known, as they’ve been around for a couple of years and have had time to merge with today’s culture. But have you heard about this year’s new Christmas Music releases? Let’s take a sleigh ride into the world of all things jolly, and take a look at 3 of the most interesting Christmas song launches of 2023:
“DJ Play a Christmas Song” - by Cher
This “funky jam” begins with calmer, more traditional Christmas background music. As it progresses, especially when Cher first sings the words “DJ Play a Christmas Song”, the song transitions into an upbeat, modern-pop-resembling tune. Honestly, it feels like Cher wrote this song to try and make Christmas Music seem “hip” and “upbeat,” forgetting that she is a 77-year-old mummy. But it’s the kind of song that gets put into a spotify playlist and is immediately skipped over. The best way to describe this is a mix between KidzBop and JustDance. It’s just tacky.
Rating: Lump of Coal
“Please Santa Please” - by Pentatonix
Pentatonix is an acapella group that performs covers and original songs on platforms such as Youtube, Spotify, and Apple Music. This new song by them immediately sets the mood for a warm, cozy Christmas. The whole song is about wishing for Christmas love, and is very in line with the majority of Christmas songs produced in this decade. The song isn’t groundbreaking, but it brings familiar elements that are popular for good reason - most of all, the amazing vocals.
Rating: Future Classic
“Dear Santa” - by OneRepublic
This holiday song is also very traditional, and follows the same feel as most other Christmas songs. In the background of the whole song are soft jingle bells, and there is also a very notable, positive beat. Like most others, the song recycles common Christmas-related phrases such as “make my wish come true”, “all the snow outside is fallin’”, and “home for Christmas”. Adding to the generic character of this song, is the theme. It centers around making a Christmas wish that the person you love comes home to spend the holidays. It’s a great sentiment, but in my opinion lacks originality and is common with hundreds of other Christmas songs. Overall, it’s a good Christmas song, but nothing about it stands out from the rest.
Rating: Stocking Stuffer
All three of the songs previously mentioned can be listened to on Spotify or Youtube.
So, as we wrap up this festive exploration of the latest Christmas tunes, let’s remember that just like the classics we cherish today, these new releases have the potential to become the soundtrack of future holiday gatherings. Who knows, maybe in a few decades, we’ll find ourselves joyfully singing along to “Please Santa Please'' as the fireplace crackles and the snow falls outside. Until then, here’s to the timeless magic of Christmas music, both old and new, and the joy it brings to our hearts year after year. Wishing you a harmonious and melody-filled holiday season!