In recent years, when new music comes into Christmas radio playlists in a significant way, it has usually been classic titles by MOR standard bearers—programmers digging deeper into the holiday albums of olden days. That’s mostly the case with “new” titles resurfacing in the first weeks of holiday programming in 2024. It also applies to the top “new” song in the AC format overall.
So far, Dean Martin’s “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” recorded in 1952 for a radio broadcast, but just released this year, is the top new title, entering Mediabase’s AC chart at No. 10 this week, and showing good airplay throughout most dayparts. (The top brand-new title is the Jimmy Fallon/Jonas Brothers collaboration, “Holiday” at No. 13, followed by Dan + Shay’s “Pick Out a Christmas Tree” at No. 14.)
Among AC currents, Kelly Clarkson’s “You for Christmas” is next at No. 16. Clarkson already holds a special place in holiday radio programming. On this year’s most-played gold titles so far, most of the 2000s songs are newer versions of classics—LeAnn Rimes’ “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” Michael Bublé’s “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” and “Holly Jolly Christmas,” and Train’s “This Christmas” among them. Clarkson’s 2013 “Underneath the Tree” (No. 91 last week) remains the newest title with significant traction.
Every year, our look at “What Classic Hits Radio Added” shows that format pushing forward through the ‘90s and ‘00s with new “I can’t believe it’s an oldie” examples each year. The look at holiday programmers’ secret weapons always goes in a much older direction, but there are a few titles by newly relevant artists that popped up this year.
WLIT (Lite 93.9) Chicago is playing nearly a dozen 2024 holiday titles but mostly in nights and overnights. Older titles making their debut this year include:
- Garth Brooks, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” (1999), also new on sister WNIC Detroit
- Ray Conniff, “Winter Wonderland” (1957)—Added last year after our 2023 wrapup
- Blake Shelton & Miranda Lambert, “Jingle Bell Rock” (2012)—Also added last year
Sister KOST Los Angeles hasn’t thus far gone back for any new library titles, but it does have about 10 current titles, including a new Rachel Platten version of “Jingle Bell Rock” that is receiving airplay throughout the day.
WBEB (B101) Philadelphia, always one of the format’s showplaces, is playing the newly issued Martin song as well as Lindsey Stirling & Sabrina Carpenter’s reissued “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” Older additions this year include:
- Johnny Mann Singers, “Deck the Halls” (1967)
- Michael Bublé, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (2011)
- Nat King Cole, “Frosty the Snowman” (1950)
- Ray Conniff, “Here Comes Santa Claus” (1959)
- Bing Crosby, “Frosty the Snowman” (1962)
- Burl Ives, “Silver Bells” (1965)
- John Legend, “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” (2019)
- Wilson Phillips, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” (2010)
WJKK (Mix 98.7) Jackson, Miss., has always been aggressive on each year’s Christmas contenders, this year including For King + Country’s “Silent Night (Rewrapped),” “Pick Out a Christmas Tree,” Sarah Reeves’ “Holly Jolly Christmas,” and Harper Grace’s “Santa Baby.” Gold-titles added this year include:
- Lady A, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (2010)
- Lady A, “All I Want for Christmas (Is You)” (2010)
- Kellie Pickler, “Santa Baby” (2007)
- Darius Rucker, “Winter Wonderland” (2008)
- Natalie Cole, “The Holly and the Ivy” (1994)
- Faith Hill, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” (2008)
WTSS (The New 96.1) Buffalo, N.Y.’s most-spun new titles include the Gabby Barrett version of “Mary Did You Know”—a song that doesn’t have one definitive version at radio. Older titles getting new airplay include:
- Garth Brooks, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” (1999)
- Alan Jackson, “Let It Be Christmas” (2002)
- Sabrina Carpenter, “Santa Doesn’t Know You Like I Do” (2023)
- Teddy Swims, “O Christmas Tree” (2021)—another major title with no single definitive version
WKQC (K104.7) Charlotte, N.C., added the new David Foster & Kat McPhee version of “Carol of the Bells” last year according to Mediabase. As a gold-based AC, it has typically added the fewest titles when we’ve gone through this exercise in the past.
- Frank Sinatra, “Jingle Bells” (1948)
- David Phelps, “O Holy Night” (2005)—added late last year
WDUV Tampa, Fla., is also a pop-leaning Classic Hits outlet, but this year it added Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” (2014), also one of the most prominent of the last decade’s new titles.
WMGQ (Magic 98.3) New Brunswick, N.J., has a number of older titles in significant rotation for the first time this year:
- Nat King Cole, “Silent Night”
- Ray Conniff, “Jingle Bells”
- Bing Crosby, “Frosty the Snowman”
- Frank Sinatra, “The Christmas Song”
- Bing Crosby, “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”
WSHH Pittsburgh’s only library add for the year is John Denver’s 1990 version of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Last year, it added the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s “Wizards in Winter” (2006).
This story first appeared on radioinsight.com