{"id":225186,"date":"2024-12-09T12:08:55","date_gmt":"2024-12-09T17:08:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/?p=225186"},"modified":"2024-12-09T13:08:56","modified_gmt":"2024-12-09T18:08:56","slug":"why-are-classic-christmas-songs-still-popular-as-ever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2024\/12\/09\/why-are-classic-christmas-songs-still-popular-as-ever\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Are Classic Christmas Songs Still Popular as Ever?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Everyone has a favorite Christmas song. Whether it\u2019s Mariah Carey\u2019s \u201cAll I Want for Christmas is You,\u201d Wham\u2019s \u201cLast Christmas,\u201d or Jose Feliciano\u2019s \u201c Feliz Navidad,\u201d these classics have stood the test of time, spanning 30, 40 and 54 years old, respectively. Meanwhile, holiday staples, such as \u201cRudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer,\u201d \u201cWhite Christmas\u201d and \u201cThe Christmas Song\u201d are even older \u2013 with \u201cJingle Bells\u201d now in its 167th year. As Billboard notes, some of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/lists\/christmas-songs-by-late-artists\/george-michael-4\/\">biggest holiday hits have outlived their original performers<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>So, what\u2019s the secret to their enduring appeal? We asked two 麻豆传媒在线 professors \u2013 both <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2023\/09\/20\/these-professors-rock\/\">musicians and songwriters<\/a> \u2013 to break it down.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Classics Evoke Emotions of Christmases Past<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Jon Caspi, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/academics\/family-science-and-human-development\/\">Family Science and Human Development<\/a> professor in 麻豆传媒在线\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/cchl\">College for Community Health<\/a>, believes emotional resonance is key. \u201cSomething that moves people and makes them feel connected to the song, either in a nostalgic, aching kind of way or like Mariah Carey\u2019s very happy and upbeat \u2018All I Want for Christmas.\u2019 \u201d It also helps if the song has \u201ca pretty simple premise.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bob Bailey-Lemansky, an adjunct music professor at 麻豆传媒在线\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/john-j-cali-school-of-music\/\">John J. Cali School of Music<\/a>, agrees. \u201cThey&#8217;re light and tend to not be religious. They&#8217;re more about the holidays and snow and gifts and love, and some are about messages of peace or charity.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Characteristics of a Great Christmas Song<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Emotional Resonance \u2013 The song has an emotional or nostalgic appeal that connects with people and evokes the spirit of the holidays. Think \u201cI\u2019ll Be Home for Christmas\u201d and \u201cHave Yourself a Merry Little Christmas\u201d or \u201cChristmas Time is Here.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Catchy Melodies \u2013 The song should be catchy and have a memorable melody that gets stuck in people&#8217;s heads. For example, \u201cJingle Bell Rock,\u201d \u201cRockin\u2019 Around the Christmas Tree,\u201d and \u201cLet It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Upbeat and up-tempo \u2013 With the exception of a few ballads, most classics are up-tempo, festive and fun. Think \u201cRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,\u201d \u201cSleigh Ride\u201d and \u201cSanta Claus is Coming to Town.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Timeless Nostalgia \u2013 Songs that harken back to an earlier era or sound and tap into people&#8217;s nostalgic feelings about the holidays. Classic examples include: \u201cIt\u2019s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas,\u201d \u201cDeck the Halls\u201d and the entire \u201cCharlie Brown Christmas\u201d album.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Additionally, good lyrics talking about the weather, curling up by a cozy fire with hot cocoa and throwing in some sleigh bells can\u2019t hurt, says Bailey-Lemansky. \u201cSleigh bells definitely say Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why Do Old Christmas Songs Still Dominate?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As Bailey-Lemansky, who teaches music theory to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/john-j-cali-school-of-music\/academic-programs\/ba-recording-arts\/\">Recording Arts and Production<\/a> majors, points out: \u201cIt&#8217;s harder for songs to take hold in the consciousness of the public these days. Gone are the days of the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, where everyone&#8217;s watching the same thing. Attention spans are splintered and all over the place.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This explains why <a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/charts\/greatest-of-all-time-holiday-100-songs\/\">Billboard\u2019s Greatest of All Time Holiday 100 Songs<\/a> chart shows that \u201cjust about everything is old,\u201d says Bailey-Lemansky. Classics like Carey\u2019s \u201cAll I Want for Christmas Is You\u201d have dominated the <em>Billboard<\/em> Christmas charts almost continuously since <em>Billboard<\/em> started charting Christmas music. Similarly, Michael Bubl\u00e9\u2019s 2011 classic-filled Christmas album remains No. 1 on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/charts\/holiday-albums\/\">Top Holiday Albums<\/a> chart week after week.<\/p>\n<p>The shift to streaming has also changed the music landscape. While artists like Carey once earned significant royalties, today&#8217;s streaming revenues provide only \u201cmicropayments,\u201d says Bailey-Lemansky. Instead, touring and licensing deals drive the real revenue. The Queen of Christmas herself has actively kept her \u201cAll I Want for Christmas is You\u201d song alive, embarking on a multi-city tour this year to celebrate its 30th anniversary.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2024\/12\/Jon-at-Light-of-Day-side.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2024\/12\/Jon-at-Light-of-Day-side.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\" alt=\"Jon Caspi sings and plays guitar onstage.\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Family Science and Human Development Professor Jon Caspi is the lead vocalist and guitarist of Jon Caspi &amp; The First Gun. (Photo courtesy of Jon Caspi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>Why Christmas Classics are Likely to Endure<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The two performing professors aren\u2019t convinced that new holiday songs will easily replace the old favorites. Caspi and Bailey-Lemansky have performed together over the decades, first in the 80s band Bouncing Off Bob and currently in the band Jon Caspi &amp; The First Gun; Caspi is the lead vocalist and guitarist while Bailey-Lemansky plays keyboard. Bailey-Lemansky also has written a Christmas song, \u201cYou &amp; Me &amp; X-Mas Time\u201d penned in the 80s. This holiday season, the band expects to do a rockabilly version of \u201cRudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer\u201d at a December gig because it&#8217;s fun and everybody knows the lyrics.<\/p>\n<p>As Caspi explains: \u201cWhy the old music endures is because Christmas \u2013 not for everybody \u2013 but for most people, is a very positive association. It&#8217;s a time like when you&#8217;re little, you&#8217;re all excited because Santa is coming, and then you&#8217;re going to get gifts and family members are there, and there&#8217;s lights everywhere. It&#8217;s this magical experience and hearing the soundtrack to that warm time in our lives takes us right back.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>I\u2019m a _______, tell me more:<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Prospective Student \/ Parent:\u00a0 Learn more about the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/john-j-cali-school-of-music\/academic-programs\/ba-recording-arts\/\">Recording Arts and Production<\/a> program and other music programs at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/john-j-cali-school-of-music\/\">John J. Cali School of Music<\/a> or plan a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/admissions\/visit-us\/\">visit to our campus<\/a> and take the first step in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/admissions\/\">applying to become a Red Hawk<\/a>!<\/p>\n<p>Media: Contact the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/contact-media-relations\/\">Media Relations team<\/a> for assets or to schedule an interview with the researcher about this topic. See more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/faculty-experts\/\">Faculty Experts<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/media-kit\/\">hi-res media assets<\/a> available for download.<\/p>\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/\/ Output tags as a list for Google Analytics custom dimension\nwindow.MSU_TagList = [\"Family Science and Human Development\",\"John J. Cali School of Music\"];\n<\/script>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Music experts at 麻豆传媒在线 reveal what makes a timeless holiday hit<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":396,"featured_media":225187,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,492,10],"tags":[561,468],"class_list":["post-225186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts","category-college-for-community-health","category-university","tag-family-science-and-human-development","tag-john-j-cali-school-of-music"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/225186","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/396"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=225186"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/225186\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":225205,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/225186\/revisions\/225205"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/225187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=225186"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=225186"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=225186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}