The history of your favorite Christmas songs forms part one of this super-size episode. Part two is an interview with Jhani Kaye, who launched the “all-Christmas-music” format on KOST radio in Los Angeles, which now has become a mainstay in every radio market. And a spectacular ratings success. Find out how and why it works, and whether they’ll play the barking dogs singing “Jingle Bells.”
I believe the first station this year to start playing Christmas songs was just over the Ohio border in PA., WWIZ, which serves the Youngstown area....and they started on September 25th. As if 2020 wasn't bad enough already. Last year they did it on October 25th, so this year we got an extra month of the same 40 songs sung by 30 different artists/groups. Luckily they're out of my listening range but doesn't matter as there are at least SIX stations in my area playing Christmas tunes.
ReplyDeleteThanks. For Christmas music, I always go back to my childhood and the records Dad played on the Magnavox. Rita Ford's "A Music Box Christmas" does it to me every time.
ReplyDeleteI've heard enough Christmas music to last a life time. Whenever one comes on my car radio I change the station. I find it all intrusive.
ReplyDeleteI work in a convenience store, which means I have to listen to 18 cover versions of the same 12 Christmas songs for eight hours. Plus, there's a radio station here in Jacksonville that starts playing non-stop Christmas music in *October*. Jhani Kaye is the Dr. Frankenstein of Christmas radio.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind Christmas music in moderation. It does drive me a little nuts that every third song on our local "Christmas music" station seems to be "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)."
ReplyDeleteThe only two holiday songs I don't mind hearing are "Sleigh Ride" (the instrumental, thank you very much) and "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (mostly because of Johnny "MASH" Mandel's spectacular, creative backing arrangement). On the other hand, if I never heard again Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" and Taylor Swift's version of Wham's "Last Christmas" that would be okay by me. Also, José Feliciano's "Feliz Navidad" gets old real quick.
ReplyDeleteKen, listened to your recent podcast after I posted my above message. And, you are so right, subjecting terrorists and hardened criminals to these "radio earworms (like "Feliz Navidad" and, the final five minutes of, 'Hey Jude") on, as you suggested, a continuous loop, could extract a confession of guilt out of anyone.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised there was no mention of "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer", truly the most atrocious Christmas song of all time. Which I love. And so did my late grandmother.
ReplyDeleteIt was a fun podcast.
ReplyDeleteOne Christmas staple that I haven't heard this year was Snoopy's Christmas. Probably for the better.
ReplyDeleteI was looking at my STAX singles collection. There are some great choices there that don't get nearly enough love, such as Every Day Will Seem Like a Holiday by William Bell, and Winter Snow by Booker T and the MG's. https://www.rogerogreen.com/2020/12/12/soul-christmas-from-stax-atlantic/
ReplyDeleteHi there. Just a couple of things. First "Silent Night" was written in 1818, not 1918. Second, an interesting fact about "The Christmas Song" is that for decades it has been owned by Paul McCartney. And lastly, Variety estimates that McCartney earns approximately half a million a year off of "Wonderful Christmastime".
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