With comfortable predictability Christmas music returns to our lives each winter. iHeartMedia Houston’s collections of radio stations includes Sunny 99.1 FM, the town’s holiday music station. We provide the soundtrack of the holidays each year.
In 2011 Consumer Reports surveyed Americans and found 75% of us love Christmas music. There are always those off Grinches in the group. In a more recent survey, Soundtrack Your Brand found only 17% of American shoppers dislike the constant background music heard in stores. The only complaint by the overwhelming majority who appreciate it is the repetition, but even that apparently isn’t too offensive.
Billboard Magazine keeps track of every song played on every radio station in the country and has compiled a list of the Hot 100 Christmas Songs. Year after year, we return to our favorites, over and over and over.
The top five are:
5. A Holly Jolly Christmas – Burl Ives
4. The Christmas Song – Nat King Cole
3. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year – Andy Williams
2. Rockin’ ‘Round the Christmas Tree – Brenda Lee
1. All I Want for Christmas is You – Maria Carey