By Ashley Ragone
Staff Writer
It seems like every artist today has a Christmas song in their repertoire, with an overwhelming assortment of covers and interpolated remixes across all genres. I believe this is unnecessary.
On Nov. 1, Jimmy Fallon released “Holiday Seasoning,” his first overtly holiday-themed album. On first listen, not only did I dislike just about every song, but I felt that none of them had anything new or interesting to add to the canon of holiday music. Some of their features, including Meghan Trainor and the Jonas Brothers, were a saving grace, but, overall, I felt let down.
Similarly on Oct. 11, actor Jeff Goldblum released his single “Let It Snow / Blue Christmas” with Veronica Swift and The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra. While I appreciated the arrangement and homage to classic melodies, Goldblum’s vocal performance left me disappointed and the cover almost felt unnecessary.
So why are audiences like myself struggling to connect with new Christmas music? There clearly is something that older singers did right, as the classic melodies have stood the test of time, evidenced by the queen of Christmas herself: Mariah Carey.
“All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey’s lead single from her 1994 album “Merry Christmas,” reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2019, 25 years after it was released. It was the second Christmas-themed song to reach that spot in all of the billboard’s history, according to TIME. Every year around the holiday season, Carey’s song peaks and re-enters the Billboard 100 as streams increase. So what makes her song, and other older tunes, more successful?
According to Berklee College of Music’s forensic musicologist Joe Bennett, it’s all about the nostalgia. In 2017, he analyzed the elements of holiday music that bring in the most monetary and commercial success, including Spotify-charting hits during the week of Dec. 25. From a lyrical standpoint, they all had an element related to “the home, being in love, lost love, parties, Santa or reindeers, snow or coldness, religion, and peace on Earth.”
It is clear most people desire songs that are comforting, transporting listeners to an idealized version of Christmas past with universal themes of joy and warmth. New releases are not meeting this mark and cannot deliver the kind of warm nostalgia that a Bing Crosby tune executes so well.
In his iconic song “White Christmas,” Crosby longs to return to a simpler, more idyllic time: “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas / Just like the ones I used to know / Where the treetops glisten and children listen / To hear sleigh bells in the snow.” With its fluttering flute and gentle piano, the song evokes a warm fireplace and fall of snow.
However, one artist who I think does not fall into this category of failed contemporary Christmas is Laufey, an Icelandic jazz singer. She delivers covers of classics with beautiful accuracy of the original songs while bringing a fresh new production. Having been classically trained in violin and piano, she has a deeper understanding and implementation of the older sound we have grown to love. Her background in jazz and Norah Jones-inspired style distinguishes her from the many pop singers attempting to stake their claim in the niche of holiday music.
Ultimately, we do not need more Christmas tunes from today’s musicians. The nostalgic charm and fond memories tied to the past bring an unmatched element of ambience to these songs that new releases lack. For those who want to enjoy such classic Christmas music, I would suggest turning to the greats of Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Ella Fitzgerald. For a taste of the holiday spirit with a modern twist, I would recommend Laufey’s newest EP, “A Very Laufey Holiday.”
