Christmas Music Takes Over Streaming Platforms as Holiday Season Extends into November

The Growing Dominance of Christmas Music

Christmas music has become an unstoppable force on streaming platforms, with almost half of all streams being holiday-related by Christmas week. In 2024, the festive season for music lovers has extended significantly, with holiday season streaming starting earlier every year, with significant increases beginning as early as November 9 this year. This phenomenon reflects not just changing listening habits but also the cultural significance of Christmas music in bringing people together during the festive period.

Record-Breaking Streaming Numbers and New Releases

Mariah Carey’s iconic ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ is predicted to be streamed 1.83 billion times by 27 December, maintaining its position as the undisputed queen of Christmas music. However, the 2024 season has also seen a bevy of new Christmas recordings from modern artists spanning pop, R&B, hip-hop, K-pop, jazz and rock. Jennifer Hudson released her first full Christmas album, The Gift of Love, in 2024, whilst Sabrina Carpenter’s Nonsense Christmas, released in 2023, made the top 20 alongside other recent favourites including Sia’s Snowman. These new entries demonstrate that whilst classic tracks dominate, contemporary artists are successfully carving out their place in the holiday music landscape.

The Financial and Cultural Impact

The streaming revolution has transformed Christmas music into a significant revenue generator for artists. Mariah Carey has earned an estimated $7.3 million from Spotify streams alone, whilst Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ has generated approximately $6.1 million from over 1.5 billion streams. Beyond the financial implications, Christmas music serves a deeper cultural purpose. By the week after Thanksgiving, 25% of streams of the top 200 songs are already plays of holiday songs, rising to almost half by Christmas week. This trend suggests that Christmas music provides comfort, nostalgia, and joy during the festive season, connecting listeners across generations and geographies. As streaming platforms continue to make holiday music more accessible, the tradition of Christmas songs looks set to grow even stronger in the years ahead.