Christmas Music Takes Over Streaming Platforms Earlier Than Ever in 2024
The Growing Dominance of Christmas Music
Christmas music has become an undeniable force in the streaming era, with 2024 marking a record-breaking year for festive tunes. As of mid-November 2024, Spotify’s ‘Christmas Hits’ playlist has climbed to the top spot globally, with nearly twice as many streams as this time last year. This phenomenon demonstrates how holiday music has evolved from a seasonal tradition into a major commercial powerhouse that increasingly shapes the music industry’s annual calendar.
The timing of when listeners embrace Christmas music is shifting dramatically. Diving further into streaming trends, it appears the jumps are bigger because holiday season streaming is starting earlier every year. In 2022, significant daily percent change for Mariah reached over 2% on November 12, then in 2023 it was November 11, and this year it was November 9. Year by year, day by day, the Christmas peak is happening sooner and sooner.
New Releases Join Classic Favourites
2024 is closing with a bevy of new Christmas recordings from modern artists spanning pop, R&B, hip-hop, K-pop, jazz and rock. Major artists including Lady Gaga, Laufey, Coco Jones, and Jennifer Hudson have contributed fresh holiday tracks to this year’s festive catalogue. Jennifer Hudson released her first full Christmas album, The Gift of Love, in 2024. It features ‘Almost Christmas,’ a collaboration with her boyfriend, Common.
Despite the influx of new material, classic hits continue their reign. ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ is breaking streaming records, too. Per Billboard, the song ‘sets a new mark for the most time spent at No. 1 on Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart since its 2013 inception, spending a record 21st week… Other perennial favourites including Brenda Lee’s ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’ and Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ continue to dominate charts alongside contemporary hits.
The Commercial Impact and Cultural Significance
The streaming numbers tell a compelling story about Christmas music’s financial impact. The track has passed 1.3 billion streams on Spotify alone, and counting. Every December, listeners press play in droves, pushing the song back into charts worldwide and injecting fresh energy into its already soaring commercial success. This sustained popularity creates reliable annual revenue streams for artists and labels alike.
For listeners, Christmas music offers something deeper than mere entertainment. Holiday music offers a sense of nostalgia and comfort. Whether through department store speakers or carefully curated playlists, these songs have become integral to how millions celebrate the season, creating a shared cultural experience that transcends generations and geographical boundaries. As streaming platforms continue to adapt their strategies to meet growing demand, Christmas music’s influence on both the industry and listeners shows no signs of diminishing.