Has Christmas Come Earlier for the Music Industry?

The Early Rise of Christmas Music

Christmas music is making its way into the charts earlier each year, often just after summer ends. According to Spotify, by the second week of December, 20 of the top 25 tracks on the platform are holiday-themed. Only a few big names like Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” or “Golden” from the Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters manage to hold their ground against the seasonal hype.

If you've felt that Christmas music seems to start playing earlier every year, you're not alone. There's more to this trend than just commercialism. The nostalgia tied to the holiday season, the variety of genres in Christmas music, and the pressure to make the holidays bigger and better each year all contribute to why people are drawn back to familiar sounds.

Emotional Anchors in Challenging Times

Matt Bailey, founder of the music analytics company Hit Momentum, explains that holiday traditions, especially music, serve as an emotional anchor during difficult times. He notes that during the pandemic in 2020, there was a significant spike in Christmas music streaming, even before the traditional holiday season began.

Christmas music also offers artists a unique opportunity to explore different genres they might not typically work with. Jonathan Daniel, a music manager whose clients include Sia, Fall Out Boy, and Train—all of whom have released holiday albums or singles—points out that Christmas songs are "fun to write and low pressure" for artists.

"People don’t judge Christmas music the way they judge other releases, especially for the big pop stars," said Daniel. This lack of judgment allows artists to experiment without the usual scrutiny.

A Gateway to New Genres

For listeners, the holiday season can be a time of musical exploration. A cappella music, for example, isn't usually a commercial powerhouse, but the a cappella group Pentatonix has sold over 9 million holiday albums in the U.S. alone. This shows how Christmas music can introduce people to new sounds and styles they might not otherwise encounter.

Spotify reports that the first major increase in holiday track streaming begins on September 1, around the time summer ends and kids go back to school. Talia Kraines, editorial lead at Spotify, says, "You would be amazed at how many people are listening to Christmas music in the summer."

The Seasonal Streaming Surge

The second major jump in activity occurs in October, with holiday playlist creation in the U.S. rising by 60% from October 2024 to October 2025. Once November starts, it's "all Christmas music all the time."

This year, the usual suspects dominate the holiday charts: Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You,” Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” and Wham!’s “Last Christmas.” Contemporary hits like Kelly Clarkson’s “Underneath the Tree,” Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe,” and Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” also feature prominently.

The Business Side of Holiday Music

While artists enjoy the creative freedom of holiday music, breaking into the scene with a new Christmas song can be challenging. However, the potential for success is significant. Jonathan Daniel describes a holiday hit as “a little ATM.”

For example, Sia’s 2017 album Everyday is Christmas streams around 8 million times a day, with the track “Snowman” alone having over 1.3 billion plays on Spotify. Even rock band Weezer, who released a holiday EP in 2008, is considering another Christmas album.

Final Thoughts

The early arrival of Christmas music reflects a mix of nostalgia, artistic experimentation, and commercial appeal. Whether it's the comfort of familiar tunes or the chance to explore new genres, the holiday season continues to shape the music landscape in unique ways.