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Merry Christmas holidays time concept. Prepare the christmas tree. Living room filled with Boxes of bright colored balls and various decorations, with ladder and green fir tree in the background.

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Why is Christmas Music So Popular?

Christmas songs are so popular because they are often joyful and remind us of happy times surrounded by friends and family. Christmas music, especially religious Christmas carols, often conveys timeless lessons of faith and salvation.

Another reason Christmas music is so popular is something called the “exposure effect.” It has been proven that the more often we hear a song, the more likely we are to love it. As Christmas has a huge canon of familiar songs played on repeat each year, we are exposed to Christmas songs in a way we aren’t to other kinds of music.

Holiday tunes also conjure feelings of nostalgia which is a very powerful emotion.

If you are a fond of seasonal tunes, we invite you to listen to our sister station B105-7. Typically, the station plays Indy’s Best Variety. However, on November 21, the playlist changed, and the station began playing exclusive holiday music becoming Indy’s Christmas Station!

Christmas home decor

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Which Are the Most Preferred Christmas Songs?

Christmas songs are big business as retailers use them to boost consumer spending each year. One of the most lucrative holiday tunes is “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” earning Mariah Carey over $60 million since its release in 1994.

According to research from Financebuzz.com, “Feliz Navidad” is the most popular song in 11 states. Although it is the most popular song on this list, it didn’t chart on the Billboard Hot 100 until 1998, almost 30 years after its release.

“Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow,” is tops in eight states, even though this winter classic was actually written during a summertime heatwave.

“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” are tied as the third-most-popular Christmas songs. They each were the top choice in four different states.

Balloons and handmade decorations on the Christmas tree close-up. Christmas background

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What Is the Most Popular Christmas Song in Indiana?

In Indiana, Hoosiers choose “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” as their favorite. The song, written in 1963 by Edward Pola and George Wyle, was recorded and released that year by singer Andy Williams for his first Christmas album, The Andy Williams Christmas Album.

When Is It Acceptable to Start Playing Christmas Music?

Financebuzz.com surveyed 1,200 U.S. adults to find out when it is considered OK to start listening to Christmas tunes. There was a 50/50 split among the audience as to whether or not retailers should wait until after Thanksgiving to start playing the holiday tunes.

From Financebuzz.com, women were split on the idea of starting Christmas music before Thanksgiving. However, men overwhelmingly said that hearing Christmas music before Thanksgiving was perfectly fine. In fact, men voted 2:1 in favor of hearing Christmas songs early.