Sleigh bells have long acted as convenient shorthand for composers to tell their listeners that this piece belongs to the Christmas canon.
Articles on Christmas music
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Roots reggae, thrash metal and pop punk add new layers to familiar holiday tropes.
At the height of their popularity, The Kingston Trio released an unexpected Christmas album. Instead of becoming a classic, it seemed to foreshadow the approaching end for the group’s dominance.
Studies suggest that sad music may alleviate the impact of seasonal stress.
Annual holiday specials aren’t all fluffy nostalgia. While families enjoy these together, part of the attraction is how these shows’ soundtracks and plots acknowledge life’s compromised conclusions.
An expert explains the subconscious effects of hearing nostalgic music on our shopping behaviour.
Songs that evoked holidays “just like the ones I used to know” tugged at the heartstrings of a nation receptive to the idea of a nostalgic past rather than a fragile present.
Songs of the season – sacred and secular music alike – sometimes acknowledge that Christmas isn’t all joy.
Whether you love it or hate it, Christmas music is unavoidable during the holiday season. But what makes a Christmas number one, and why is the music of yule so meaningful?
From ‘Comfort ye’ to the Hallelujah chorus, the music of the Messiah is a much-loved Christmas tradition. Yet it was originally written as an Easter offering.
Top contributors
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Assistant Professor of Music Theory, West Virginia University
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Senior Lecturer of Human Computer Interaction, Department of Computing, Sheffield Hallam University
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Senior Lecturer in Music Production, Nottingham Trent University
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Cellist and musicologist, University of Sydney
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Professor of Musicology, University of Sheffield
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Teaching Fellow, Trinity College Dublin
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Professor of Religious Studies, Michigan State University
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Professor of Music, Carleton University
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Lecturer (Teaching), Faculty of Arts & Humanities, UCL
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Lecturer, Creative Writing and Literature, Adelaide University