During the month of December we get to hear a lot of Christmas music whether we like it or not. Most of it is variations of what we consider “standards”.
In asking this question I am not sure how a “standard” should be defined. As a starting point, maybe it is a song that has been recorded and released by at least 10 known recording artists. Maybe that is too low. A “standard” is a popularly recognized song and we all recognize Christmas standards. Those songs hit it big, get played year after year and must reap in a ton of royalties.
So, what’s the last Christmas standard to hit it big? What’s the last one that, 10 years from now we will still recognize. Any ideas?
Seems like there is a lot of room for debate on this one, but I’m gonna go with Barenaked Ladies’ version of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman,” which only came out a few years ago but seems to have some staying power.
The most recent “standard” that comes to mind for me is John Lennon’s So This Is Christmas. There are a number of currently popular covers of more traditional Christmas fare, like Madonna’s Santa Baby. But a decade from now, it may well be someone else’s cover that is popular, while Lennon’s composition will still be THE standard for that song.
IOW, that’s the latest original Christmas tune (AFAIK) that has become a standard in the sense of being widely known, popular and played countless times per day from November through December each year.
Any other, newer nominees?
ETA: to FriarTed, since I’ve never heard of either of those songs, I’m going to say they’re disqualified as standards on the grounds of not being known to everyone (yet).
How about John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War is Over)”? It’s one year newer than “Feliz Navidad”. José Feliciano released Navidad in 1970, while Lennon’s song came out in 1971.
BTW, these songs are among the rare Christmas songs that I am not thoroughly sick off. Can’t think of any others off hand, but there are one or two.
Well, just keeping it within the family, Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” came out in 1979, eight years after “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” and it certainly seems to me that these days I hear it a lot more often than Lennon’s song. According to Wikipedia it has been covered 13 times, and (unlike John’s song) it is, just, on the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers list of “the top 25 most-performed Holiday [i.e., Xmas] songs” (I put that in quotes because the list apparently excludes out-of-copyright songs, like “Jingle Bells,” and those not composed by members of ASCAP).
Mind you, although I do not normally align myself with the anti-McCartneyist faction within the Beatleist International, I feel compelled to state that I think the Lennon song is vastly superior (and, indeed, it has been covered, if not given airplay, much more often). Indeed, it is about the only Christmas song I can think of that is truly worth listening to (or is bearable to listen to) at other times of year (and there are plenty of other Christmas songs I would rather hear at Christmas before “Wonderful Christmastime”).
Incidentally, Wikipedia says that the most recent song on the ASCAP list is “Mark Lowery’s ‘Mary, Did You Know’ from 1984,” but (a) I have never heard of it, and (b) it does not actually appear on the list as Wikipedia gives it! Nevertheless, this Wikipedia page may be the best place to look for an answer to the OP’s question.
Damn it, it’s always the last post that has what I came in to say. I’d say “Do They Know It’s Christmas” over, say, “I Believe in Father Christmas”, because I’ve heard somebody else cover “Do They Know It’s Christmas”.
My vote is also for ‘Do they Know It’s Christmas?’
While it may not have been covered by any other artist (none that I know of), I hear it quite often on the radio during the Christmas season every year and many random people I’ve talked to know this song.
Some other candidates mentioned here I’ve not heard (or may have and didn’t know it, I’m not a big fan of Christmas music), so the fact that Band-Aid’s song sticks out to me gets it my vote.
Well if we are going for one artist songs that are played frequently during the holiday season, I have to go with Christmas Eve/Sarajevo - 12/24 by The Trans Siberian Orchestra.
Part of an awesome album, and these guys put on an excellent show during the holiday season.
Sidenote (for those who do not mind the hijack): I heard this song maybe four times when I was out doing last-minute shopping yesterday, and every time it came on, I reminded myself: “Must play freerice.com when I get home” (in response to the line: “Feed the world: let them know it’s Christmas time”)
I play freerice on an almost daily basis, but it is easy to forget such things in the light of preparing for holiday busy-ness.
I’d say “Do They Know It’s Christmas” over, say, “I Believe in Father Christmas”, because I’ve heard somebody else cover “Do They Know It’s Christmas”.