By: Ariel Ludwick

     Christmas is the season for music, with more songs written about this time of year than any other holiday. From traditional, to remakes, to the famous Mariah Carey song, Christmas music is everywhere – on the radio, in grocery stores and public places, and, in recent years, Spotify.

     Spotify has become much more common within the last decade, with 626 million monthly active users, according to backlinko.com. The app has recorded more than seven billion streams of Christmas music from the top ten most streamed Christmas songs alone.

     Below is a list of the top ten most streamed Christmas songs on Spotify, as of 2024, according to backgroundanimal.com.

     10. “Feliz Navidad” by José Feliciano with 725 million streams.

     9. “Mistletoe” by Justin Bieber with 818 million streams.

     8. “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams with 919 million streams.

     7. “Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helms with 1.06 billion streams.

     6. “Snowman” by Sia with 1.06 billion streams.

     5. “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” by Michael Bublé with 1.08 billion streams.

     4. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee with 1.12 billion streams.

     3. “Santa Tell Me” by Ariana Grande with 1.15 billion streams.

     2. “Last Christmas” by Wham! with 1.67 billion streams.

     1. “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey with 1.97 billion streams.

     While it’s interesting to see the most streamed Christmas songs across the globe, Shael Standley, Eisenhower Choir President, has given a personal report of her opinion.

     During past Christmas choir concerts, Shael says two of her favorite songs have been “Christmas Time is Here” and a polar express medley, and two of her personal favorites are “Jingle Bells” by Frank Sinatra and “All I Want for Christmas is a Hippopotamus.” When asked about what she thinks makes a good song, she said, “…dynamics are a huge part of what makes a song good. That is when some parts of a song are softer, and some parts are louder; it adds more character to the music.”

     Choosing between classical and remakes, Shael preferred a little bit of both, stating that “some remakes are even better than classics, but some classics are the best by the original artist.” She says Christmas is her favorite time of year, and that it’s never too early for Christmas, especially for her all-time favorite Christmas song, “Mistletoe,” by Justin Bieber.

     The Squire also wanted to include some of our followers’ opinions. In a poll featured on Instagram @ehssquire, 65% preferred classical music and 35% preferred remakes. Most Squire followers seem to be Christmas music traditionalists, with 28% preferring to listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving, and 72% claiming it should wait until after. Followers were also eager to share their favorite tunes with us, including “All I want for Christmas is You,” “Last Christmas,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “White Christmas,” and “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).”

     If you want to test your Christmas music knowledge, check out the W-IKE News Show from December 13, featuring staff member Drew Mandeville quizzing staff and students in a special holiday music Knightwalking. Stay safe this winter season, happy listening.

Photo Credit Avalynne Russell