Wherever you go this season, you may find that your ears are full of cheerful and festive holiday tunes! Christmas songs have been a tradition all over the world for decades, and artists have produced hits that will continue to play for many years to come. Songs like “Jingle Bells” and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” are still popular today but date back to the 19th century.

Holiday music sets the tone for many different holiday celebrations. A popular argument that is frequently debated is when it is appropriate to start listening to Christmas music.

But few can deny, there is indeed a proper season for this cheery and euphoric music. While we do hear dated Christmas songs (and will continue to for many years), artists continue to release twenty-first-century holiday music. Ten-time Grammy winner John Legend released a Christmas album this year appropriately titled, “A Legendary Christmas.”
“My favorite Christmas song is Drummer Boy by Justin Bieber. It’s such a fun song,” sophomore Katie Stabley said. Superstar Justin Bieber released his Christmas album Under the Mistletoe in 2011.

Personally, I like Ariana Grande’s “Christmas and Chill.” It is a mix of pop, r&b, and holiday music that cannot be replicated in this generation.

While Mariah Carey has had her handful of hits, All I Want For Christmas Is You sticks in the minds of many. Since 1996, the song has been at the forefront of the holiday scene. “I like this video of Mariah Carey singing All I Want For Christmas Is You in Rockefeller Center about 4 years ago,” sophomore Riley Kracaw said. Kracaw refers to a viral performance by superstar Carey in which she made a few lyrical and vocal mistakes. “It gets me every time.”

State High’s Music Department put on a concert on December 5th, where band members performed the holiday classic, “Sleigh Ride.” “The holiday season is always very fun, and one of my favorite parts is performing Sleigh Ride,” junior Selena Kesidis, who is also a member of the band, said.

Holiday music, in all of its forms, is like an early gift. Each year, the music comes and brightens the gap between Thanksgiving Break and Winter Break, helping to warm the hearts of many in the coldest of seasons.