Holiday Songs for Specific Radio Genres

Kathryn Milewski -

We all know the classic holiday songs that play on the radio year after year. We're always hearing showtune-esque songs by Bing Crosby, suave bops by Michael Bublé, and pop hits like "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey.

But if you program a station that adheres to a specific genre, it might be a challenge finding festive music that fits with your programming. Perhaps you've decided to not play holiday tunes at all because there's so few merry tracks within your preferred genre.

However, if you're still looking to play some seasonal songs on your punk rock or reggae station this December, keep reading! We've created this helpful list to give you ideas for yuletide-appropriate tracks you can put on your playlists this year. Make sure to check out each musician or band behind the song, as it could lead you to more holiday discoveries. Find your station's genre and take some notes!


Classical

Fortunately, classical music during the holidays isn't too obscure of a thing. Religious music - typically classical - has always been linked to the season. We can also thank Alexandre Dumas Père and Tchaikovsky for adapting "The Nutcracker" into a popular Christmas ballet. But if you're looking for good classical songs outside of "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" and "Russian Dance," here are a few suggestions...


Rock

Move over, "Jingle Bell Rock!" Some people don't like the frills and bells of the holidays - they'd prefer to celebrate the season with some hardcore electric guitar and percussion! Whether you're a station that caters to classic rock, heavy metal, or punk rock of the 90s and early 2000s, here are some headbangin' holiday song suggestions for your station...


Jazz

Besides anything from the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack, there's quite a bit of festive jazz music you can treat your listeners to this season. Here's a list of our favorites...


Hip Hop

Rappers can spit some holiday bars, too! You don't typically think of hip hop songs when you think of Christmas music, but holiday raps do exist. They're fun, dance-worthy, and will definitely put you in the spirit. Give the songs below more love with a listen!


Country

With the plethora of holiday albums that have been released by country artists in recent years, this genre has no shortage of festive songs! Grab your Christmas cowboy hat and a beer...here are some country songs that will fill you with cheer.


Reggae

Need something a bit warmer in feel this cold, snowy season? Bring the Caribbean heat and peace with some holiday reggae! John Holt and Jacob Miller have done a lot for holiday reggae music, but we've included additional artists for your listening pleasure.


R&B

Yes - there are more holiday R&B songs than just Mariah Carey tracks from her 1994 album Merry Christmas. Below are some old and new R&B holiday hits.


Dance/Electronic

If you're looking to party hard this holiday season, these dance and electronic songs will make you light up like a Christmas tree. It's definitely an unconventional genre for the holidays, but it will still put you in the spirit!


Latin

Latin holiday music is much more than just "Feliz Navidad." Check out these other Latin yuletide songs that have done well on the charts over the years!


For more holiday song suggestions and lists, check out the holiday and Christmas tags on the Live365 blog. And if you're looking for more holiday music, head to Live365.com for a selection of holiday stations. Happy broadcasting!


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Article Image: A wooden music note ornament with a red bow hangs in front of yellow lights. (NewAfrica via DepositPhotos.)