Top 25 Holiday Songs

As the countdown to the Holidays begins and seasonal music fills the airwaves, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) – the first and leading U.S. Performing Rights Organization representing over 330,000 music creators and copyright owners – announced its Top 25 most performed holiday songs for the past five years, based on performance data tracked by radio airplay monitoring service Mediaguide.

Marilyn Bergman, ASCAP President and Chairman, said: “More than anything else, music sets the mood for the Holidays, evoking the magic of the season and memories of Holidays past. These timeless classics have been recorded by artists in every genre, yet each song retains the original stamp of its creators.”

The Top 25 most performed ASCAP holiday songs of the past five years are listed below. Each song includes songwriter credits, and cites the most popular artist version played on radio.  You may also listen to the songs in the player at the end of this article.

Winter Wonderland
Written by: Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith
Performed by: Eurythmics

The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Written by: Mel Tormé, Robert Wells
Performed by: Nat “King” Cole

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Written by: Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin
Performed by: The Pretenders

Sleigh Ride
Written by: Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish
Performed by: The Ronettes

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Written by: Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie
Performed by: Frank Sinatra

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Written by: Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne
Performed by: Michael Bublé

White Christmas
Written by: Irving Berlin
Performed by: Bing Crosby

Jingle Bell Rock
Written by: Joseph Carleton Beal, James Ross Boothe
Performed by: Bobby Helms

Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
Written by: Johnny Marks
Performed by: Gene Autry

Little Drummer Boy
Written by: Katherine K. Davis, Henry V. Onorati, Harry Simeone
Performed by: The Harry Simeone Chorale & Orchestra

It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
Written by: Edward Pola, George Wyle
Performed by: Andy Williams

Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree
Written by: Johnny Marks
Performed by: Brenda Lee

Silver Bells
Written by: Jay Livingston, Ray Evans
Performed by: Kenny G

I’ll Be Home For Christmas
Written by: Walter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck Ram
Performed by: Amy Grant

Feliz Navidad
Written by: José Feliciano
Performed by: José Feliciano

Frosty The Snowman
Written by: Steve Nelson, Walter E. Rollins
Performed by: The Ronettes

A Holly Jolly Christmas
Written by: Johnny Marks
Performed by: Burl Ives

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
Written by: Meredith Willson
Performed by: Johnny Mathis

Blue Christmas
Written by: Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson
Performed by: Elvis Presley

(There’s No Place Like) Home For The Holidays
Written by: Bob Allen, Al Stillman
Performed by: Perry Como

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Written by: Tommie Connor (PRS)
Performed by: John Mellencamp

Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)
Written by: Gene Autry, Oakley Haldeman
Performed by: Gene Autry

Carol Of The Bells
Written by: Peter J. Wilhousky, Mykola Leontovich
Performed by: David Foster (instrumental version)

Do They Know It’s Christmas? (Feed the World)
Written by: Midge Ure (PRS), Bob Geldof (PRS)
Performed by: Band Aid

This Christmas
Written by Donny Hathaway, Nadine McKinnor
Performed by Gloria Estefan

Some facts about the Top 25 ASCAP Holiday Songs:

Oldest songs:
“Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” and “Winter Wonderland” (both 1934)

Newest song:
“Do They Know It’s Christmas? (Feed the World)” (1984)

Most recorded Holiday song:
“White Christmas” with well over 500 versions in dozens of languages

Songs introduced in Film and Television
“White Christmas” in Holiday Inn (1942)
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
“Silver Bells” in The Lemon Drop Kid (1950)
“A Holly Jolly Christmas” in TV special Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1962)

Writer with most top Holiday songs:
Johnny Marks with three - “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas”

“Sleigh Ride” is the only holiday song on the list written originally as an instrumental piece for a symphony orchestra. The Boston Pops Orchestra gave the first performance in a concert conducted by Arthur Fiedler at Symphony Hall in Boston, May 4, 1948. Mills Music published it that same year. The Boston Pops Orchestra recorded it in June of 1949. Mitchell Parish added lyrics in 1949.

Play the list below or buy mix from iTunes.

Learn: How To Tolerate Uncertainty - Sort Of

Being able to tolerate anything is difficult because it requires us to go outside of our comfort zones and show patience and kindness to whatever it is that really irritates us.

When you add the fear or anxiety factor of handling uncertainty, it makes the whole idea of “tolerating uncertainty” almost too much to comprehend.

Here is a step-by-step on how you can handle a certain amount of uncertainty.

1. Breathe.
Get to a private place. Go to the bathroom. Close the door. Sit at your desk where no one can see you. Close your eyes and inhale deeply for five seconds. FIVE SECONDS. That’s not hard. Let it out with a push. If tears come; let them. Then get to step two.

2. Identify what’s really bothering you.
So, you’re questioning your relationship. Or, you found a lump. Perhaps, you’ve learned your job may not be safe. Whatever is causing your uneasiness write it down. It won’t bite you harder than it already is internally. When you write down what is bothering you in one sentence or less, you give voice to the thing you feel you must solve or get clear on. And you will. Tuck it away if you have to for the moment or address it right now with step number 3.

3. List possible next steps.
If it’s a lump, the next step would be to call the doctor. If it’s job security, the next step might be to polish up your resume and get back in touch with old contacts. If it’s about your relationship a possible next step might be just having a conversation. Whatever is right for you to find a little more peace in the situation right now is what you should begin listing. The right answer will come. You just need to write down all possibilities. Then sort them.

4. Find someone to bounce it off of.
Often, our own tunnel vision can cloud or cause our own anxieties about any situation to spiral out of control. Finding a trusted friend, family member, or counselor to talk to about your uncertainties may help you put perspective on a situation before your fear warps out of control. You don’t have to go into a lot of detail, just say something like, “I was wondering, I feel a little uncertain about (whatever it is you’re uncertainty is) because (fill in the blank here with why you’re worried). Do you think I’m over-reacting?”

5. Accept anxiety as a way of life.
Yes, it’s true. Anxiety and uncertainty are those blessed little things in life that make us think. In Just Enough Anxiety, author Robert Rosen says, “We’re told that anxiety is bad. We work hard to ‘de-stress,’ ‘stay sane,’ and ideally eliminate anxiety from our lives altogether. But how many of us have ever achieved this? Trying – in vain – to rid ourselves of anxiety actually causes more anxiety!”
Be OK with things not being OK. It’s hard. It’s tough. But it’s possible! Once you start accepting that there’s a valid reason for you to be completely uncomfortable, answers will arise! Then…

6. Act.
Do one thing from your list you made in step 3. Take one step in the right direction to help overcome a feeling of powerlessness. Ask the questions. Do some research. Gather some answers. Knowledge casts out fear. When you act upon solving something, your tolerance level increases for handling the difficulty of the situation. Before long, you will begin the process of not quelling the anguish, or even tolerating it, but freeing yourself from it…step by step.

Going through this process when situations arise will help you cope with uncertainties better along the way as they come. Well, sort of.

Also See:

Live: Tolerating Uncertainty
To Be: Resilient
To Hear: Keep Faith

More on Learn…

Read more

List The Things You Love

“The best way to know God is to love many things.”

– Vincent Van Gogh

My son approached me the other day, quite to my surprise, and asked me, “Mom, what do you love?

”My reply of course, was, “YOU!” But he was after something more. He wanted to know what I valued in life. Sure he knew I adored him, but he was looking for something to give me…something that he’d know I’d like. (He’s really in touch with being a good gift giver. Most people just give you what they want you to have.)

How many times has someone asked you what you want for a birthday, holiday, or special event? Sure, we know what we need and wouldn’t that cool PedEgg really get our feet in shape for summer sandals, but, really? How many times have you come up empty headed when asked, “What do you like? What makes you smile?”

Do you know what you love?

Start a folder, a clipping file, a blog, a scrapbook, a journal, use index cards! List the things you love. This isn’t a vision board, or a list of things you’d LIKE to have. No, this is a list of things you love right now or things you’ve loved in the past. Things that stir your heart, make you laugh, feel sentimental, or just plain ol’ feel. Like,

I Love Lucy
Cinnamon
Flowers
Books
Special paper
Fountain pens
Chairs with architectural interest
#2 Pencils
The smell of leather
Grass
Swimming
Postage stamps (I consider them art)

The list can be as random as you’d like, but here’s my challenge: Don’t just list. Devote a page per item. Here’s why.

By giving each item their own fresh white page, you honor the things you love individually. You give them their place in your world. You give yourself time to focus on each item and you can begin to list why you love these things. Don’t worry. Sometimes the words won’t come. And don’t be surprised if you look at an item, and a tear comes to your eye. It may not even be what it is, but what it represents.

Later, when you someone asks you, “What do you love?” You will be able to smile and know that the list is immeasurable, priceless, and is the key to your heart. By knowing what you love, and loving many things, you will become more grateful, beautiful on the inside, and know what you cherish in your life. No greater love.

Tell me some of the things you love…