Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Futurity

    Why Christmas music is wrapped in nostalgia

    The nostalgia around Christmas music may explain why new original Christmas songs rarely make it big.
    by Alexis Blue-U. Arizona Dec 21, 2017 1 minute

    Love it or hate it, there’s no escaping it: From Thanksgiving to Christmas, the songs of the season are everywhere. Coffee shops, grocery stores, and entire radio stations dedicated to holiday songs make it seem like sleigh bells are endlessly ringing.

    Music has long been part of the cultural phenomenon of Christmas, says Matthew Mugmon, assistant professor of music at the University of Arizona’s Fred Fox School of Music.

    Christmas by no means has a monopoly on celebratory music, Mugmon points out. It’s also important part of the Hindu festival of Vasant Panchami, the Chinese New Year, and Hanukkah. But Christmas, and the winter season around it, may get the most musical attention.

    “In terms of sheer volume, perhaps there’s no holiday worldwide with more music than Christmas, which owes something to the cultural and commercial machinery behind the holiday,” Mugmon says.

    Here, Mugmon talks about the origins and enduring appeal of Christmas music—and why it’s rare for new original Christmas songs to ever make it big.

    The post Why Christmas music is wrapped in nostalgia appeared first on Futurity.

    More from Futurity

    Futurity3 min read
    Drug Appears To Reverse Type 1 Diabetes In Mice
    An experimental monoclonal antibody drug appears to prevent and reverse the onset of clinical type 1 diabetes in mice, and in some cases, to lengthen the animals’ lifespan. Researchers say the drug, called mAb43, is unique because it targets insulin-
    Futurity4 min read
    Alzheimer’s Moves Faster In People With Down Syndrome
    A new study shows that Alzheimer’s disease both starts earlier and moves faster in people with Down syndrome, The finding may have important implications for the treatment and care of this vulnerable group of patients. Nearly all adults with Down syn
    Futurity3 min read
    Does Your Dog Have ‘Rage Syndrome’?
    Dog aggression can be unsettling, stressful, and even dangerous, not only for the dog but also for other pets, family members, and strangers. Because some forms of aggression are rare and unexpected, such as rage syndrome, Lori Teller, a clinical pro

    Related Books & Audiobooks