Review: Christmas Classics vs. Musical Makeovers

Review%3A++Christmas+Classics+vs.+Musical+Makeovers

Olivia Lehrer, Student of Journalism

With fresh snowfall on the rooftops, the lights twinkle against the dark sky speckled with falling snowflakes. The quiet landscape begins to fill with the mummer of Christmas spirit and jolly cheer. The expression of:  “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” dates back to a popular song in 1963 and thrives in 2017.

For centuries Christmas music has filled the cold, winter air with merry smiles and soothing rhymes. As the years progress, the classics seem to fade out as a new generation takes its own spin on these famed oldies.

“I thought we had a bit of a shortage of good Christmas music. There’s obviously the classics and stuff, but anything new.  I wasn’t vibing that much on it,” Sia, pop musician, said of the release of her new Christmas album on Nov. 17.

Sia’s unique artistic style offers a new and exciting form of holiday cheer. This cutting edge album was not the first of its time.  Mariah Carey released her hit song “All I want for Christmas is You” in 1994.

Carey’s original song is now the top-selling Christmas song, with 3.2 million downloads and growing each season. Although these original songs are popular, coming out with original holiday music is not the typical route today’s artists take.

Spotify offers its own playlist of these classics with a new twist, called Spotify singles Christmas. Artists such as Miley Cyrus, Sam Smith and George Ezra sing classics ranging from “River” to “White Christmas.”

Although these makeovers on the classics are exciting, the classics still maintain a presence in the music industry. Bing Crosby’s, 1942, “White Christmas” is the best selling single of all time.

“Everyone has their favorite traditional Christmas song, but lately traditional carols have been getting makeovers.” Amy Westcott, Choir teacher at NHS, speaks on Christmas songs and their developing style.

Emulating the popular holiday music style emerging, the NHS choir will sing “O come all ye faithful”by Pentatonix.

Pentatonix a newly formed acapella group famed for their 2015 Christmas album That’s Christmas To Me; the group sings classics in a unique way, that encourages everyone sing.

The emerging remakes continue to bring Christmas spirit to its listeners, while the classics seem to take a back seat.