There are a number of new seasonal recordings to look out for this year and my choice are songs from Sam Smith - Night Before Christmas, Cher - DJ, Play a Christmas Song, and from the Icelandic singer, Laufey - Christmas Dream.
I thought I would revisit songs and recordings that have earned the highest revenue over the past forty or so years. There are many charts of what was the biggest seller and, no two agree. But now, with the advent of downloads and streaming the figures have become distorted and income for the songwriters has diminished dramatically.
My Top 20 does contain some non-Christmas songs but they are regularly played at this time of year, on the radio and television music channels. The chart is not exhaustive. You may have your own personal choices so I apologise if I have left out your favourite song or listed it in a different position.
Up until the late fifties sheet music was the way used to compile the top selling songs and ultimately the charts until vinyl, cassettes and CD’s which now have all been surpassed by downloads and the streaming of music.
“White Christmas” written by Irving Berlin in the 1940’s is obviously the top title based on sheet music sales and has sold more than 100 million copies, a combination of sheet music and sales of recorded versions. It is still considered to be the biggest seller of all time, and was considered a “Hit” even before the introduction of the record charts. Bing Crosby recorded the song many times and featured him singing the song in three films; Holiday Inn, Blue Skies and White Christmas. His versions have sold more than 50 million in their own right. Over the past forty years it has also been rec
“I wish it could be Christmas Every Day” by Wizzard was first released in 1973 and was kept off the top of the charts by Slade’s “Merry Xmas Everybody.” It has reached the charts (Top 50) more than fifteen times and since 2007, and when downloads were included in sales figures it has appeared every year since. The version we hear now is a rerecording made in 1981, when it was discovered that the original master tapes were lostorded by artists as diverse as Bette Midler, Michael Bolton, Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, Andrea Bocelli and many more.
“Merry Xmas Everybody” by Slade was also released in 1973 and with massive pre-orders it reached number one on the day of release beating Wizzard’s track. Like the Wizzard release it has consistently reached the Top 100 in the UK since its release.
The previous titles by Wizzard and Slade are still rumoured to net their writers and publishers a minimum five figure royalty payment annually, from the PRS and MCPS, and their use in advertisements which is a welcome income for them.
“Last Christmas” by Wham, was released as a double “A” side along with the
song “Everything She Wants,” which also became a huge hit after Christmas.
“Last Christmas,” having spent 129 weeks in their charts, is recognised as
the most successful Christmas song of all time in German music history.
This and many of George Michael’s songs were also used in the 2019 film
“Last Christmas.”
Clearly, a successful Christmas title can be very lucrative for the writer and
publisher and so, every year dozens of hopeful writers and artists release
their songs in a race in the hope that they have the next “Hit” which will be
included in most if not all future seasonal compilations and played across
the world every December.
As a music publisher and record label we have also released our share of original Christmas tracks and over the years have achieved success around the world where our tracks continue to be played on radio stations every December.
Here is my Christmas Top 20 for 2023
TABITHA BOOKS
Christmas 2023
BY-------Graham Sclater