13th December 2009

Video

We’re getting deep into a period of awful, awful media.  Pretty much everywhere you look, it’s content that is the complete opposite of challenging.  I’m talkin’ about Christmas music.

This time of year is one of my least favorite ever.  I feel like on every station, all I hear is absolutely saccharin, simple garbage.  I remember for years, on KROCK in New York, they would spend what seemed like the entire month of December playing their list of the “worst Christmas songs ever!!!!” which seemed to me to be the saddest thing ever.  But it was the exact same playlist that every other station would adopt for the month.  It seemed like the worst programming idea ever.  ”Yeah, let’s just start playing a bunch of music that we and our listeners think is shit!  Our listeners will love that!”

There is nothing appealing about the music itself; the only thing one could actually enjoy about Christmas music is that it reminds them that the holiday is coming.  That’s it.

I’m not really talking about the historical cannon; there’s legitimate music in the religious tradition, and I’m okay with that.  What I think should be destroyed is Christmas pop music.  From Bing Crosby all the way up to whatever the fuck people listen to now, it’s all horrible.  This is undeniable.

Has anyone ever made a good pop holiday song?  Like ever?  No.

Besides this one.