Christmas Day has finally arrived and although many people’s plans may look quite different this year, there is one thing about the holiday season that can never be changed: catchy, calming and irresistible Christmas songs.
Whether a person listens to Christmas music all 365 days of the year or only starts once winter has set in, almost everybody has a favorite jingle that inevitably gets played more often around the holidays.
There are several juggernauts among the most popular Christmas tunes, some of which will definitely appear below, but which carols are the overall favorites for America’s 50 states?
Verizon reviewed the 23 most streamed Christmas songs on iHeartRadio and Spotify and then analyzed those songs’ Google search volume by state and, well, the results are not too surprising.
For Virginia, the Commonwealth’s favorite Christmas song is Sleigh Ride, one of the more timeless and festive jingles that comes across radio stations and is played in stores throughout December. The only other state with the same taste is Delaware.
If you are more traditional, here is the original version that is only an orchestra and this is the more modern rendition with lyrics.
Overall, the most popular song is the classic carol Jingle Bells, emerging as the favorite for 16 different states that are mostly in the middle of the U.S. with a couple exceptions. Those states include: Tennessee, Ohio, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, Oklahoma and ten others.
There have been many artists who have put their own spin on Jingle Bells throughout the years, but Dean Martin’s version is great.
The Christmas song that is the favorite in the second most states is Feliz Navidad, which has probably taught thousands of people how to say merry Christmas in Spanish. Unsurprisingly, the always enjoyable tune is the favorite in states with large Hispanic populations such as California, Florida, Arizona, Texas and, oddly enough, Maryland.
Coming in as the favorite in four states – Alabama, George, Missouri and North Carolina – is yet another classic song, especially during colder months: Let It Snow! Interestingly, three out of those four states hardly get any snow in most years.
Frank Sinatra’s rendition of Let it Snow is something every person should hear at least once.
Other extremely well-known Christmas tunes that were favorites in two states are It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Last Christmas and All I Want For Christmas Is You – arguably the most popular and beloved holiday song ever made.
Some outliers include Michigan (Silver Bells), Utah (It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas), Hawaii (Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas), Nevada (Jingle Bell Rock) and Louisiana (Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town), among others.
No matter what your state or your personal favorite is, Christmas songs will continue to make the holiday season feel special in 2020 and beyond.
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Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network. Follow Jacob on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
