What Makes A Great Christmas Song?
'Christmas Jollies'
Ever since Jose Feliciano wrote and recorded "Feliz Navidad" in 1970, it has been a Christmas mainstay; nearly 40 years later, it remains one of the top 25 most-played Christmas songs around the world. What exactly makes a Christmas song successful?
Bill Adler is a Christmas music expert of sorts — for more than 25 years, the former music critic has been making "Christmas Jollies" mixtapes of obscure Christmas songs. Adler, who is founding director of publicity at Def Jam records, weighs in on the good, the bad ... and the utterly unlistenable.
Tell us about your favorite Christmas songs — from carols, to quirky pop hits, we want to hear from you.
Hear More Holiday Music
Jingle Jams: A Holiday Mix From NPR Music Dec. 13, 2010
Choirs And Carols: An NPR Christmas Dec. 1, 2009
John Rutter: The Art Of The Christmas Carol Dec. 20, 2008
Holiday Music From All Songs Considered Dec. 14, 2008