20 seasons. It’s hard for me to believe it’s been that long. But in the Fall of 2007, thanks to Mannheim Steamroller and their then-new album Christmas Song, we went on for the very first time.
I am a huge fan of Christmas music, and I always have been. Increasingly over the years, I became more and more disillusioned with the way traditional radio stations went about playing Christmas music.
I worked in traditional radio, and was so excited when stations began going All-Christmas in November. But that excitement didn’t last long, as they played the same bunch of songs over and over, avoiding the variety that many of them used as part of their station’s slogan.
Year after year, they seemed to roll out the same 100 songs right around Thanksgiving, and play them all over and over until Christmas Day. It's no wonder that so many people groan when this begins each November.
There are tons of great Christmas albums out there, and most seem to get ignored, while Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" and Nat King Cole's "Christmas Song" get featured seemingly every hour, alongside Mariah Carey, of course.
Don't get me wrong, I love Bing Crosby and Nat "King" Cole. And Mariah Carey. I love Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Andy Williams, Judy Garland, Johnny Mathis and the Chipmunks, too. But there's a lot more than just those artists and the one song they’re mostly known for. And while the albums from those artists continue to sell, showing that there is an interest in their other Christmas music, traditional radio ignored it.
In 2007, I hoped that the Sounds of Christmas station could offer up all that other Christmas music that just didn’t exist on traditional radio.
Those first few seasons, Mannheim Steamroller sponsored us, and they had a new album each year. And each year, those new albums zoomed up the charts. More than anything, that should have shown those "traditional radio stations" that people love the new Christmas music as well as the old. But most of those stations only played Mannheim Steamroller’s version of “Deck The Halls” from their first album from 1984. Even though the new albums were selling really well, which seemed to me to show that people wanted the new music, too. But traditional radio ignored them.
In 2007, Josh Groban released his Christmas album Noel. It sold so well it broke records held by Elvis Presley! In fact, it went on to become the best-selling CD of the year! Not just the best-selling "Christmas" CD, but the best-selling CD, period.
Traditional radio kinda gave that one a sniff, mostly because of "Believe", his big hit a few years earlier from The Polar Express. But still, their tried and true playlist remained largely intact.
Meanwhile, I added brand new Christmas music from Tracy Lawrence, Chris Squire, Kimberley Locke, Keith Sweat, Boney James, Jars of Clay, Olivia Newton-John, the Smithereens, Diamond Rio, Juice Newton, the Verve Pipe, the Isley Brothers, Barry Manilow, Michael W Smith, Relient K, Marie Osmond, Dave Koz, Patti LaBelle, Mindy Smith, David Phelps, Asleep At The Wheel, Captain & Tennille, Randy Travis, KT Tunstall, Taylor Swift and Yolanda Adams. Just to name a few.
I remember a few years after our debut, a friend of mine, who is a music artist, was so excited because New York’s "Christmas music station" had picked one of her songs as one of the five new ones they were adding that year. They added five new songs. You just saw a partial list of artists whose new music was added to the Sounds of Christmas in 2007.
And this past year, 2025, I added new music from the Accidentals, American Authors, Art Garfunkel Jr, Asa Orbison, the Backstreet Boys, Bailey Taylor, Boney James, Brad Paisley, Bryan Adams, CeCe Winans, Celtic Woman, Cher, Christina Aguilera, Colbie Cailat, Gavin DeGraw, Dan + Shay, Dan Ashley, the Darkness, David Archuleta, Fall Out Boy, Gabby Barrett, Gary Hoey, Herb Alpert, Hunter Hayes, Jim Brickman, JJ Heller, the Jonas Brothers, Jordin Sparks, Joss Stone, Kate Hudson, Kenny Nolan, Kylie Minogue, Leon Bridges, Norah Jones, Matthew West, Mediaval Babes, Melinda Doolittle, Natalie Grant, Old Crow Medicine Show, Olivia Van Goor, Paloma Faith, Pentatonix, the Pretty Reckless, Sara Evans, Sixpence None The Richer, Steven Curtis Chapman, Straight No Chaser, Train, Trisha Yearwood, and Willie Nelson, Just to name a few.
In 2007, the Sounds of Christmas playlist was around 3000 tracks. Heading into our 20th season in 2026, it's more than six times that.
While I love Bing's "White Christmas", having such a wide and diverse playlist means that it doesn't get played every hour on the hour. Besides, Bing has lots of other great Christmas songs. In fact, most if not all of the artists I've mentioned have more than just one Christmas "hit". It seems really short-sighted, and a dis-service to Christmas music fans, to ignore that and just play the same ones over and over.
That’s how I felt when I launched the Sounds of Christmas station in 2007. And I still feel that way.
This station was something I had wanted to do for a long time, and thanks to Mannheim Steamroller's sponsorship during those first few years, I was able to make it happen.
I just hoped I wasn’t the only one that loved all the rest of the Christmas music.
So I launched the Sounds of Christmas in October of 2007.
This was back in the days of Live365, and I quickly became the top new Christmas music station, out of dozens. I think there may have even been over a hundred by the time Christmas rolled around.
That first season, and several more after, the Sounds of Christmas went live at some point in October, and then ended on January 7 (after Epiphany).
Since the Sounds of Christmas went off the air in January, we were considered a new station each fall when we went back on. And each year, we quickly became one of the top Christmas music stations on Live365.
As the audience grew, email and social media messages started coming in, asking to keep the Sounds of Christmas on year-round.
I wasn’t sure that was a good idea. I mean, I liked the idea of a year-round Christmas music station, one that would always be on whenever I wanted some musical Christmas spirit. But would I be the only one who turned it on when the calendar was on April? Or July? Or really any month between February and September?
Turned out that I wasn’t the only one that liked the idea of Christmas music year-round. And while there wasn’t always someone listening when we started staying on year-round, that grew. And soon there were people listening around the clock, all over the world and all year round! In fact, as I write this in early August, there are listeners across the U.S. and in 43 other countries!
Years ago, when I first started in traditional radio, I worked on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It was all Christmas music, and as long as I stuck to that, I could play just about anything I wanted to. Despite long shifts on both days, it was actually kinda fun. I heard from lots of nice people, some I knew and some I didn’t, and it was a little like I was celebrating part of the holiday with them.
All these years later, I still get that feeling, getting email and messages from friends old and new, and no matter what time of year it is, I feel like I’m getting to spend a bit of the holiday with them!
I originally started the Sounds of Christmas station because it was the kind of Christmas music station I wanted to listen to. I programmed the usual suspects that you’d expect to hear on a Christmas music station, and then I added thousands more.
Lots more songs from Bing Crosby in addition to "White Christmas". Lots more songs from Nat "King" Cole in addition to "The Christmas Song". And lots more songs from Mariah Carey, in addition to "All I Want For Christmas Is You".
I also did the same for the other so-called major Christmas music artists. And I added songs from more recent artists - some whose Christmas music was well-known and some whose Christmas music wasn’t.
I connected with a lot of singers and bands, some who chose to sponsor the Sounds of Christmas, some who sent in music and some who made short recordings for the station.
Of those who did choose to support the Sounds of Christmas, many returned the next year and the year after. Mannheim Steamroller started that with their support covering our first three seasons.
And so far for 2026, I have 14 artists that have signed on, and all but one of them have been with us before.
So it seems like the listeners and the artists like the Sounds of Christmas, and I couldn’t be more grateful!
It’s still early, but here’s a little of what I have planned for this upcoming 20th Season.
First, of course, the Sounds of Christmas will turn into the Sounds of Halloween on October 1. For the entire month of October, you’ll hear the best variety of Halloween music. And for those who listened last year, you’ll find lots of new songs added in among your favorites!
Then, on November 1, the 20th season of the Sounds of Christmas will begin. Lots of new music on the horizon, including reported Christmas albums from Shaun Cassidy, former Barenaked Ladies’ singer and guitarist Steven Page and pop star Ava Max.
And I’m working on a few themed specials that I hope will happen in December (though it’s possible one or more of them may get pushed back to 2027). In various stages of development are a tribute to It’s A Wonderful Life, featuring music inspired by that classic movie, a celebration of Christmas music that was featured on The Ed Sullivan Show, a celebration of the Christmas music from the Rat Pack and a fun hour or two of fan club Christmas songs!
I’m looking forward to having some special guests on the Sounds of Christmas podcast this fall, but I don’t like to mention any names until the episodes are recorded, because any number of things could occur to keep those episodes from happening.
But if you enjoy conversation about Christmas music and related topics, I think you’ll enjoy what’s on the way!
Thanks so much for listening! And may you always believe in Santa Claus!
I am a huge fan of Christmas music, and I always have been. Increasingly over the years, I became more and more disillusioned with the way traditional radio stations went about playing Christmas music.
I worked in traditional radio, and was so excited when stations began going All-Christmas in November. But that excitement didn’t last long, as they played the same bunch of songs over and over, avoiding the variety that many of them used as part of their station’s slogan.
Year after year, they seemed to roll out the same 100 songs right around Thanksgiving, and play them all over and over until Christmas Day. It's no wonder that so many people groan when this begins each November.
There are tons of great Christmas albums out there, and most seem to get ignored, while Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" and Nat King Cole's "Christmas Song" get featured seemingly every hour, alongside Mariah Carey, of course.
Don't get me wrong, I love Bing Crosby and Nat "King" Cole. And Mariah Carey. I love Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Andy Williams, Judy Garland, Johnny Mathis and the Chipmunks, too. But there's a lot more than just those artists and the one song they’re mostly known for. And while the albums from those artists continue to sell, showing that there is an interest in their other Christmas music, traditional radio ignored it.
In 2007, I hoped that the Sounds of Christmas station could offer up all that other Christmas music that just didn’t exist on traditional radio.
Those first few seasons, Mannheim Steamroller sponsored us, and they had a new album each year. And each year, those new albums zoomed up the charts. More than anything, that should have shown those "traditional radio stations" that people love the new Christmas music as well as the old. But most of those stations only played Mannheim Steamroller’s version of “Deck The Halls” from their first album from 1984. Even though the new albums were selling really well, which seemed to me to show that people wanted the new music, too. But traditional radio ignored them.
In 2007, Josh Groban released his Christmas album Noel. It sold so well it broke records held by Elvis Presley! In fact, it went on to become the best-selling CD of the year! Not just the best-selling "Christmas" CD, but the best-selling CD, period.
Traditional radio kinda gave that one a sniff, mostly because of "Believe", his big hit a few years earlier from The Polar Express. But still, their tried and true playlist remained largely intact.
Meanwhile, I added brand new Christmas music from Tracy Lawrence, Chris Squire, Kimberley Locke, Keith Sweat, Boney James, Jars of Clay, Olivia Newton-John, the Smithereens, Diamond Rio, Juice Newton, the Verve Pipe, the Isley Brothers, Barry Manilow, Michael W Smith, Relient K, Marie Osmond, Dave Koz, Patti LaBelle, Mindy Smith, David Phelps, Asleep At The Wheel, Captain & Tennille, Randy Travis, KT Tunstall, Taylor Swift and Yolanda Adams. Just to name a few.
I remember a few years after our debut, a friend of mine, who is a music artist, was so excited because New York’s "Christmas music station" had picked one of her songs as one of the five new ones they were adding that year. They added five new songs. You just saw a partial list of artists whose new music was added to the Sounds of Christmas in 2007.
And this past year, 2025, I added new music from the Accidentals, American Authors, Art Garfunkel Jr, Asa Orbison, the Backstreet Boys, Bailey Taylor, Boney James, Brad Paisley, Bryan Adams, CeCe Winans, Celtic Woman, Cher, Christina Aguilera, Colbie Cailat, Gavin DeGraw, Dan + Shay, Dan Ashley, the Darkness, David Archuleta, Fall Out Boy, Gabby Barrett, Gary Hoey, Herb Alpert, Hunter Hayes, Jim Brickman, JJ Heller, the Jonas Brothers, Jordin Sparks, Joss Stone, Kate Hudson, Kenny Nolan, Kylie Minogue, Leon Bridges, Norah Jones, Matthew West, Mediaval Babes, Melinda Doolittle, Natalie Grant, Old Crow Medicine Show, Olivia Van Goor, Paloma Faith, Pentatonix, the Pretty Reckless, Sara Evans, Sixpence None The Richer, Steven Curtis Chapman, Straight No Chaser, Train, Trisha Yearwood, and Willie Nelson, Just to name a few.
In 2007, the Sounds of Christmas playlist was around 3000 tracks. Heading into our 20th season in 2026, it's more than six times that.
While I love Bing's "White Christmas", having such a wide and diverse playlist means that it doesn't get played every hour on the hour. Besides, Bing has lots of other great Christmas songs. In fact, most if not all of the artists I've mentioned have more than just one Christmas "hit". It seems really short-sighted, and a dis-service to Christmas music fans, to ignore that and just play the same ones over and over.
That’s how I felt when I launched the Sounds of Christmas station in 2007. And I still feel that way.
This station was something I had wanted to do for a long time, and thanks to Mannheim Steamroller's sponsorship during those first few years, I was able to make it happen.
I just hoped I wasn’t the only one that loved all the rest of the Christmas music.
So I launched the Sounds of Christmas in October of 2007.
This was back in the days of Live365, and I quickly became the top new Christmas music station, out of dozens. I think there may have even been over a hundred by the time Christmas rolled around.
That first season, and several more after, the Sounds of Christmas went live at some point in October, and then ended on January 7 (after Epiphany).
Since the Sounds of Christmas went off the air in January, we were considered a new station each fall when we went back on. And each year, we quickly became one of the top Christmas music stations on Live365.
As the audience grew, email and social media messages started coming in, asking to keep the Sounds of Christmas on year-round.
I wasn’t sure that was a good idea. I mean, I liked the idea of a year-round Christmas music station, one that would always be on whenever I wanted some musical Christmas spirit. But would I be the only one who turned it on when the calendar was on April? Or July? Or really any month between February and September?
Turned out that I wasn’t the only one that liked the idea of Christmas music year-round. And while there wasn’t always someone listening when we started staying on year-round, that grew. And soon there were people listening around the clock, all over the world and all year round! In fact, as I write this in early August, there are listeners across the U.S. and in 43 other countries!
Years ago, when I first started in traditional radio, I worked on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It was all Christmas music, and as long as I stuck to that, I could play just about anything I wanted to. Despite long shifts on both days, it was actually kinda fun. I heard from lots of nice people, some I knew and some I didn’t, and it was a little like I was celebrating part of the holiday with them.
All these years later, I still get that feeling, getting email and messages from friends old and new, and no matter what time of year it is, I feel like I’m getting to spend a bit of the holiday with them!
I originally started the Sounds of Christmas station because it was the kind of Christmas music station I wanted to listen to. I programmed the usual suspects that you’d expect to hear on a Christmas music station, and then I added thousands more.
Lots more songs from Bing Crosby in addition to "White Christmas". Lots more songs from Nat "King" Cole in addition to "The Christmas Song". And lots more songs from Mariah Carey, in addition to "All I Want For Christmas Is You".
I also did the same for the other so-called major Christmas music artists. And I added songs from more recent artists - some whose Christmas music was well-known and some whose Christmas music wasn’t.
I connected with a lot of singers and bands, some who chose to sponsor the Sounds of Christmas, some who sent in music and some who made short recordings for the station.
Of those who did choose to support the Sounds of Christmas, many returned the next year and the year after. Mannheim Steamroller started that with their support covering our first three seasons.
And so far for 2026, I have 14 artists that have signed on, and all but one of them have been with us before.
So it seems like the listeners and the artists like the Sounds of Christmas, and I couldn’t be more grateful!
It’s still early, but here’s a little of what I have planned for this upcoming 20th Season.
First, of course, the Sounds of Christmas will turn into the Sounds of Halloween on October 1. For the entire month of October, you’ll hear the best variety of Halloween music. And for those who listened last year, you’ll find lots of new songs added in among your favorites!
Then, on November 1, the 20th season of the Sounds of Christmas will begin. Lots of new music on the horizon, including reported Christmas albums from Shaun Cassidy, former Barenaked Ladies’ singer and guitarist Steven Page and pop star Ava Max.
And I’m working on a few themed specials that I hope will happen in December (though it’s possible one or more of them may get pushed back to 2027). In various stages of development are a tribute to It’s A Wonderful Life, featuring music inspired by that classic movie, a celebration of Christmas music that was featured on The Ed Sullivan Show, a celebration of the Christmas music from the Rat Pack and a fun hour or two of fan club Christmas songs!
I’m looking forward to having some special guests on the Sounds of Christmas podcast this fall, but I don’t like to mention any names until the episodes are recorded, because any number of things could occur to keep those episodes from happening.
But if you enjoy conversation about Christmas music and related topics, I think you’ll enjoy what’s on the way!
Thanks so much for listening! And may you always believe in Santa Claus!
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