Universal Music Group is getting in the holiday spirit early this year with a playlist entitled “Christmas in July.”
The new collection features December classics from artists like Brenda Lee, Elton John, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, and many, many more.
The playlist kicks off with Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” before introducing Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock.” Elton comes through with “Step Into Christmas,” while Crosby’s “Winter Wonderland” and Martin’s “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” follow.
More songs featured include hits by Paul McCartney, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, the Jonas Brothers, Ella Fitzgerald, and Mariah Carey.
Brenda Lee’s contribution, “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” has had a big year. Back in January, the song achieved a new milestone, hitting one billion streams on Spotify, a first for Lee. The hit song, which broke multiple records this past holiday season, also spent most of the season at Number 1 on Spotify’s Top 50 US chart.
Lee said in a statement: “What a year and holiday season it was for me personally, and for ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.’ I am so thankful that Spotify listeners propelled this holiday classic to 1 billion streams – that just blows my mind! It takes geniuses like the writer (Johnny Marks) and musicians to create a song with such longevity and I couldn’t be more grateful people are still listening to “Rockin’.”
Christmas In July isn’t the only holiday collection related to Bing Crosby this year.
His Ultimate Christmas collection is available to be ordered now. The definitive collection of Crosby’s beloved Christmas music, it arrives on August 23. The package features 28 of his songs, including classics like “White Christmas,” “Do You Hear What I Hear?” and “Mele Kalikimaka.”
Celebrated for his warm baritone, Bing Crosby’s voice dominated the airwaves during the 1930s and 1940s, an era some call the golden age of radio. Known as one of pop’s first great superstars, Crosby’s Christmas music is some of the work he’s best known for. Indeed, “White Christmas,” which appears on Ultimate Christmas in its most definitive form, is arguably the biggest selling single of all time, racking up sales of 50 million. The song, which was written by Irving Berlin, was first performed by Crosby on Christmas Eve of 1941 on his radio show. It was then recorded in May of 1942 for Decca. Berlin has said it’s “not only the best song I ever wrote, it’s the best song anybody ever wrote.”
Listen to “Christmas in July.”
