I just read an article about the 10 most distracting Christmas songs to play at work. It’s THAT time of year again for retail workers and office workers alike. For some of us, pretty much all of them are like it or hate it, right? I mean they are everywhere — at work, on the radio, in shopping centers. Some songs can actually help with productivity, while others drive us to distraction.
Do you play Christmas songs in the studio or at the office during this time of the year? See if any of your favorites — classics or otherwise — made it to the list!
The most distracting Christmas songs
It’s all in the beat rate … but seriously, I also think it’s just how often they get played!
- Mele Kalikimaka (Single Version) — Bing Crosby: 208 beats per minute (BPM)
- The Happiest Christmas Tree — Nat King Cole: 206 BPM
- It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year — Andy Williams: 202 BPM
- Santa Tell Me — Ariana Grande: 192 BPM
- Caroling, Caroling — Nat King Cole: 185 BPM
- Christmas Dream — Perry Como: 184 BPM
- Please Come Home for Christmas — 2013 Remaster, The Eagles: 183 BPM
- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas — Judy Garland: 181 BPM
- Jingle Bells (Remastered 1999) — Frank Sinatra: 175 BPM
- Adeste Fideles — Bing Crosby: 165 BPM
Oh I could add a few more, I think!
The best Christmas songs for productivity
Meanwhile, some of the best songs for productivity value have a BPM below 100:
- Carol of the Bells — Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych: 47 BPM
- Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree — Brenda Lee: 67 BPM
- Silver Bells — Bing Crosby: 71 BPM
- Happy Holiday / The Holiday Season — Andy Williams: 74 BPM
- O Christmas Tree — Tony Bennett: 74 BPM
- Christmas Time Is Here — Vince Guaraldi Trio: 75 BPM
- The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You) — Nat King Cole: 79 BPM
- The Christmas Waltz (Remastered 1999) — Frank Sinatra: 80 BPM
- The First Noël — Andy Williams: 81 BPM
- Linus and Lucy — Vince Guaraldi Trio: 81 BPM
The most overplayed Christmas songs
What about those Christmas songs that pop up EVERYWHERE? Love ’em or hate ’em? Which are the most overplayed songs?
- All I Want for Christmas Is You — Mariah Carey
- It’s Beginning To Look Like Christmas — Bing Crosby
- Baby It’s Cold Outside — Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five
- Winter Wonderland
- Frosty the Snowman (Remastered 2006)
- It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
- Carol of the Bells
- Let It Snow!
So how did I do … good or bad? Want to add to the list? Are you all for Christmas carols or do you go “Bah Humbug” and play the Grinch? I bet if you’re a retail worker (like my daughters) you’re totally over hearing them already!
I think the lists all show what dated holiday music radio stations play for hours on end. It is probably to the cost of using newer music but it is tedious and repetitive. It’s hard to see how Bing Crosby can be both distracting and productive. My local drug store stopped playing holiday music 2 weeks ago. Michael Jackson was playing the other day. Give me some Sarah Connor, John Legend, Pentatonix, or Dan & Shay to add some pep to the day. Happy holidays.
You’re probably right Marie, it is cost related. Bing Crosby is on both lists with two different songs, apparently its all in the beats per minute ratio. Although I don’t mind a bit of Bing, but yes there is better music out there. Mariah and Wham aren’t that old, just played ALL the time lol