The more than 100 radio stations nationwide that are already offering an all-Christmas option on the dial are onto something. Anticipation for the holiday season is up from last year as is the desire to hear the sounds of the season.
NuVoodoo Media Services President and founder Carolyn Gilbert says “anticipation of Christmas music is up significantly,” according to the firm’s latest Quick Turn Study which was conducted just before Halloween. “After the pre-vaccination holiday season of last year, over 40% of the sample in our latest NuVoodoo Quick Turn say they’re looking forward to the holiday more this year,” she says in a video presentation revealing results of the study.
“Entering the season, about three in five are looking forward to Christmas music,” Executive VP of Research Analysis Lee Jacobs adds. “The audiences with the greatest concentration of Christmas music fans are AC and then classic hits, country and then the 80s, 90s [adult hits] format.”
To answer the question of “when” to start playing holiday music, the NuVoodoo study says stations that are already implementing an all-Christmas format are right on target.
“We see the percentages saying they listen to a station that plays all Christmas music as early as mid-November jumped from 24% in 2020 to 37% this year,” Gilbert explains. “That’s a strong jump on top of pent-up anticipation of being able to gather more easily and safely with family and friends this year.”
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