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- Iain Grant
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It's (already) beginning to sound a lot like Christmas
And we're off...
[Via al.com]
Twas 91 days until Christmas, and Halloween decorations were snug in the attic when from one station there came such a racket.
Yes, Alabama, there is a Birmingham radio station playing Christmas music in September.
The Birmingham station 100.1 FM on September 25 made the switch from adult contemporary to holiday tunes. For all you AM radio listeners, 100.1's counterpart, WENN 1320 AM, is also playing Christmas music.
As of this morning, the station was playing the music commercial free and with no on-air personalities. Only occasionally was there a station identification.
"We understand it's early for Christmas music, but if the stores have decorations out we figured some folks might be ready," program director John Olsen wrote in an email to AL.com.
Christmas music has been creeping on to Birmingham airwaves earlier each year.
AL.com's John Archibald in 2014 took two stations to task for rolling out 'Jingle Bells' the week before Halloween.
"They'll carol through Halloween and Thanksgiving, all the way through Hanukkah and straight on to Dec. 25," Archibald wrote.
"Until we beg for a silent night.
That's not Christmas spirit, it's October madness. How are we to sit and listen to "White Christmas" when the leaves are still green? There's no Frosty the Snowman here, there's barely even Crispy the Leafman."
Now, it's September madness.
Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change.
- LOSat
- Member
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Re: It's (already) beginning to sound a lot like Christmas
I think the key to this story is the no on-air personalities. I would suspect after Christmas there will be a format change and all the current staff will be gone. The lumps of coal probably came early this year.
- RadioActive
- Moderator
Online! 
Re: It's (already) beginning to sound a lot like Christmas
I'm also not a fan of Christmas music, but when you really think about it, the bulk of those tunes aren't actually "Christmas" music at all. Most of the traditional songs stations play endlessly are about the winter, not the actual religious event. "Jingle Bells," "Let It Snow" and "Walkin' In A Winter Wonderland," for instance, don't even mention the holiday. And even songs that do, fail to reflect what the season is supposed to be about, like the somewhat odious Paul McCartney chestnut (not roasting on an open fire) "Having A Wonderful Christmas Time." It mentions the occasion but really has nothing to do with the December 25th observance.
And then there are the simply inexplicable tunes that have somehow gotten stuck as Yule songs, like "It Doesn't Have to Be That Way" by Jim Croce. It takes place during December and he sings in one verse about "crowded stores," "the corner Santa Claus" and "tinseled afternoons." But except for that one reference, it's really a song about lost love that has absolutely nothing to with Christmas. Yet there it is, every year, on every station. And it wasn't even a hit in the first place!
I don't hate Christmas, per se, but I sure could live without anyone glorifying our horrible and endless Canadian winters. And maybe that's why I can't stand the time of year that seems to be coming earlier and earlier with every change of the calendar. Summer may officially be over, but it can't come back soon enough for me!
Last edited by RadioActive (October 2, 2015 2:38 pm)
- Old Codger
- Unregistered
Re: It's (already) beginning to sound a lot like Christmas
Hum friggin' bug. The transmitter should be jetisoned. [With management attached.] I loathe the big business xmas and everything about it. THIS exposes it for all it actually is. A joke.
Last edited by Old Codger (October 4, 2015 6:29 am)
- Kilgore
- Member
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Re: It's (already) beginning to sound a lot like Christmas
grilled.cheese wrote:
I am looking forward to the three months of Christmas music discussion followed by the ratings discussion
I don't want to grill you on this G. Cheese but you seem to have overlooked the inevitable 10 weeks of Boxing Week Sale (Dec 15 - March 1) discussion. That's a total of five (5) months of milking the Virgin birth celebration. You do the math
K.