The happiest Christmas song ever, according to science
Are Christmas songs the same as regular tunes? Do the classics by bands such as Wham, Slade and The Pogues follow the same formula as every other song? Christmas taps into a different part of us, one which is nostalgic and unexplainably merry, so the music we listen to, one which reflects that period, needs to reflect the feelings that come with it. It has to be catchy and fun and, more importantly than ever, incomprehensibly happy.
Music can adversely affect people, but the effect a Christmas song should have means that working out what should theoretically be good becomes much more straightforward. If happiness and joy have to be the outcome, then chord sequences and lyrics become much easier to work out. With that in mind, science has determined what the happiest Christmas song ever written is.
It was put together by a musicologist called Professor Joe Bennett. He studied the most-played Christmas songs on Spotify to find out what people love about Christmas music and, as such, what goes into making a happy Christmas song. Some of the most successful tracks are the likes of Mariah Carey with ‘All I Want For Christmas’ and a lot of Michael Bublé.
After a bit of research, it became clear to Bennett that certain words and phrases appear in almost every song. Nearly all of them reference sleigh bells, whilst other major themes included being in love and having peace on earth.
All of these play into themes of joy and happiness. Sleigh bells are arguably the nicest sounding instrument in the world, and given we associate them with Santa’s sleigh, it’s hard for a reference to them to be met with anything other than a smile. On top of that, being in love and peace on earth also invokes profound happiness in the listener, hence why they are mentioned so many times.
Professor Bennet collated all his findings and brought them to songwriters Harriet Green and Steve Anderson. They used what is commonly referred to in a standard Christmas song, enhanced it, and, as such, have created what should be the happiest festive tune in the entire world.
It’s called ‘Love’s Not Just For Christmas’, and the two songwriters really applied what Bennett had found out when writing it. The track uses the word “Christmas” 21 times, has constant references to love and a persistent backing track of sleigh bells.
With the help of the London Community Choir, Bennet brought the song to life so that it could now act as medicine to those still yet to feel the holiday spirit. The point of a Christmas song is not just to give the listener a standard song that they enjoy; it is to have them feel a sense of magic during a time when emotions are heightened and people are eager for a bit of festive cheer.
Was Bennet successful? Check out ‘Love’s Not Just For Christmas’ below and see if it puts you in the holiday spirit.
