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Original poster

Why are so many Christmas songs from the seventies? ( and a few from the eighties)

41 replies

Appalonia · 20/12/2022 20:55

It always makes me feel so nostalgic, cos that was my era and I love them, but wonder why, and if you're younger how you feel about them and why are there so few decent modern Christmas songs?

OP posts:
C1N1C · 20/12/2022 20:58

Because there are so few good modern songs in general.

XenoBitch · 20/12/2022 21:06

Nostalgia. When you are at a work xmas do, a new song is not going to get people on the dance floor.

TwoMonthsOff · 20/12/2022 21:09

because yoko Ono wailing should never be repeated 🙉

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Events & celebrations Music
mondaytosunday · 20/12/2022 21:10

Because the 60s/70s/80s were the very best for music in general.

Justgivemewine · 20/12/2022 21:12

Because back then a lot of Christmas No.1s were actually songs about or related to Christmas, which hardly ever seems to happen anymore

Swearwolf · 20/12/2022 21:14

I do feel as though we haven't really moved on or taken on new Christmas songs since the 80s. There are a few released recently that are absolute bangers, properly Christmassy and have all that magic Mariah Carey and wham have. Look for the one Elton John and Ed Sheeran released together, or the one Ariana Grande did with Kelly Clarkson. Not high art by any stretch of the imagination but definitely on a par with Wizzard.

NomDePrune · 20/12/2022 21:15

Because back then pop stars were less bothered about being cool and it was generally acceptable to bring out a "novelty" or Xmas song

LadyVictoriaSponge · 20/12/2022 21:16

mondaytosunday · 20/12/2022 21:10

Because the 60s/70s/80s were the very best for music in general.

This in spades, I feel quite lucky I grew up in the eighties and enjoyed the music scene first hand.

Georgeskitchen · 20/12/2022 21:18

Nobody has produced a really decent Christmas banger since about 1986ish 🧐🧐

Original poster
Appalonia · 20/12/2022 21:20

LadyVictoriaSponge · 20/12/2022 21:16

This in spades, I feel quite lucky I grew up in the eighties and enjoyed the music scene first hand.

Show quote history

Have to agree with that tbh

OP posts:
Pedallleur · 20/12/2022 22:03

As with the political music thread, acts do it differently now. It's social media and live shows not Xmas records

PlaitBilledDuckyPuss · 20/12/2022 22:07

In the 70s/80s there was only one singles chart, and everyone who was into pop music listened to it. Consequently, if Wizzard or Cliff Richard or Jona Lewie had a Christmas single, it would be played to death on Radio 1 and the local commercial stations (and before the internet and DAB, your choice of radio was much mire limited) and gain a sort of near-universal following that's almost unheard of today.

Palacepicker · 20/12/2022 22:10

I think our modern day Christmas is derived from the 70's - tacky as hell - but feels familiar.

BluebirdRobin · 20/12/2022 22:21

The 90s Xmas No 1s were taken by The Spice Girls/Mr Blobby/Cliff Richard and East 17 (which was a very sad song about his brother but they added bells to make it christmassy.)

The 00s and 2010s were taken over by whichever X Factor winner sang (which most were shite) and in recent years its been that LadBaby knobhead who's novelty songs aren't even listenable in a nostalgic/singalong/fun way. They are just really shite!

Bosk · 20/12/2022 22:23

Because decent music stopped in about 1987.

MechanicaHound · 20/12/2022 22:28

I agree, decent music has declined (if not stopped altogether). Why is this???

LovelyRachel · 20/12/2022 22:30

Because we're saturated by repeats, covers and LadBaby or whatever they're called.

Palacepicker · 20/12/2022 22:31

MechanicaHound · 20/12/2022 22:28

I agree, decent music has declined (if not stopped altogether). Why is this???

Maybe you've stopped looking - or you are set on what "good music" is because there is plenty - everywhere - maybe not Christmas songs but what self-respecting musician focuses on novelty songs.

BluebirdRobin · 20/12/2022 22:33

I also think imaging, as someone said, is a factor as everyone is too consumed about looking immaculate nowadays in the pop world.

You only have to watch the original Band Aid video, where they all turned up in jeans, little to no make up and bedhair! Because it was all about the music and wow, they were talented! Nowadays they'd need full hair, make up and clothes before they'd even get out the car!

BluebirdRobin · 20/12/2022 22:34

*image not imagery

NewToWoo · 20/12/2022 22:42

Because the chart shows used to really matter in terms of selling physical copies of vinyl/cassette/CD. Now we have no TOTP and sales are down to all sorts of ramdom streaming so there's no fixed way to bring the nation together to choose a favourite song for Christmas.

I miss TOTP.

Palacepicker · 20/12/2022 22:46

NewToWoo · 20/12/2022 22:42

Because the chart shows used to really matter in terms of selling physical copies of vinyl/cassette/CD. Now we have no TOTP and sales are down to all sorts of ramdom streaming so there's no fixed way to bring the nation together to choose a favourite song for Christmas.

I miss TOTP.

No one cares about the Christmas number one anymore and maybe the end of TOTP had a part in this - but surely people stopped watching TOTP first?

piedbeauty · 20/12/2022 22:55

Because back then music was real. Artists were original; there wasn't the round of programmes like the X Factor etc. that brought manufactured bands to our screens...

Original poster
Appalonia · 20/12/2022 23:11

Aw I miss TOTP too! Watching it on Christmas day was the highlight for me as a teenager.

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Original poster
Appalonia · 20/12/2022 23:15

On Twitter today, someone said, let's get Ghost Town by the Specials to no 1 and I thought, how would you even do that these days?

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