Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25. Though the month and date of Jesus' birth are unknown, the church in the early fourth century fixed the date as December 25. This corresponds to the date of the winter solstice on the Roman calendar.
Music associated with Christmas is thought to have its origins in 4th-century Rome, in Latin-language hymns such as Veni redemptor gentium. By the 13th century, under the influence of Francis of Assisi, the tradition of popular Christmas songs in regional native languages developed.
Each year, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers puts together a list of the most played Christmas songs each year. And as you would imagine, most of these songs are old favourites, ones your grandparents and their grandparents might know, written throughout the 30s and 40s. But one song on the list sticks out. It wasn't written in the good old days. It was written in 1994 by Mariah Carey.
All I Want For Christmas Is You is now one of the most popular Christmas songs of all time. It has gone to number 1 in over 30 countries, sold over 10 million records and set the single-day record for the most Spotify streams ever, with 10.82 million plays.
It has immortalised Mariah Carey as the Queen of Christmas, and created a modern classic that will continue to be played for as long as Christmas is celebrated.
Which is why it's no surprise that other artists want to get in on the Christmas action. Thus, we have Shaggy's Christmas in the Islands, released in November 20, 2020.
What does a reggae christmas sound like? How does it compare to Mariah Carey's Christmas special that came out just a few weeks later? And why do people keep doing fake jamaican accents? Let's find out. Welcome to When Albums Collide