From the UK, a Classic Hits Christmas and More First Listens

Both these things are true. On the UK’s Magic, middayer Nick Snaith was playing Wizzard’s “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday,” a staple of holiday radio there, and commenting on how that song was now 50 years old. Then he noted the same thing about Slade’s “Merry Xmas Everybody.” Also, I noticed how much newer Magic sounded than a lot of the Christmas radio here.

Magic brought “100% Christmas” to the UK only five years ago. I’ve come back to it several times, usually toward the end of Ross on Radio’s yearly holiday-radio coverage, both because I appreciate the obvious effort that goes into its holiday programming and the UK’s different take on the format. (I also take First Listens this week to R&B Christmas WQCP Vero Beach, Fla., and Country KEGA Salt Lake City.)

In the U.S., major-market holiday stations seem to be doubling down on the MOR era. The new songs that stations are adding this year are often additional versions of holiday standards from Burl Ives, Ray Conniff, or Bing Crosby. Magic is more heavily concentrated in the Classic Hits era and beyond, helped by the more rockin’ UK output from that era. There are fewer songs from the standards era, and sometimes they’re the Michael Bublé version or some other more contemporary cover. By the end of the season, it sounds a lot fresher.

The UK is also friendlier to new Christmas songs. You’ll hear the recent holiday songs from Katy Perry or Ariana Grande on Magic. Then there’s Sam Ryder, propelled from TikTok to last year’s UK Eurovision nominee. Ryder is already in the top 15 with “You’re Christmas to Me.” He’s also slated to appear on the station’s morning show with Harriet as I write this. (Co-host Ronan Keating recently exited.)

In general, I’ve noticed how AC radio’s Christmas converts seem to become more foreground during the holidays, at a time when the between-the-records elements of all stations are fading. There’s generally more going on with Magic anyway. Snaith’s topics ranged from the Christmas pageant at his kids’ school to a bit with early afternoon host Neev about whether to attend the holiday party if their producer wouldn’t go. Then there was Sam Thompson, who had just won I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here, and seemed delighted to be there, despite the disgusting food challenges. (“Thank you for letting me eat a camel’s willy,” Snaith joked, marking the first time those words have ever appeared in our holiday coverage.)

There were also three promotions going on: a £200,000 cash giveaway; a charity toy drive, and a trip giveaway to Lapland! It’s worth noting that all this was happening on a national radio station. Magic’s sister station Greatest Hits became the UK radio story of 2023 by hiring BBC Radio 2’s Ken Bruce and adding more markets, in turn underscoring Magic’s emphasis on the Classic Hits era this year. The consolidation of UK radio has been as controversial as our own, but the result has at least been big-sounding national stations with foreground personality and three promotions at once, as opposed to our faux-locality.

Here’s Magic just before noon on Dec. 12:

• John Lennon, “Happy Xmas (War is Over)”
• Shakin’ Stevens, “Merry Christmas Everybody”
• Elvis Presley, “Blue Christmas”
• Sam Ryder, “You’re Christmas to Me”
• Wizzard, “I Wish it Could Be Christmas Everyday”
• Greg Lake, “I Believe in Father Christmas”
• Michael Bublé, “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow”
• Mariah Carey, “All I Want for Christmas (Is You)”
• Ariana Grande, “Santa Tell Me”
• Ronettes, “Sleigh Bells”
• Band Aid, “Do They Know It’s Christmas”
• Pretenders, “2000 Miles”
• Paul McCartney, “Wonderful Christmastime”
• Waitresses, “Christmas Wrappin’”

I also took a First Listen to two stations in holiday stunting mode ahead of likely format changes. Radioinsight reports that WQCP Fort Pierce/Vero Beach, Fla., is a non-commercial Classical station using “the soulful sounds of the season” to launch an expected flip to Adult R&B, as the market’s WFLM prepares to move in to West Palm Beach. There’s also R&B Christmas music on Adult R&B WLOU Louisville, Ky., and now on Sirius XM’s rebranded R&B Oldies channel, Smokey’s Soul Town. 

Here’s WQCP, in jockless preview mode, just after 11 a.m. on Dec 5:

• Peabo Bryson, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”
• Backstreet Boys, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
• Nat King Cole, “The Christmas Song”
• Gladys Knight & Pips, “Do You Hear What I Hear”
• Wham!, “Last Christmas” — a long version that I’m not used to hearing on the radio
• Alicia Keys, “December Back 2 June”
• Johnny Gill, “Give Love on Christmas Day”
• Alexander O’Neal, “This Christmas”
• Quad City DJs, “What You Want for Christmas” — a South Florida radio holiday staple but a little disconcerting in this mix
• Mariah Carey, “All I Want for Christmas (Is You)”
• Babyface, “Sleigh Ride”
• Prince, “Another Lonely Christmas”
• Ramsey Lewis Trio, “Here Comes Santa Claus”

KEGA Salt Lake City is in the process of getting out of the market’s three-way mainstream Country race and is likely to become Classic Country “Hank-FM.” We’ve already reviewed KPMI (The Legends) Bemidji, Minn.’s eclectic take on holiday Country. Here’s KEGA’s newer version from Dec. 19 at 8:15 a.m.:

• Garth Brooks, “Home for the Holidays”
• Clay Walker, “Blue Christmas”
• Blake Shelton, “Santa’s Got a Choo-Choo Train”
• Eartha Kitt, “Santa Baby”
• Thomas Rhett, “Christmas in the Country”
• Martina McBride, “Silent Night”
• Gary Allan, “Please Come Home for Christmas”
• Johnny Mathis, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas”
• Alan Jackson, “Let It Be Christmas”
• Randy Travis, “Meet Me Under the Mistletoe”
• Lady A, “Holly Jolly Christmas”
• Idina Menzel & Michael Bublé, “Baby It’s Cold Outside”
• Rodney Carrington, “Camouflage and Christmas Lights”