It’s the holiday season, and that means it’s time to crank the Christmas music. Musicians release Christmas songs as early as October, but the season doesn’t really get cooking until around Thanksgiving, because that’s when holiday music goes into overdrive, and Mariah Carey’s forever hit “All I Want For Christmas Is You” goes to No. 1. But, when it comes to holiday tunes, what’s popular in this state?

Popular Christmas Songs

When it comes to popular holiday songs, tracks such as “Silent Night,” “Jingle Bells” and “O Holy Night” are among the most treasured and recognized. According to History.com, when it comes to “Jingle Bells,” that song was “originally released in 1857 under the title ‘One Horse Open Sleigh'” and actually “wasn’t written to be a Christmas song.” They add that “Silent Night,” was originally “composed in 1818 by Franz Gruber, based on a poem by Joseph Mohr, says Scot Hanna-Weir, a music professor at Santa Clara University.” American Magazine notes that “‘O Holy Night’ started out as a French poem written in 1843 called ‘Minuit, Chrétiens’ by Placide Cappeau.”

Now, let’s get to Pennsylvania. The crew at Finance Buzz has put together a feature with the most popular Christmas songs in each state. Mariah Carey’s aforementioned “All I Want For Christmas Is You” tops this tally, with the most states opting for this festive tune. “Two different Christmas songs were most popular in seven different states, tied for second place overall,” they add, those songs being “Santa Baby” and “Jingle Bells.”

Speaking of “Jingle Bells,” Finance Buzz notes that the song has “been a staple of the Christmas season for more than 150 years since it was written in 1850, and dozens of artists, including Michael Bublé, Dolly Parton, and William Shatner, have recorded versions of the tune.”

So, what’s the top holiday tune in Pennsylvania? According to their research, it’s the classic track “Jingle Bells.” So, that gives you an extra reason to crank it this season.

Anne Erickson started her radio career shortly after graduating from Michigan State University and has worked on-air in Detroit, Flint, Toledo, Lansing and beyond. As someone who absolutely loves rock, metal and alt music, she instantly fell in love with radio and hasn’t looked back. When she’s not working, Anne makes her own music with her band, Upon Wings, and she also loves cheering on her favorite Detroit and Michigan sports teams, especially Lions and MSU football. Anne is also an award-winning journalist, and her byline has run in a variety of national publications. You can also hear her weekends on WRIF.