How to play Christmas music effectively in your business
Don't scare your customers away this holiday season.
Like it or loathe it, most customers expect to hear Christmas music when they walk into a business during the holidays. If you use it right, it creates a warm, nostalgic atmosphere that keeps people in your business. Used badly, it's likely to drive them away.
This list of tips will help you to play Christmas music in your business in a way that feels festive, on-brand and enjoyable.
Time your Christmas music right
Don't start (or stop) playing Christmas music too soon. Timing is everything; start too early, and your staff will be screaming for summer by the second week of November. But if you start playing it too late, you'll miss out on one of the easiest ways to boost your customers' moods (and, by extension, sales).
There's no magic formula for timing, but a good rule of thumb is to start sprinkling in holiday tunes here and there after Black Friday (in the fourth week of November). A gradual build-up is always effective. That goes for the end of the festive period, too – the retail season doesn't end on 26 December. Keep a few Christmas songs in the mix throughout December, especially if you have sales after the holiday itself.
Keep your Christmas playlist on-brand
Any background playlist should fit your branding, and your Christmas music is no exception. If you wouldn't even consider playing pop music in July, your customers might find it jarring to be hit with Wham's "Last Christmas" come December.
Thankfully, there are renditions of popular Christmas tunes in just about every music genre, and there are playlists featuring pretty much all of them in Soundtrack's catalog. Below, you'll also find a list of popular playlists and how to use them.
So, if you normally play independent music, stick to indie covers of festive hits in December. Another way to keep your music on-brand is to schedule it wisely – play your usual favorites and mix in a few yuletide bangers for a merry retail music experience.
Source festive music suggestions from your team or social media
Your staff are the ones who have to listen to your playlists all day, so they might appreciate having some input. Perhaps they know songs you're not already aware of, plus it's a great way to make sure your music stays on brand.
Asking for recommendations from your customers on social media has several benefits: it lets you engage with your audience, gather information about what they enjoy, and take some of the decision-making out of playlist curation. With music that matches your customers' mood, they may even stay in your store for longer and come back more regularly.
Work Christmas songs into your repertoire–without letting them take over
Switching your playlist to Christmas songs mid-November is a surefire way to make things repetitive. You can avoid the festive overload by interspersing your usual on-brand music with the occasional holiday hits.
Many business streaming services make scheduling music straightforward. For example, Soundtrack allows you to build and customize playlists – so, you can either drag and drop your desired Christmas tunes into an existing playlist, or schedule them to play at a particular time of day.
Be mindful of visitors who aren't into Christmas songs
Not everyone likes Christmas music. In fact, while just over half of US shoppers enjoy it, only 43% of those in the UK do. If your winter playlists bombard your customers with merriment, sleigh bells, and absolutely no variety, you may be alienating them.
Furthermore, many people don't celebrate Christmas. Being inclusive by playing music from other holidays means making your customers of other faiths and cultures feel like they belong, even if they don't celebrate. It's a subtle but effective way to show customers that you're thinking about them and to foster brand loyalty.
Make your playlists fit the time of day and mood
It's always a good idea to match your music in your business to the time of day, and yuletide is no exception. Creating the right mood means selecting tracks that fit with the atmosphere you'd like to create. Want your customers to feel calm? An instrumental rendition of "Silent Night" will do the trick. Save Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody" for when you want your visitors to feel energetic.
You can read more about curating the best playlist in our article about questions every business should ask about music.
Try alternatives to the overplayed classics
"White Christmas" is a classic for a reason, but there's a good chance your customers have already heard it enough times by the second week of December. You can create a sense of freshness in your business by mixing things up.
One way to do this is to play alternative versions of familiar Christmas music. For example, if your business usually plays indie music, you could check out some indie covers of well-known festive songs. There are also plenty of instrumental versions if that's more suitable for your business.
Of course, you could really push the boat out when it comes to uniqueness and find some lesser-known Christmas songs. While this special period calls for nostalgia, playing something festive that people might not have heard before keeps it fresh while keeping the cozy vibe intact. Many popular artists have released original music for the festive season, so you could try browsing through their back catalogs.
Take breaks from playing Christmas music, especially after hours
Considering that holiday music is a rather limited genre, if you play nothing else, you risk repeating songs. There are a couple of ways to avoid it: either intersperse your music with non-seasonal tunes or take a total break from it from time to time. It might even be worth scheduling a few Christmas-free hours throughout the day.
Another benefit of mixing up the genres is that it gives your staff a break. If they've been listening to overly festive music all day, they might not feel like hearing even more of it once the customers have left the building. They're likely to appreciate a breather.
Use a streaming platform that's built for businesses
Once you decide on your Christmassy playlists, you must make sure you have the rights to play it. For example, did you know that many popular music streaming services (like Spotify) don't allow you to stream music in a commercial setting? Without the correct licenses in place, your business risks legal action and penalties.
No one wants a fine for Christmas. You should always check which licenses are necessary in your area – take a look at our guides to music licensing around the world to learn more. In some countries, the rights are included if you sign up for a Soundtrack plan.
Try a curated playlist from Soundtrack
With all of the above tips in mind, putting together a Christmas playlist for your business should be straightforward. However, you can save yourself time by letting Soundtrack handle the decisions for you. Curated playlists allow you to simply choose the vibe and press play, filling your space with the desired amount of merriment. Some of the best options include:
Holiday Hits
This playlist has all the most famous hits and consists of a range of genres. Name a popular Christmas song – it's probably in here.
Perfect for: businesses that want to create a familiar festive vibe.
Xmas Pop
Create a fun, feel-good holiday atmosphere with the Xmas Pop playlist. It contains tracks from well-known artists, with plenty of modern favorites.
Perfect for: businesses that often play popular music.
Christmas Jazz
Soundtrack's Christmas Jazz playlist brings a warm, yuletide feel to any space. Enjoy a festive ambiance that's still unobtrusive.
Perfect for: venues where classy, unimposing background music is a priority.
Instrumental Christmas
This playlist includes all the merry classics, reimagined on piano, guitar, and various other instruments. Like the Christmas Jazz playlist, it creates a festive atmosphere without overpowering your visitors.
Perfect for: businesses that prefer soft, neutral seasonal music.
Holiday Indie
A blend of Christmas classics and original festive tracks by indie artists. This playlist offers a fresh take on the holiday season.
Perfect for: alternative venues and those who want to play something slightly different.
