Featuring bright sounds and a nostalgic atmosphere, the holiday music tradition has become its own beloved genre. Nearly every major music star has taken a stab at a Christmas song at some point.

The music industry has imbued Christmas with a distinct sound, and if the holidays are a part of your next film project, music is a crucial element. Discover the right holiday sound for your next production with Universal Production Music.

This breakdown of influential Christmas music producers isn’t complete (honorable mention: Walter Afanasieff for “All I Want For Christmas is You”), but it does hit the highlights of this evergreen musical genre’s evolution.

Ironic Grandfathers of the Genre, Irving Berlin and Johnny Marks

Most of the modern traditions and aesthetics of Christmas in the United States can be traced to the tenuous years of World War II and the postwar era of the late 40s and 50s. Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” was written for the 1942 film Holiday Inn, and used again in the more enduring 1954 Christmas film White Christmas nearly ten years later, sung by war veteran protagonists grappling with aimlessness after a time of national unity.

As the composer of “God Bless America,” it makes sense that Berlin could tap into the American secular consciousness about wintertime tradition, despite being Jewish and not a Christmas celebrator himself. Fellow Jewish composer Johnny Marks had a similar talent, defining the 1950s Christmas party with hits like “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas.”

Infamous Pop Genius, Phil Spector

Hailed by most critics as the best pop Christmas album of all time, A Christmas Gift to You From Phil Spector is a perfect marriage of the infamous producer’s signature “Wall of Sound” style and American holiday excess. Spector stuck mostly to secular songs with widespread, danceable appeal. The record was a flop upon its release in 1963, but a successful 1971 re-release and decades of radio play have cemented its tracklist in the culture.

Containing slow-burn hits like Darlene Love’s “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” The Ronettes’ “Sleigh Ride,” “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” and “Frosty the Snowman,” A Christmas Gift to You is a top-to-bottom sonic thesis on Christmastime pop.

If you want a similar “Wall of Sound” cheer for your production, UPM has curated classic-sounding playlists and albums for a holiday experience.

Adult Contemporary Masters, David Foster and Greg Kurstin

Though his production success extends beyond the holiday season, adult contemporary charts fixture David Foster dominates the Christmas music space. His biggest hit is arguably Natalie Cole’s “My Grown-Up Christmas List,” but he’s also worked with vocal powerhouses Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Buble, and Mary J. Blige.

Over twenty years, one of Foster’s productions has been the best-selling Christmas album of the year a staggering six times. His emotionally charged ballads and holiday standards hit the mark with audiences, striking an appealing note for reflective moments at the holiday season.

Greg Kurstin, music writer-producer with two hits on the list of top 10 charting Christmas songs since the turn of the millennium, has also found a winning holiday sound with female adult contemporary stars Kelly Clarkson and Sia. His slick throwback pop hits – like Clarkson’s 2013 earworm “Underneath the Tree” – fit right into a modern, merry Christmas setting without sounding too specific to an era.

UPM has a wide-ranging collection of sounds for all the narrative highs and lows of the holidays.

Learn how to choose holiday themed music based on the thematic beats of your next project before you register to access a library of high quality tracks at UPM. We offer a variety of flexible licensing offerings to fit your needs and budget.