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On December 22, the top 10 chart in the UK is filled with holiday favorites like Wham!, Mariah Carey, Elton John, and more, which remain popular on streaming platforms and stay on the chart for weeks. However, among these songs is Jorja Smith’s rendition of East 17’s Stay Another Day: a prime example of a type of pop song that has largely disappeared.
Back in the day, December was more than just a season for holiday music. We could count on the latest pop artist to bundle up, venture into a cold setting, and dial down the tempo in an attempt to make it into the Top 10 with a wintery, non-Christmas themed ballad.
There are many examples, such as the song Stay Another Day written by Tony Mortimer, which was featured on East 17’s album Steam in October 1994. In an interview with Time Out in 2019, Mortimer revealed that although the song does not mention Christmas, the record company saw potential for it to become a Christmas number one and added bells to the production.
Robbie Williams had the career-rescuing Angels, Blue had Guilty, Liberty X had Holding on for You, and there were even some classic Britpop examples: Oasis’s Whatever and Blur’s The Universal. Of course, the Spice Girls had 2 Become 1, and Too Much, and Goodbye: a trio of back-to-back Christmas No 1s between 1996 and 1998.
These were not the types of performances that were solely focused on producing sentimental songs year-round – like those of Westlife, Boyzone, Robson & Jerome. Instead, there was a trend of upbeat acts shifting towards a more somber and introspective sound. While these songs may have been included on the album for some time, they were often released as singles for Christmas, a time when album sales were typically high. Michael Cragg, author of Reach for the Stars: 1996–2006: Fame, Fallout and Pop’s Final Party, points out that this winter ballad trend was a clever way to entice parents to purchase a pop album for their children.
The most recent concrete demonstrations of this long-standing custom revolve around the X Factor. One example is One Direction’s Night Changes, which includes reflective lyrics, long coats, and a wintery setting. Another is Labrinth’s Beneath Your Beautiful in 2012, a slower song from an artist typically known for upbeat music. This commercially successful collaboration with Emile Sandé also featured an appearance on the X Factor, perfectly timed for the holiday season.
However, eventually the once popular winter songs faded away, leaving only fond recollections of Take That’s Babe and B*Witched’s To You I Belong in the nostalgic minds of the aging millennials. According to Gennaro Castaldo of the British Phonographic Industry, “The top charts in December are now mostly filled with classic Christmas tunes,” leading other artists to be cautious of releasing new music during this time as it may not receive as much attention.
The X Factor used to be a popular platform for promoting new singles, but when Rage Against the Machine’s song beat Joe McElderry’s to the top spot, it became clear that listeners were tired of manufactured power ballads. Little Mix also didn’t release a ballad, signaling a shift in the industry where artists now have to release their singles early and take fewer risks. According to Cragg, ballads are no longer a priority, unless you’re Adele who seems to operate outside of industry norms and has successfully released two winter ballads in recent years, such as “Hello” and “Easy on Me.” “Hello” even has a black and white music video with a windswept aesthetic.
Is it possible for the music industry to return to the days of having a hit song through streaming and TikTok, without relying on traditional TV exposure? According to Cragg, it could happen occasionally, but it won’t be as easy as it was for pop acts in the past. Castaldo, on the other hand, is more optimistic and believes that there is always a chance for a comeback of that style of song with one big global hit. This would inspire songwriters and artists to adapt accordingly.
Regardless of the circumstances, we will always remember that time when acoustic guitars, songs about longing for someone, grand orchestras, warm coats, and a snowy music video (filmed in the previous July) dominated the winter music charts. It is unlikely that we will ever witness again the same wintry beauty found in S Club 7’s “Never Had a Dream Come True” – as Cragg puts it, “beautiful vocals, charming melodies, and exceptional coats” – but as the group themselves sang, there is no point in dwelling on the past or wondering.
Source: theguardian.com
