How to Plan and Play the Right Christmas Music for Your Business
The holiday season is a great time to engage consumers. Holiday-themed specials, sales, deals, and events are all great ways to boost your business around Christmastime — but what about the music? In recent years, businesses have been one of the few places where consumers will still consistently hear Christmas music during the holiday season. While there have always been those who do not love hearing White Christmas in November, Christmas music is an inevitable — and indispensable — part of the consumer shopping experience.
At Custom Channels, we understand that different businesses have different needs when it comes to bringing holiday cheer to your customers and staff. Christmas music, like many things, is all about balance. Some of our Ethos customers start blending in Christmas music — a few songs every hour — just before Thanksgiving. Some All Access customers tune into 100% Christmas songs for the whole month of December. And some ReMix customers schedule all of their Christmas music on Friday afternoons. With Custom Channels, you are in control. Whether you want to play Christmas music in your business year-round or never hear it at all, our platform makes it easy.
Don’t Fall Behind in Planning for Christmas Music
The best time to start planning your Christmas music is early in the fourth quarter. Q4 is typically the busiest and most profitable time of the year for most businesses, so core planning for the holidays should begin by late Q3. Music can come together faster than inventory, décor, or promotions — but it still requires forethought.
By October, your business should have a clear idea of when you want Christmas music to start (before or after Thanksgiving? early December?). By November, decide how much Christmas music to play (100% holiday? 50/50 mix?). Finally, determine which styles and which songs best fit your brand and audience. Working with a professional music-for-business provider makes this process more efficient, consistent, and stress-free.
And do not forget — like any other music played in your business, Christmas songs must be fully licensed with BMI, ASCAP, and other performing rights organizations. Even feel-good classics like Jingle Bell Rock and Silent Night require proper licensing for public performance. Your qualified music service provider should handle all of this for you. At Custom Channels, we take care of all licensing, reporting, and royalties as part of our full-service offering — so you can focus on your business and your customers.
There’s Great Holiday Songs — and Not So Jolly Ones
In addition to providing control over how much holiday music plays, we make sure that all of our Christmas playlists are curated specifically for business environments. Our programming eliminates inappropriate or overly long versions that disrupt the atmosphere. You will not hear an obscure cover of Frosty The Snowman or a 10-minute choral rendition of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen unless you want them. We keep the vibe festive, familiar, and in tune with your customers’ expectations. And if you do have special favorites, we can easily add them back in to personalize your mix.
Bring Holiday Cheer — Your Way
However you and your customers want to enjoy the holidays, Custom Channels is here to help. Whether you want a subtle seasonal blend or an all-out Christmas celebration, our experts curate the right sound for your space. Our Ethos and ReMix services make it simple to schedule and customize your holiday playlists across every location.
“Let us embrace our inner Mariah Carey in peace — all we want for Christmas is to enjoy the spirit how we want, for as long as we want.”
Ready to Sound Like the Holidays?
Start planning your perfect seasonal soundtrack today. Talk to our team to learn how Custom Channels can deliver fully licensed, brand-aligned Christmas music for your business this season.
