Holiday Music Mysteries: Is ‘A Long December’ A Christmas Song? Does Bryan Adams’ ‘Reggae Christmas’ Really Exist?

From the glories of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” to the it-kinda-grows-on-you proto-chillwave oddness of Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime,” the new episode of our IndieLand Music Now podcast takes on the ever-expanding canon of Christmas and holiday songs.

Rob Sheffield and Brittany Spanos join host Brian Hiatt for the discussion, which also touches on essential Christmas-song mysteries, including the existence of Bryan Adams’ “Reggae Christmas” and the weirdly intense catalog of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. They also debate whether “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” is beautiful or just way, way too sad.

Along the way, the episode touches on songs by Taylor Swift, Run-DMC, Chuck Berry, DMX, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, James Brown, Counting Crows, Bob Dylan, and many, many more.

To hear the entire episode, press play above, or listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

Download and subscribe to our weekly podcast, IndieLand Music Now, hosted by Brian Hiatt, on Apple Podcasts or Spotify (or wherever you get your podcasts), and check out three years’ worth of episodes in the archive, including in-depth, career-spanning interviews with Bruce Springsteen, Halsey, Neil Young, Snoop Dogg, Brandi Carlile, Phoebe Bridgers, Rick Ross, Alicia Keys, the National, Ice Cube, Robert Plant, Dua Lipa, Questlove, Killer Mike, Julian Casablancas, Sheryl Crow, Johnny Marr, Scott Weiland, Liam Gallagher, Alice Cooper, Fleetwood Mac, Elvis Costello, John Legend, Donald Fagen, Phil Collins, Justin Townes Earle, Stephen Malkmus, Sebastian Bach, Tom Petty, Eddie Van Halen, Kelly Clarkson, Pete Townshend, Bob Seger, the Zombies, Gary Clark Jr., and many others — plus dozens of episodes featuring genre-spanning discussions, debates, and explainers with IndieLand’s critics and reporters. Tune in every Friday at 1 p.m. ET to hear IndieLand Music Now broadcast on SiriusXM’s Volume, channel 106.