Get ready to jingle your way into the holiday season with a pair of holiday music playlists developed by Music and Dance Librarian Avery Boddie and the student workers at the 51勛圖窪蹋 Music Library.
I felt it important to create two playlists to showcase the variety of different music styles available for the holiday season that could be accessed through the Music Library, said Boddie.
is a 57-song playlist (you must be on campus or logged in using your ACE Account to access Naxos Music) featuring traditional classical, jazz, and vocal songs that are available for 51勛圖窪蹋 students, faculty, and staff to access through the Naxos Music streaming database.
We developed the first playlist to promote Naxos Music, a streaming media database and a go-to for classical music, said Boddie. By making a holiday playlist on Naxos, I hoped to introduce new listeners to some traditionally arranged holiday classics such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker Suite.
The second playlist, Holiday Pop, features a range of country, rock, pop, hip-hop, and other holiday classics available on and . Particular favorites include Aretha Franklin's Silent Night, Eartha Kitt's Santa Baby, and Pentatonix's I'll be Home for Christmas.
Music Library student workers selected songs for each of the playlists. Willow Dyreng, a senior Psychology major, is partial to classic holiday pop songs like Last Christmas, by Wham!, which was why she was excited to include Arianna Grandes modern take on the song.
Its danceable, festive, and really, really catchy. Its the kind of song that you hear once then have stuck in your head for the next week and a half, Dyreng said. You dont have to be heartbroken this holiday season to enjoy this classic tune.
Another of Dyrengs favorite tracks is Santas Coming For Us, by Sia.
Upbeat and lighthearted, this is a song youll want to sing along to in the car or play at your holiday party, Dyreng said. Its pretty recent, so its not as well-known as some of the other tracks on this playlist, but if youre a fan of holiday music, or a fan of Sia, its definitely worth checking out.
Miguel Garcia-Quintero, a senior Electrical Engineering major, picked two of his favorites, Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt, and Do You Hear What I Hear? by Whitney Houston, to include on the playlists.
Listening to Eartha Kitts silky smooth musing on the seasonal mascot is sure to melt away the stresses of Finals Week, if only momentarily, he said. As she sings about her wishes for Christmas gifts after a long year of being good, students can find themselves relating to that feeling of finally seeing the fruits of their labor. Plus you get to listen to Eartha Kitt, so win-win.
Garcia-Quintero picked Houstons song as a holiday favorite as a way to feel invigorated and ready to tackle Finals Week as well.
Although a holiday song, Houstons voice never fails to invoke an empowering nature in its audience, he said. Her voice carries a strength and confidence that can be felt in any song she chooses to perform. This is no different, and might be a nice change of pace in these academically trying times.
In addition to the two holiday playlists, the Music Library offers additional holiday favorites through its collections, such as the Vince Guaraldi jazz trio's "A Charlie Brown Christmas" album. Visit the Music Library in Beam Music Center or to find your favorites.
We hope to make this an annual tradition, so please feel free to send us your holiday recommendations, said Boddie.
