EPISODE 397

It's an annual tradition: Every December, artists release their bids to join the hallowed halls of holiday music history. The gold standard remains Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You," which reportedly earns the pop star $2.5 million annually in royalties. This year's crop of seasonal offerings spans from ambitious originals to reimagined classics, with artists trying everything from AI-generated lyrics to funk renditions of Hanukah hymns. To evaluate this year's entries, we're introducing our definitive sleigh bell ranking system: five sleigh bells marks a future holiday classic destined to join Mariah in the pantheon, while one sleigh bell promises pop obscurity.

Songs Discussed

•Kelly Clarkson - You For Christmas

•Orville Peck - Happy Trails

•Conan Gray - Holidays

•Dan and Shay - Take Me Home for Christmas

•Amy Grant - Tennessee Christmas

•Kesha - Holiday Road

•Ben Folds - Xmas Aye Eye

•Jennifer Hudson - Santa for Someone