New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ ASCAP Official Wensite) With just three days left until Christmas, ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) released its final listing of 2010's most-played holiday songs, based on performance data tracked by airplay monitoring service, Mediaguide, from over 2,500 radio stations nationwide.
From 10/1/10 to 12/19/10, "Sleigh Ride" has aired 174,758 times, making it the most-played holiday song on radio for the second year in a row. "Sleigh Ride" was played 118,918 times during the same time period last year.
Commenting on the news, Mrs. Eleanor Anderson, widow of Leroy Anderson and President of Woodbury Music Company, publisher of many of Mr. Anderson's compositions, said: "Leroy conceived of 'Sleigh Ride' one hot July day in 1946. He was digging trenches in an attempt to locate an abandoned pipe that might bring water toa dried-up well that served our small Connecticut cottage. He didn't find the pipe, but he came in saying he hadthe idea for a new composition. He thought he would begin it with rhythmic sleigh bells. So, he didn't find the pipe, but he found 'Sleigh Ride' instead. None of us could have guessed that it could just ride on and on, and become the most-played holiday song in 2010."
The top 10 most-played ASCAP holiday songs are:
1. "Sleigh Ride" - played 174,758 times
Written by Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish
Most popular artist version performed by Leroy Anderson
2. "Winter Wonderland" - played 156,441 times
Written by Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith
Most popular artist version performed by Eurythmics
3. "Jingle Bell Rock" - played 135,200 times
Written by Joseph Carleton Beal, James Ross Boothe
Most popular artist version performed by Bobby Helms
4. "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" - played 124,883 times
Written by Edward Pola, George Wyle
Most popular artist version performed by Andy Williams
5. "White Christmas" - played 113,290 times
Written by Irving Berlin
Most popular artist version performed by Bing Crosby
6. "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" - played 108,964 times
Written by Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin
Most popular artist version performed by The Carpenters
7. "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" - played 101,433 times
Written by Meredith Willson
Most popular artist version performed by Bing Crosby
8. "Frosty the Snowman" - played 88,546 times
Written by Steve Nelson, Walter E. Rollins
Most popular artist version performed by Jimmy Durante
9. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - played 87,736 times
Written by: Johnny Marks
Most popular artist version performed by Brenda Lee
10. "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting...)" - played 84,049 times
Written by Mel Torme, Robert Wells
Most popular artist version performed by Nat King Cole
