Monday Memo

A Byte of Knowledge

One big promotion isn't the only way to smash sales.

Sometimes all it takes is to keep showing up in front of your potential customers.

With fresh wins.

New case studies.

Better results.

Each tiny piece of proof adds up.

Like water wearing down a rock...

Your track record becomes impossible to ignore.

Your testimonials stack up.

Your success stories multiply.

And suddenly...

Those skeptical prospects start feeling like they're the ones missing out.

They see others winning day after day...

While they're stuck on the sidelines.

It's not about convincing them once.

It's about drowning them in proof until saying "no" becomes painful

🚀 Discover the 27 ‘Plug-and-Play’ AI Prompts Every Marketer Needs 

Something to Ponder

Here's a fascinating paradox about success...

The fiercer the competition...

The more people fight for "realistic" goals...

The harder they become to achieve.

Meanwhile, the truly audacious goals...

The ones that make most people shake their heads...

They often face less competition - making them, ironically, more achievable.

Are you competing in the crowded space of "reasonable" targets?

Or are you reaching for something bigger?

We Asked – AI Answered

Our Question: 

"Why are there no 'new' popular Christmas songs? 

AI's Answer:

1. Cultural Dominance of Nostalgia

• Nostalgia's Psychological Power: Studies show that nostalgia triggers dopamine release, evoking feelings of happiness, safety, and belonging—key emotional drivers during the holiday season.
  • Dr. Constantine Sedikides, a psychologist specializing in nostalgia, found that people naturally turn to nostalgic experiences in stressful times or celebrations (like Christmas).
• What This Means for Christmas Music:
  • Classics like “White Christmas” or “Jingle Bell Rock” are deeply tied to emotional memories—childhood, family traditions, holiday gatherings.
  • New songs, no matter how catchy, lack the decades-long emotional investment that gives older songs their staying power.

2. The “Cultural Canon” Effect

• Canonization: There’s a cultural phenomenon where certain works become “locked in” as part of tradition.
  • Example: “Silent Night” (1818) or “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1949) have been repeated for generations, becoming part of a “holiday canon” that feels untouchable.
• Why New Songs Struggle:
  • New songs must compete with a deeply entrenched playlist that people expect and demand every year.
  • Radio stations, playlists, and streaming platforms reinforce this cycle by heavily prioritizing the classics, reducing exposure for new entries.

Stat to Note: According to Spotify’s 2023 data, the top 10 most-streamed Christmas songs were all older than 30 years, with Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (1994) leading the charge.

3. The Power of Repetition in Music

• The Mere Exposure Effect: A psychological principle where people develop a preference for things they hear repeatedly.
  • Dr. Robert Zajonc, a psychologist, demonstrated that repeated exposure to a stimulus increases liking for it.
• How This Applies:
  • Older songs benefit from decades of annual exposure. People hear them repeatedly on the radio, at stores, and in movies, creating a positive feedback loop.
  • New songs can’t build this level of exposure fast enough, especially in a season where the window is short (December).

4. The “Mariah Carey Problem”

• The Benchmark for Modern Success: Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is the last universally successful “new” Christmas song, released in 1994.
  • It’s now a cultural phenomenon, generating over $2.5 million annually in royalties, according to Billboard.
• Why It’s an Outlier:
  • Carey perfectly captured the timeless sound of 1950s and 60s Christmas hits while still being modern.
  • This combination—familiar yet fresh—is incredibly difficult to replicate.
  • Songwriters today face the challenge of creating something “new” while still adhering to a nostalgic, traditional sound.

Fun Fact: Carey and her producers intentionally used old-school recording techniques to mimic Phil Spector’s 1960s “Wall of Sound” production style. 

5. Market Incentives Favor the Old

Commercial Saturation: Major retailers, streaming services, and radio stations prioritize what already works:

• Radio stations can lose listeners if they stray too far from the expected playlist.
• Streaming algorithms push already-popular songs because they generate more listens and revenue.
• Fewer Risks for Artists: New holiday music is a risk—listeners demand instant familiarity. As a result:
  • Artists focus on covers of classics rather than creating original songs.
  • According to a 2022 analysis by Nielsen Music, 80% of holiday albums released were cover-based.

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Until next time!

The AI Marketers