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Read The Wonder of Tech in The Philadelphia Inquirer at philly.com!
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If listening to music helps put you in the holiday spirit, you’re in luck. Options for listening to holiday tunes abound with tech. No longer do you have to depend on hearing your favorite holiday CD repeatedly. You can enjoy free holiday music from a wide variety of sources.
Pandora
Pandora is an internet radio service that plays holiday tunes with a personal station, based on your individual preferences, or a group station, based on your favorite music style. To start creating your personal holiday tunes station on Pandora, go to pandora.com and search for “holiday.” Pandora will suggest artists to select so you can begin to build your station. Give a thumbs up or down to tunes to help Pandora understand your musical tastes and refine your station to your liking.
You can also enjoy shared stations on Pandora. These are stations compiled by others who have created a station and shared it with others. In the holiday genre, check out A Classical Christmas, Peaceful Holidays, Rockin’ Holidays, Country Christmas and Jazz Holidays. You can turn these into your own stations by giving them a thumbs up or down, or leave them as shared stations.
On the Pandora app on your iPhone or Android phone, you can choose from Holiday Radio or Classical Christmas, which are both shared stations, or create your personal station.
Pandora is free, but you can upgrade to commercial-free listening for $36. Gift subscriptions are available here: Pandora Gift Subscriptions.
Spotify
Spotify internet radio also gives you free holiday music options. Spotify has compiled holiday playlists from eight different recording artists, including Kelly Clarkson and Maroon 5, for your listening pleasure. Check out their holiday playlists through their Facebook page: Spotify Holiday Playlists. You don’t have to Like their Facebook page or authorize them to post on your Facebook account to access their playlists.
Spotify is free, but a premium subscription, which gives you enhanced features such as listening offline and via an iPhone or Android app, is $10/month. Spotify gift cards are not yet available in the US.
NuTsie
To listen to the Top 100 Holiday Songs, check out the NuTsie website. The songs are shuffled, so you don’t listen to the songs in the same order each time you visit the site. No need to have an account or log in with NuTsie, just go to the site and start enjoying the music. You can pause or fast-forward the songs but you cannot rewind them. Any song you listen to can be purchased through iTunes with the click of a button.
TuneIn Stations
Local radio stations playing holiday music can be found on TuneIn Radio here: TuneIn Christmas Radio Stations. (For more information on TuneIn Radio, check here: TuneIn: Your Ideal Radio?)
Sirius XM
If you’re a Sirius XM subscriber, check out their holiday schedule with channels such as Holiday Pops, Holiday Soul (beginning December 16), Radio Hanukkah (beginning December 20), Country Christmas, Navidad, and Holly. Find out more information at Sirius XM Holiday Tunes
iPhone App
If you’re looking for an iPhone app, check out the app named Christmas in the iTunes App Store. This app gives you streaming Christmas music from radio stations as well as a Christmas countdown, ringtones, emoticons and wallpaper. Get the app free here: Christmas App
Android App
After you have listened to holiday music to your heart’s content, test your knowledge by downloading the Christmas Trivia Android app. This app quizzes you on classic and contemporary holiday music performances. You can choose from 10 to an unlimited number of questions in each game. When you’re done, you can compare your scores to others on the Leader Board. The app is free in the Android market. Christmas Trivia.
Does holiday music help put you in a festive spirit? Do you enjoy discovering new sources for holiday favorites? Let us know in the Comments section below!
Hi Crolyn,
I stream music from Poland now. lol. I have just found my MP3 player our though; the last time I used it was before eye surgery in 2009 to relax me. I was supposed to be sedated, i was so relaxed they said I didn’t need it. I was alert though, I spotted he had marked the wrong eye up.
I told the surgeon the joke about the man who had the wrong leg amputated, the surgeon came to him and said ” We have good news and bad news. The bad news is we cut the good leg off by mistake; the good news is your bad leg is getting better” 🙂
I was presented with a certificate by the mayor yesterday for my photographic effort in the competition. It was really good and there was a nice atmosphere; everyone liked my photograph and it was enlarged to go on display. My young friend talked to much, especially when I was trying to chat to the CEO of the trust! I think it will be an annual event and I am planning next years photo. This years has gone on the hospital Christmas card and so I’ll take a suitable photo for next year’s Christmas card. If it snows I’ll be out braving the weather! My snow pics are good.
I’m trying to decide whether to email the Arts coordinator and thank her for organising it so well; I have until Monday to decide. I’ll post a couple of pictures on my blog on Saturday.
Hi Mike, Wow, radio from Poland. Very cool!
Congratulations again on your recognition for your photography. It’s richly deserved. The mayor should be very proud of you as you display the area so beautifully in your photos.
I look forward to seeing more of your pictures on Saturday!
Hi Carolyn,
Once again, awesome post here. 🙂 I am a huge fan of Spotify. I was introduced to it not to long ago, and it has been wonderful. I am able to catch all of my favorites at the click of a mouse, and also run across a few new tunes that I haven’t had the chance to hear.
The fact that the holidays is coming up, you’re absolutely right about these new sources being the way to go. Nowadays you don’t really need a CD player, just input your choice and enjoy the sounds. 🙂 I tell ya, technology is ever changing; I’m glad you’re here to give your readers a heads up on what’s new.
I’ll have to check out the other’s. I’ve heard of each of them, but have yet to give them a try. Thanks for providing the links. 🙂
Hi Deeone, Yes, Spotify is a fantastic service. I’m so glad you are enjoying Spotify and were able to discover some other music sources through this article.
You’re right, technology is changing rapidly. Who knows what sources for holiday music we will have next year? 🙂
Hey Carolyn, this is an awesome post. Thank you.
I have seen people use Spotify, but haven’t had a chance myself, especially my internet connection has been sporadic at best! But I am looking forward to using it once I move (hopefully the next few months).
Hi Neeraj, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Having an unreliable internet connection is very frustrating. I hope your new home has a stellar internet service!
I have tested Pandora, and I liked it a lot. But, I’m sticking with Spotify (I have 39 invitations left, let me know if you want some more for your readers or friends). I have just bought a radio for the kitchen. A Logitech SqueezeBox, I use it for Spotify and to get some awesome radiostations from Sweden and the US.
Hi Jens, I know you’re a big Spotify fan! In fact, I thought of you when I wrote this piece. Are you listening to holiday playlists on Spotify?
Right now in the US, you don’t need an invitation to sign up for Spotify, so you should save your invitations for listeners in countries where an invitation is required. But thank you very much for your generosity!
That’s great that you got a Squeezebox. Can I ask why you got that instead of a dock for your iPhone or iPad? Just curious. I know the Squeezebox has many fans and would like to know what you like about it.
I’m not listenting to holiday playlists at the moment, but I probably will soon. Right now I’m listenting to the readio feature at spotify and it’s mostly rock. I love to listen to rock while writing.
The reason I bought the squeezebox is because my wife and kids are listening to it as well. And we only have one iPhone and one iPad. I know what would happen if we should be using them for music at home as well. We listen to music on them, but in the kitchen it’s all about the squeezebox right now.
By the way, I have just bought an incredible app called Notes Plus on my iPad. I use it for my novel, and to outline some of my blog posts (I bought it two days ago). And I have bought a pen from Belkin to draw and write using Notes Plus. This is awesome.
Hi Jens, Great reason. I would also be afraid that if you left your iPad in the dock, your kids might see that as an excuse to “borrow” it.
I have Notes Plus but haven’t used it much. I have a stylus so maybe using that would make for a better experience.
Thanks for your brilliant suggestion, Jens!
Hi Carolyn. Thanks for the in-depth reviews on listening to music with tech! I’ve used Pandora, iTunes and Spotify, my son does Spotify and iTunes, my husband has Sirius XM. Right now, my favorite is Spotify; listening to it as I write. Love my music, and love having it where ever I go!
Hi Carol, You’re welcome! Wow, you have a lot of tech resources at your disposal. Why do you, like Jens, prefer Spotify over Pandora, iTunes and Sirius? I am fascinated by people’s preferences for radio services. There are so many out there, with more on the horizon, and I would love to know why one is preferable to the other in your mind.
I’m a Pandora fan, but I clearly haven’t explored Spotify as much as I should!
Radio Hanukkah!?!?!? I am a Sirius subscriber, so I need some of THAT! Seriously, I appreciate the Christmas songs, but when the holidays roll around, I can’t help but feel (as a Jewish person) a little bit inundated with Xmas cheer. I think that a station devoted to Hanukkah music (though it’s hard for me to believe there is enough to comprise an entire station or program) might be welcome. Thanks for bringing it to my attention, Carolyn!
Hi Ruth, I thought it was very cool Sirius had a Hanukkah channel. I’m not Jewish, but I want to check it out when it comes live on December 20. Tune into Channel 147 then and hear what music they will play!
I hope you enjoy the music, Ruth!
Hello Carolyn, do you know if Pandora Radio broadcast online also? I’m preparing my Christmas Carols already and i like to record some songs 🙂
Hi Radu, Yes, Pandora Radio is online at pandora.com. You can either listen through the site or download software to your computer for more features. You can also listen through an app on a smartphone or a tablet.
Happy holidays!
Hi Carolyn,
My music app is called TuneIn Radio and my favourite is planet Rock Radio from UK that starts 6:30 UK time. They play really great rock music and people like Alice Cooper ( imagine that ) are RJying there. It is an awesome radio. Recently they came up with their android and iphone app but I like Tune In much better.
I also like the idea of being able to create a list of your choice of tracks and then create a radio out of it. It is really cool and time to check it out :).
If you write on music, surely you can count on my opinion.
Thanks and have a great day 🙂
Hi Ashvini, I’m glad you like TuneIn Radio also. It’s a really great app/website. I hadn’t heard that Alice Cooper was an RJ. Very cool!
Thanks for sharing with us, Ashvini!
Hi Carolyn
I guess that there is no excuse not to get in the right mood for Christmas with all those options for listen to Christmas music. I really am using Internet radio more and more these days. It seems like the sky is the limit for free Internet radio 🙂
Hi Thomas, So true. With all of these choices for Christmas music, why not enjoy them and get into the holiday spirit?
There are an increasing number of free choices for internet radio services. We’re edging closer and closer to what Napster was doing a while ago.
I’ve been using the Pandora and Spotify playlists.
As Tony the Tiger would say, “They’rrrrreeeee GREAT!”
Thanks for posting the others, I’ll have to check them out.
Hi Bryce, Yes, those services are fantastic. It’s hard to believe they’re free. I hope you enjoy the other services too!
Have a super weekend, Bryce!
I’ve been listening to Pandora for a few years now Carolyn. See, I did already know one of them. I believe you and Jens hooked me up with Spotify. I’ve yet to really use it though I’m afraid.
I am familiar with Sirius but don’t have a subscription and I’m not familiar with the other ones I’m afraid. I do love Pandora though and will have to load my station up again this year with Christmas tunes. But I do have some really cool CD’s an old friend made for me with Christmas tunes that I just love to death. It just never seems to get old at all.
Thanks for these tips though. I know others will love finding new places for music.
Have a fabulous weekend Carolyn!
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne, Have you thought about loading those Christmas CD’s onto iTunes so you can enjoy your music on your iPod Touch? Just an idea…
Enjoy your tunes, Adrienne! 🙂
Cool beans, I do have Pandora and Spotify; I might have to check out the iPhone app too.
Where do you come up with this stuff; you truly are the Wonder of Tech……..:).
Ho ho ho; happy weekend.
Great question, Bill! I had a Christmas Music app by NuTsie that was my inspiration for this post. I’ve had the app for years, but when I went to the iTunes App Store, it was gone. I still wanted to write a Christmas music post, so I researched where readers could find the music for free.
You should definitely check out the Pandora iPhone app. The Spotify app is only for premium users.
You have a very happy weekend too, Santa Bill! 🙂