Most release campaigns are built around what is new.

You release a song, promote it, work it for a while and eventually move on to the next one.

Holiday music gets another chance every year.

At Syntax, we have clients whose seasonal catalogs come back to life every holiday season. In some cases, those artists or labels are no longer actively releasing music, yet their older holiday recordings continue generating meaningful annual income.

That makes holiday music a little different from the rest of your catalog.

Why holiday music keeps coming back

Holiday listening is seasonal by nature. Once people start decorating, traveling, shopping, cooking and gathering, many of them return to familiar Christmas and holiday music.

That creates an annual opportunity for both established favorites and newer seasonal releases.

A holiday song also does not need to become “All I Want for Christmas Is You” to be worthwhile. The real opportunity is building something that has another natural reason to be discovered every year.

So if you already have holiday music in your catalog, do not treat it like an old release that had its chance.

Bring it back.

10 ways to work your holiday catalog every year

1. Check your metadata

Metadata is the information attached to a release, including the artist, song title, writers, genre and other details used by digital music services.

Make sure everything is accurate before the season begins.

If the service or your distributor supports a holiday or Christmas genre classification and it accurately describes the release, use it. However, do not start stuffing words like “Christmas” or “holiday” into titles or other metadata fields where they do not belong.

Accurate metadata helps services understand what the release actually is.

2. Give an older song a new reason to be heard

You do not need to rerecord a holiday song every December.

Still, a genuinely new version can make sense when there is a creative reason for it.

You might record:

• an acoustic version
• a live performance
• a duet with another artist
• a new arrangement
• a music video or performance video

A new recording also creates a new release that your team can market on its own merits.

If you decide to release something new for the holidays, do not wait until December to start thinking about it. Our guide to the best time to release music explains why planning ahead gives your team more opportunities.

3. Look for sync opportunities

Sync licensing is the process of licensing music for use with visual media such as television, movies, advertisements, games and online video.

Holiday movies, television specials and commercials all need seasonal music.

A good placement can introduce an older recording to a completely new audience while also generating licensing revenue.

That does not mean every Christmas song is destined for the next holiday movie. It does mean seasonal music has a recurring use case that much of your catalog does not.

4. Work holiday playlists

Holiday playlists return every year too.

Your distributor may have opportunities to repitch or resurface catalog with DSP editors. Independent curators also refresh their seasonal playlists as the holidays approach.

You can also create your own holiday playlist and mix your music with other songs that genuinely fit the theme.

Our guide to creating and growing your own playlist goes deeper into building something listeners have a reason to follow.

Start early. By the time everybody else remembers it is Christmas, many holiday campaigns are already well underway.

5. Use the catalog tools the DSPs give you

Some DSPs give artists ways to put attention back on older music without pretending it is new.

For example, Spotify Showcase can be used to promote eligible catalog releases and even includes “Seasonal vibes” as a campaign occasion for music tied to a particular time of year.

Pandora also gives artists catalog-focused promotional tools through Pandora AMP. Its Featured Tracks program can provide eligible songs with increased exposure in Pandora stations, including older catalog that qualifies.

Tools change, so check your artist dashboards each season and see what is available.

6. Bring the song back to social media

You are allowed to talk about a song more than once in its lifetime.

When the holidays return, so does the context for the music.

Use Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and the platforms where your audience actually spends time. You might share an old recording story, a new performance, a favorite memory, an alternate version or something that connects the song to this year’s holiday season.

The goal is not to repost the same “STREAM NOW” graphic every December.

Give people a new way into the song.

7. Give fans something they can participate in

User-generated content (UGC) is content created by fans rather than by the artist or their team.

Holiday music is naturally useful for things people are already filming: decorating, cooking, traveling, family gatherings, gift exchanges and plenty of other seasonal moments.

If your song works naturally with those moments, give fans permission to have fun with it.

Our guide to user-generated content for musicians has more ideas for encouraging participation without trying to manufacture a viral moment.

8. Use paid promotion when it makes sense

Seasonal music gives you a clear reason to revisit an older release with advertising.

You might promote a strong video on Facebook or Instagram, revisit audiences that have already interacted with the artist or test content around listeners who respond to similar holiday music.

Do not assume that adding money automatically makes the campaign work.

Start with a clear audience and a clear reason for somebody to care.

Our guide to using social media ads without going broke explains how to test before scaling your spending.

9. Record a public-domain holiday song

A public-domain composition is a song whose copyright protection has expired or otherwise does not apply, allowing the underlying composition to be used without obtaining permission from a copyright owner.

Many traditional Christmas songs are in the public domain in the United States, including compositions such as “Silent Night” and “Jingle Bells.”

That can give an artist the opportunity to record a familiar song in their own style without licensing the underlying public-domain composition.

However, be careful about arrangements.

The original song may be in the public domain while somebody else’s newer arrangement or recording is still protected by copyright. Create your own arrangement or make sure the version you are using is also cleared.

If you want a better understanding of the rights involved in a song, our Academy article on the six exclusive rights of a songwriter explains the basic copyright framework.

10. Play a holiday show

Take a break from the regular set list and give people an actual Christmas show.

Add hot chocolate. Stir it with candy canes. We are not here to stop you.

Even somebody who has never heard of you probably has some relationship with Christmas music.

A live show gives existing fans a new experience and gives new listeners an easy way to connect with the artist. It can also create new videos, photos and stories that you can use throughout the season.

Most importantly, it puts actual people in a room with the music.

Do it again next year

This is the part that makes holiday music unusual.

You are not trying to squeeze everything out of the song during one release cycle.

Every year gives you another chance to put it in front of listeners.

Some years that may mean a new video. Another year could bring a collaboration, playlist opportunity, sync placement or live show. Sometimes the right move is simply reminding people that the song exists.

Keep watching the data and learning which seasonal songs come back strongest.

Then, when the holidays roll around again, you already know where to start.

This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Copyright and public-domain status can vary by composition, arrangement and territory. If you are unsure whether music is available for a particular use, consult a qualified attorney.