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Do you think Nov. 1 is too early for radio stations to play Christmas music?
- Yes! Wait until after Thanksgiving!
- Heck no! It's never too early for Christmas music!
At precisely 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 1, Albany radio station WPBZ (103.9 The Breeze) officially made the switch to non-stop Christmas music to the jubilation - and annoyance - of many.
“Grinches beware, Mariah’s on-air,” the station said on its website, referencing Mariah Carey’s 1994 megahit, All I Want for Christmas Is You.
“We’re proud to be the first station in the Capital Region to go all-Christmas. There’s no such thing as ‘too-soon’ for the most wonderful time of the year,” said Cameron Coats, host of the station’s Cameron in the Morning show.
“I put the tree up in the studio, the stockings are hung by the mics with care, and I’ve claimed the crisper drawer in the break room fridge for my eggnog.”
Matty Jeff, WPBZ’ director of content, justified the early format change by saying the station wanted to tap into the joy of the season as early as possible after what had been “another crazy year for upstate New Yorkers.”
“We are looking forward to bringing merriment to our listeners all over the Capital Region with non-stop Christmas classics and holiday favorites,” he said.
News of the switch was met with mostly positive reactions on the station’s Facebook page, with the exception of one tongue-in-cheek commenter.
“Wait! What about all the Thanksgiving music???” Steve Phillips wrote.
The all-Christmas format will continue through Sunday, Dec. 25, before the station switches back to its regular programming of “relaxing favorites at work” on Monday, Dec. 26.
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