LEROY ANDERSON and MITCHELL PARISH's festive favourite SLEIGH RIDE has been named America's most popular Christmas tune for a second year running.
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) has released its latest list of most-played holiday songs from over 2,500 radio stations all over the U.S. and the 1940s pop song has beaten Winter Wonderland and Jingle Bell Rock to the top spot.
Sleigh Ride was originally written by Anderson and Parish as an instrumental piece for a symphony orchestra. The Boston Pops Orchestra gave the first performance in 1948, recorded it a year later and Parish added lyrics.
The top 10 most-played ASCAP holiday songs so far this holiday season are listed below, together with the most popular version:
1. Sleigh Ride performed by Leroy Anderson
2 Winter Wonderland performed by Eurythmics
3. Jingle Bell Rock performed by Bobby Helms
4. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year performed by Andy Williams
5. White Christmas performed by Bing Crosby
6. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas performed by The Carpenters
7. It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas performed by Bing Crosby
8. Frosty the Snowman performed by Jimmy Durante
9. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree performed by Brenda Lee
10. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting…) performed by Nat King Cole