Update: Third round voting ended on Nov. 21. On to the semifinal!
Underdogs, upsets — you don’t have to wait for March Madness to get your tournament fix! The third round of our annual Carol Countdown has proven to be just as exciting with beloved Christmas carols battling it out to be crowned Colorado’s favorite.
We’re down to eight carols, and the matchups in each of our four divisions are gripping. In the Candy Cane division, we have an earlier replay of last year’s Final Four matchup: “Carol of the Bells” faces off against “O Holy Night” — which triumphed over “Silent Night” to become the superior “Night.” While “Carol of the Bells” was last year’s champion, “O Holy Night” has been a frequent winner in past years, so it’s anyone’s game!
Elsewhere, several underdogs have risen through the ranks. The Figgy Pudding division has a contemporary clash between “Sleigh Ride” and “The Christmas Song”, neither of which has typically advanced this far in past years. Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise, though — both are in the top 10 most performed holiday songs from 1966-2016 according to the American Society of Composers and Publishers.
Fun fact, though: Many popular versions of “Sleigh Ride” don’t mention a holiday anywhere in the lyrics! And you might not even realize “The Christmas Song” is one of your favorites, since most people think it’s called “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.”
Other underdogs include “Silver Bells” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem” in the Snowman and Eggnog divisions, neither of which has made it this far in Carol Countdown history. Can they take on the juggernaut hymns “Joy to the World” or “Angels We Have Heard on High?”
Only eight carols are left, but the best is still so tough to decide! We need your help to crown a champion — vote for your favorite songs in the interactive bracket below and stay tuned to see which advance.
Third-round voting is open until midnight Nov. 21. We’ll announce the carols that move on and open voting for Round 4 on Nov. 25. Voting will continue until we declare a champ on Dec. 7. And don’t forget to listen to CPR Classical’s Carol Countdown on Wednesday, Dec. 7 starting at 3 p.m.!
Hear CPR Classical by clicking “Listen Live” at the top on this website, or download the Colorado Public Radio app. Listen on your radio to CPR Classical at 88.1 FM in Denver, at radio signals around Colorado. You can also tell your smart speaker to “Play CPR Classical."
