CHICAGO (11/25/24) – This holiday season, AccuRadio, one of the world’s leading online radio services, is stepping up to protect listeners from the ultimate seasonal pitfall: Hearing the song “The Little Drummer Boy.”
“We have a foolproof plan to help our listeners stay safe from that song this holiday season,” announced Kurt Hanson, Founder and CEO of AccuRadio.
AccuRadio’s initiative supports the Little Drummer Boy Challenge — a playful annual game in which countless holiday music lovers aim to avoid hearing “The Little Drummer Boy” for as long as possible, from 12:01am local time on Black Friday through 11:59pm on December 23rd. The challenge, originally born in Silicon Valley tech circles, has become a cherished holiday tradition, uniting music fans across the globe.
To aid participants in their quest, AccuRadio is launching a set of “safe zone” Holiday Music channels that feature all the festive classics listeners love, with one notable exception: “The Little Drummer Boy” is completely off the playlist.
“We want holiday music fans to have a safe space to enjoy their favorite holiday songs without fear of losing the challenge,” Hanson said.
For those feeling mischievous, AccuRadio is also introducing a specially-disguised channel that will actually play nothing but dozens of versions of “The Little Drummer Boy,” perfect for pranking friends. “We call it getting drum-rolled,” explained Paul Maloney, AccuRadio’s VP/Programming. (Fortunately for the person being pranked, the rules of the challenge state that being pranked doesn’t count as a loss—for the victim, at least. The successful prankster, however, is out.)
Todd Manley, VP/Promotion at AccuRadio, emphasized the platform’s commitment to its listeners: “In a world where online safety can be challenging to find, we’re making it easy for holiday music fans to enjoy their season with true peace of mind.”
AccuRadio’s “safe zone” channels are a new addition this year to what is already the most extraordinary collection of holiday music channels available anywhere. AccuRadio offers over 125 curated (and personalizable) Christmas music channels focusing on specific genres, decades, regions, tempos, and themes — making it the ultimate destination for holiday music enthusiasts.
This amazing assortment of holiday music channels can be found on the web HERE and on AccuRadio’s iPhone and Android mobile apps.
About AccuRadio
Launched in 2000 (making it one of the earliest pioneers in online audio) by radio market researcher and RAIN News publisher Kurt Hanson, alongside FM rock radio programmer Paul Maloney, AccuRadio was built to showcase the variety and personalization made possible by internet radio. The service offers over 1,400 human-curated music channels, all customizable and designed by a team of music lovers, musicians, and genre experts — not algorithms. With over a million unique users per month, AccuRadio is home to the most adult, upscale, and loyal audience in online music.
About the Song
“The Little Drummer Boy,” originally titled “Carol of the Drum” and known for its iconic “Pah-rum-pum-pum-pum” lyric, was composed in 1941 by American classical music composer Katherine Kennicott Davis. It gained popularity when recorded by the Trapp Family Singers in 1951, but it was the 1958 version by the Harry Simeone Chorale that cemented its status as a Christmas classic. Over the years, the song has been covered by hundreds of artists, from Bing Crosby & David Bowie’s unforgettable duet to modern renditions by Pentatonix and Josh Groban. Many of these will be available on AccuRadio’s upcoming “One-Song Radio: Little Drummer Boy” channel, which will play dozens of unique versions of the song.
About the Little Drummer Boy Challenge
The Little Drummer Boy Challenge originated in Silicon Valley in the late 1990s as a playful holiday tradition among tech enthusiasts. The premise was simple: avoid hearing any version of “The Little Drummer Boy” for as long as possible during the holiday season. Initially an inside joke among tech circles, the challenge spread as the internet grew, evolving into a global phenomenon. Social media has amplified its reach, fostering a self-sustaining community of participants who share their “losses,” strategize survival techniques, and debate what counts as an official rendition. According to littledrummerboychallenge.com, this year’s contest begins at 12:01pm local time on Black Friday and continues until 11:59pm on December 23.
