For the past several years, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers has been tracking the radio play of its clients' holiday songs, and each November the organization announces its 25 most-played list over a five-year period.

(Not all songs are represented by ASCAP; John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" and Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You," for instance, are affiliated with BMI and thus aren't ranked.) Year to year it's a pretty stable list, with mostly the same songs appearing in a slightly different order.

Phil Crosland, ASCAP's executive vice president for marketing, has a theory as to why.

"It's a very tough list to break into, and it has to do with the memories," he said. "There's a sense that this holiday music transports us to a better place. I think what it does is it tends to set a certain mood and creates memories of magical holiday times that we've grown up with."

The most recent original song on the list is "Do They Know It's Christmas?" performed by Band Aid in 1984 (No. 24).

ASCAP's 25 most-played holiday tunes, as of November 2008 (with the performer of the most-played rendition):

1. "Winter Wonderland," Eurythmics

2. "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)," Nat "King" Cole

3. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," The Pretenders

4. "Sleigh Ride," The Ronettes

5. "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," Frank Sinatra

6. "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" Michael Bublé

7. "White Christmas," Bing Crosby

8. "Jingle Bell Rock," Bobby Helms

9. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," Gene Autry

10. "The Little Drummer Boy," The Harry Simeone Chorale & Orchestra

11. "It's the Most Wonderful Time of Year," Andy Williams

12. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," Brenda Lee

13. "Silver Bells," Kenny G

14. "I'll Be Home for Christmas," Amy Grant

15. "Feliz Navidad," Jose Feliciano

16. "Frosty the Snowman," The Ronettes

17. "A Holly Jolly Christmas," Burl Ives

18. "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas," Johnny Mathis

19. "Blue Christmas," Elvis Presley

20. "(There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays," Perry Como

21. "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," John Mellencamp

22. "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)," Gene Autry

23. "Carol of the Bells," David Foster

24. "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Band Aid

25. "This Christmas," Gloria Estefan