The 12 Months of Christmas: For Labels, Marketing Holiday Music Is a Year-Round Effort
Getty Images Drivers on the northbound 405 in Los Angeles can’t miss a deep-red billboard that stands out amid the gray of Culver City. Against a forest-green wreath with gold and silver ornaments, it shows a figure dressed in red — not Santa, but Mariah Carey, promoting her Magical Christmas Special, available exclusively on the Apple TV+ subscription service. The Queen of Christmas is defending her realm because streaming has turned the holiday season into the most lucrative time of the year — but just for a relatively small number of recordings. Last year, between Halloween and Chri...