Perhaps the easiest genre to describe, holiday music is simply music created to be played during specific holiday seasons. And while its introduction may not require a lengthy description, holiday music is incredibly expansive stylistically. Holiday songs are performed in every genre of music, from pop to jazz to hip hop.

The most popular source of holiday music is Christmas. In fact, some Christmas songs date back centuries. The subject matter typically centers on the birth of Jesus Christ; common Christmas traditions like caroling, gift-giving and tree-decorating; or popular characters like Santa Claus and Frosty the Snowman.

Halloween is the second most common influence on holiday music. These songs range from silly, lighthearted pop singles to spooky, structureless sounds intended to create an unnerving, "haunted" atmosphere. Frequent themes include ghosts, monsters, vampires, death and the devil.