"Early Christmas Craze: Music Industry and Cher Push for October Start"
Cher and other artists are releasing Christmas albums in October to maximize sales during the limited holiday music sales window. Labels release holiday music early to meet the demand of physical retailers and cater to consumers who start their holiday shopping early. Christmas music is big business, with revenues estimated at $177 million in 2018. Record labels strategically plan holiday releases and focus on Christmas music specifically, aiming to find enduring hits. Getting Christmas music on streaming playlists is crucial for reaching new audiences. Despite some resistance, the trend of releasing Christmas albums in October is likely to continue due to the popularity of streaming and consumer demand.