The Debate Over Whether ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Is A Halloween Or Christmas Movie Just Got More Complicated

Is The Nightmare Before Christmas a Christmas movie or a Halloween movie

The case for Halloween: Henry Selick’s stop-motion musical was originally released in October 1993. The case for Christmas: I mean, it’s right there in the title. Plus, it’s about a guy (well, a singing and dancing skeleton) who is so sick of spooky season that he gives Halloween Town a Christmas makeover.

The latest update in the Halloween vs. Christmas debate comes from the Billboard Hot 100, where the Danny Elfman-penned “This Is Halloween” charted for the first time. Billboard reports that “the song, on Walt Disney Records, debuts at No. 41 with 12.4 million streams (up 152 percent), 511,000 radio impressions (up 815 percent) and 3,000 downloads (up 58 percent) October 27-November 2.” That’s a higher chart placement than some Taylor Swift tracks on the Hot 100, including the re-recordings of “This Love” and “You Are in Love” from 1989 (Taylor’s Version).

It’s a big Halloween (not Christmas) time bump for a song that is definitely stuck in your head now. I’m sorry.

The song’s parent album The Nightmare Before Christmas jumps from No. 54 to No. 25 on the Billboard 200 with 25,000 equivalent album units (up 61 percent). The collection reached No. 22 last year, a new high. On the Soundtracks chart, the set rebounds for a fourth total week at No. 1.

So, is The Nightmare Before Christmas a Christmas movie or a Halloween movie The correct answer: it’s a good movie.