“Their voices blend beautifully, capturing the holiday spirit” — Bing Crosby’s family shares excitement over BTS' V’s ‘White Christmas’ collaboration

On November 7, 2024, Billboard announced that BTS' Kim Taehyung will duet with Bing Crosby on a posthumous project, singing White Christmas. The song, set for release on December 6, 2024, under Geffen Records and Universal Music Group, was originally recorded for the 1942 film Holiday Inn and included in Crosby's 1945 Merry Christmas album. The late icon, also featured in the 1954 film White Christmas, is survived by his children, Harry and Mary Crosby.

In their statement to Billboard, Mary praised BTS' Taehyung's voice and emphasized how well his voice blends with her father's.

“As a family, we are thrilled to have V and Dad singing together on this ultimate Christmas song. Their voices blend beautifully, capturing the holiday spirit in the best possible way.”

Harry Crosby added:

“We are happy that V will help share the joy of this timeless Christmas song.”

The posthumous collaboration arrives 79 years later of the song's original release. It also makes Taehyung the first Korean and K-pop act to collaborate with a late American icon who was also indicted in the Hit Parade Hall of Fame in 2027 and the Western Music Hall of Fame in 2008.

White Christmas 1942 Decca Records version by Bing Crosby and The Ken Darby Singers was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1974.

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Remembering Bing Crosby: The legacy of an American music and film icon

As one of the most influential entertainers of the 20th century, Bing Crosby left an indelible mark on music, film, and broadcast media, reshaping the landscape of popular entertainment. Bing Crosby’s musical legacy is unparalleled, with over 1,600 recorded songs and 400 hit singles. His 1942 recording of White Christmas remains the best-selling single of all time, with over 50 million copies sold worldwide.

Significantly, on April 30, 1975, White Christmas was played on Armed Forces Radio as a covert, pre-planned signal that prompted the United States to leave Saigon. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the song became the world's best-selling single in 1955 and still holds the title even after 50 years.

White Christmas was featured on National Public Radio's "NPR 100" in 1999, aimed to gather the top 100 American musical compositions of the 20th century. According to RIAA members, Bing Crosby's rendition of the song became No. 2 on the Songs of the Century list.

In addition to his holiday hit, Crosby's other chart-toppers include Swinging on a Star, Pennies from Heaven, and Don't Fence Me In. His influence extended to later artists, including Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, who credited him as a primary influence on their careers.

Bing Crosby was equally successful on the silver screen, earning an Academy Award for Best Actor in 1944 for his role as Father Chuck O'Malley in Going My Way. He reprised the role in The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945), opposite Ingrid Bergman, which earned him another Academy Award nomination.

He also starred in the highly successful Road to... film series alongside Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. The seven-part comedy series, which began with Road to Singapore in 1940, showcased his comedic timing and natural chemistry with Hope, creating a beloved cinematic duo.

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In addition to music and film, Bing Crosby was a pioneer in broadcast media and his popular radio show, The Bing Crosby Show was a groundbreaking concept at the time. His contributions to music, film, and media are widely recognized, with honors including three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1963), and a place in the Grammy Hall of Fame.