John Lewis Christmas advert reveals music as a time machine that creates connection

John Lewis Christmas Advert Reveals Music as a Time Machine

Music is intimately linked with our sense of identity and belonging, functioning as an emotional map of one’s life. The John Lewis Christmas advert has become an enduring part of the festive season, much like tinsel or crackers.

These adverts act as short films that evoke emotion rather than focus on products. They draw audiences through feelings of nostalgia, sentiment, and human connection.

This Year’s Story

The 2025 advert tells the story of a teenage boy who buys his father a vinyl record. This touching gesture becomes a way to explore themes of family, memory, and how music helps us travel through time and revisit the past to better understand ourselves.

Insights from Research

At York St John University, the Music, Memory, and Narrative Research Group has spent the last decade studying these very connections. Through projects such as Music, Memory and Memoir and Venue Stories, the team collected personal accounts of how music shapes identity.

“When people tell stories about music, they are also telling stories about themselves: where they were, who they were, and what this means for their older selves.”

This research demonstrates how music intertwines with memory and place, allowing individuals to construct meaning from their past and present lives.

Author’s Summary

Music in the John Lewis Christmas advert mirrors research showing how melodies connect memory, emotion, and identity, turning sound into a bridge across time and experience.

The Conversation — 2025-11-11