Our Top 10 Christmas Songs of All Time
Whether you love them, don’t really care, or just see them as a part of Christmas, it’s officially time for holiday songs in 2023. Some Christmas songs are really good, even though there’s also a bunch of not-so-great ones.
There are cool songs from the ‘40s to the ‘70s, when Christmas music was at its best. But even newer songs from later times, when people were more doubtful about stuff, have some really awesome ones too. Christmas vibes are everywhere—in pop, hip-hop, R&B, metal, punk, indie, you name it. As a present, we’ve put together a list of the absolute best Christmas songs. Ho ho ho, and have a joyful holiday season!
1. ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ by Mariah Carey
It’s hard to believe, but there was a time when Mimi’s inescapable ear worm was just a forgotten novelty song from yet another standard-issue pop-singer holiday album. Now, in a post Love Actually world, hearing ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ for the first time in a year is one of the most reliable signs that the holidays are here. The song came and went when released in 1995, but snowballed in cultural cachet in the aughts, slowly climbing in popularity every year before finally topping US charts in 2019 and the UK charts in 2020. Complaining about its ubiquity has become a pastime for killjoys at pubs, but it’s their loss: From the twinkly intro to Mariah’s tour-de-force delivery, everything here is as timeless as it is flawless.
2. ‘Fairytale of New York’ by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl
When was the last time you properly listened to Kirsty MacColl and The Pogues’ epic Big Apple-set fable? Shut your eyes and give it a go, and if you aren’t a nervous wreck by the fade-out, your heart (like that jumper from your nan) is two sizes too small. ‘Fairytale…’ is a perfect four-minute narrative of hope, despair and heartbreak – and, despite the profanity, it ends with love.
3. ‘Last Christmas’ by Wham!
A ballad of doomed romance, ‘Last Christmas’ features sleighbells and synths, plus some truly memorable knitwear in the video. But what really sets ‘Last Christmas’ apart is George Michael’s heart-on-sleeve delivery: his genuine heartbreak horror (‘My God! I thought you were someone to rely on’) and wistful, sexy whispers. The words ‘Merry Christmas’ never sounded so sultry.
4. ‘White Christmas’ by Bing Crosby
The power of Christmas nostalgia itself is greater than real memories. Hence, all of us can hark back with Bing on this Irving Berlin-penned ’40s number to a white Christmas just like the ones we used to know, even if our true past is full of crushing disappointments.
5. ‘Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)’ by Darlene Love
Is this the most moving Christmas tune of all time? Probably – the combination of Darlene Love’s impeccable pleading vocal, Phil Spector’s gloriously tinselly production and Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry’s magical songwriting could make anyone, even the biggest Scrooge, melt like a snowman under a hairdryer. It’s just an absolutely perfect Christmas song.
6. ‘Feliz Navidad’ by José Feliciano
Feliz Navidad is a criminally underrated Christmas song, despite apparently being one of the most played across the world. It’s been around for years and years, originally released way back in 1970, but its jaunty, cheerful energy has stood the test of time. The trumpets, the classic well-wishes belted in Spanish, the strum of the Puerto Rican cuatro? What a catchy, merry treat. Whack it on your Christmas playlists – it’ll really spread the joy.
7. ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’ by the Jackson 5
There are versions of this song by everyone from Bieber to Bublé, but Michael and the gang’s effort is the grooviest and the most fun. And since the song is mainly used as a bargaining tool by parents, it does make sense to have kids on the mic.
8. ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ by Brenda Lee
Being Jewish, songwriter Johnny Marks didn’t celebrate Christmas, but in the ’40s and ’50s he wrote some of the greatest Christmas songs of all time. Among them are ‘Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer,’ ‘I Heard The Bells of Christmas Day,’ and this – an easy-on-the-ear rock ’n’ roll tune sung by a 13-year-old Brenda Lee, which really needs no introduction.
9. ‘Wonderful Christmas Time’ by Paul McCartney
Good old Macca. Whereas Lennon could be relied upon to make impressive political statements (when he wasn’t laying about in bed all day), McCartney is the master of the charmingly naïve pop opus. This little ditty — which is essnetially Paul goofing around on a synth — isn’t going to shake up your festive paradigm, but it won’t half stick in your head.
10. ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ by Bobby Helms
Following its release in 1957, this rockabilly ditty topped the Christmas charts five years in a row, making it a veritable holiday classic even by the early ’60s. Today it retains a towering presence in the Christmas canon, as synonymous with the holiday as tinsel and paper crowns.
In the midst of the holiday melodies that captivate our hearts, whether you’re a fan, indifferent, or just going along with the festive flow, the 2023 Christmas song season brings a mix of classics and modern gems. From the golden era of the ‘40s to ‘70s to the more recent tunes from skeptical times, the spirit of Christmas has left its mark across various music genres. As we unwrap this musical gift, exploring the very best Christmas songs, let the joyous notes of the season resonate with you. Here’s to a harmonious and delightful holiday season for all!