It’s after Thanksgiving, and we will be bombarded with Christmas music. This is my list of Christmas music that I can listen to on repeat, and I probably do. While it’s only 10 songs, I still think there is going to be some competition with songs. I will exclude from this list, covers because they’re not original and also I hate most of them Last Christmas by Ariana Grande or whoever. Also, one song per artist so no overflow of Mariah Carey…or others. Now, here is my top ten Christmas songs.
10)Feliz Navidad by Jose Feliciano
Honestly, the only thing people remember from it (aka me) is the “Feliz Navidad” which, is the title. I don’t dislike the song it’s just very bottom but I still say it gets me in the mood for Christmas with its upbeat tune and catchy lyrics. I don’t have much to say about the song besides that it’s a bit forgettable but also I like the song a lot because I can’t remember it.
9) Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee
This is a little bit higher, because I like her voice. I can listen to it sometimes but idk I like the scratchiness of the old timey feel. The cover of the song, and her voice is just nice. Also one I just listened to a lot as a youngin so it has a small place in my heart.
8) Christmas in June by AJR
It’s a Christmas song because of the use of Christmas in the title. Is there even a criteria on what Christmas music is? No. Plus, this song has some use of Christmas in the song. Yet, this does make me feel in the mood for Christmas. With the lyrics “I won’t ever let you down, but just in case/ can we do Christmas in June?” which is a bit relatable with time but while Christmas is always made to be in December this just shows how conflicts come around. Plus, June is the halfway mark to/from Christmas.
7) Aurora Borealis by Lemon Demon
This one mentions Christmas so, it counts. This song takes place in a winter nuclear apocalypse. Yet, the lyrics are joking since it’s a Lemon Demon song while it goes through the story. The story is a bit hard to understand but some have said it’s a guy who every year around Christmas sees the end of the world, and views it. He shows his love interest what he sees and she is frightened by it and runs off. It’s also just kinda sad, but also relatable. He just wanted to show his love interest the apocalypse in a safe setting!
6) Heat Miser/Snow Miser by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
This is the ORIGINAL one, to follow the cover rules. I also like the original one the most (totally didn’t listen to it now to check). Like Christmas in June, it talks about Christmas so I count it. In the original, there seems to be a range and the depth of his singing really sells it for Heat Miser. Then, for Snow Miser there’s a clash compared to Heat Miser’s singing. Heat’s is very smooth and dramatic but Snow’s is very sharp and blunt with the singing. Which makes sense because…opposites.
5) Someday at Christmas by Stevie Wonder
I like this song for being outdated. The song was made public in 1967 which was during the Cold War. There’s a lot of things very dated (“playing with bombs like kids play with toys”) but also still true to this day. Like the lyrics “someday at Christmas there’ll be no wars” which in this day and age with current events there are more conflicts than ever.
4) Let it Snow (The Phineas and Ferb version)
Phineas and Ferb had some banger music. I loved the let it Snow because her voice goes really well with it and the tune of it. Also, I just have memories of watching it while….it was snowing. So, even if there’s a no cover rule this is “nostalgia” talking. I also love Isabella’s singing and the outfit changes. In addition, I love remembering this song while going back home while it was snowing on Christmas Eve. The episode itself was a classic for me. I do like the other “cover” (Good King Wenceslas) but I already broke one rule.
3) Frosty the Snowman by Gene Autry
This is where I started to semi run out of music ideas, so I went to the “nostalgia”. It was either this or the Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer but I heard that song at Home Depot in November before Thanksgiving. Yet, I love the movie (Frosty the Snowman). I watched that yearly, and while the Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer had great animation. The song was just, catchy gosh darn it.
2) Last Christmas by Wham!
Number two, George Michael’s vocals have done it again. I only like two Wham! songs, this and Wake Me Up before You Go-Go. I like the softness and vulnerability that Michael sings with in his voice. This also brings back memories how I thought it was a woman until I found out it was Michael but I liked it before then. This has just been a favorite for a good while and only just recently (2021) did that change and it’s still a favorite but it’s number 2 because it got outplayed. As well, I think what brought it down was the covers. I get it, covers are popular but is it so hard to write a unique Christmas song? No. We see from earlier that Christmas in June is from a 2021 album, and while debatably it’s a Christmas song it still made it. Aurora Borealis was released almost 10 years ago. Yet, that’s my opinion that I prefer the originals (most times).
Honorable Mentions
Good King Wenceslas from Phineas and Ferb is the first honorable mention. I like this cover, because it also leans into a parody for the lyric change. I like it but not as much as Let it Snow, which lowkey is better.
Another honorable mention was “The Christmas Song” by Alvin and the Chipmunks as I like it still but it’s definitely something I would not listen to daily. It’s not bad necessarily, but you can only listen to high pitched voices for so long.
Another one, Carol of the bells. I like the song but it’s not a top ten…yet instead I had it in my original list but here’s the reasoning why. I just like it, I know I was gonna see it with my dad one year but the tickets were sold out. I think it also has to do with my deep seeded want to be the ghost of Christmas future….yea I don’t know why I like that character… Also while writing a song got unlocked in my mind.
A “dis”honorable mention was, “I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” is basic and a favorite when I was younger but now, no. I mean now, knowing the dangers of having a hippo (I am not gonna keep spelling out hippopotamus) I just think of the dangers but also my mind goes to a stuffed hippo so I honestly cannot tell if I really like or hate the song or if it brings me some sense of childhood wonder.
Another honorable mention was, “Holly Jolly Christmas” by Michael Bublé. Bublé himself has said that he doesn’t like that he’s only recognized for his Christmas music and it’s a bit sad. I do like the song though but I don’t think it’s in the top 10, top 15 for sure.
The final honorable mention is “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey. I know it’s shocking I don’t have her in this list, but that’s so cliché. I don’t think the song would be in the top 10 because it’s so overplayed. We get it with the memes of Carey being unfrozen she made a lot of songs but it’s so repetitive and tiring.
1) Christmas Saves the Year by twenty one pilots
Number one, Christmas Saves the Year. Mentioned in the previous number this song was released in 2020 during COVID and it hits hard. The lyrics that hit hard are “Everybody wants to make it home this year/ Even if the world is crumblin’ down” and I think in some sense it’s relatable. You want to see everyone for Christmas because it’s known to be such a joyous time. Even during COVID, I had a smaller Christmas only with my parents and my step siblings. We didn’t go up to see my extended family which I didn’t see since 2018 (2019 I got sick :/) and then I had to wait until 2021. This has to my favorite now because it compares the old, and the new. COVID-19 shaped our world and while we can do more now than in the last few years, it still has affected us. So, Christmas Saves the Year really is a tearjerker because it hits home for me.
