Top 10 Classic Christmas Songs to Add to Your Holiday Playlist
The holiday season wouldn’t be complete without a song or two! Who can forget the first time they heard “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year?” Or the thrill of knowing Christmas was right around the corner when stores started playing “Here Comes Santa Claus”? Plus, singing our favorite holiday hits can be a huge stress reliever. Whether you’re a Christmas fan or just a music buff, you’re in the right place. Here are 10 classic Christmas songs to add to your holiday playlist!
1. “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby
“White Christmas” has practically become synonymous with the holiday season. Composed by Irving Berlin in 1942, the song didn’t appear in the movie White Christmas. Instead, Bing Crosby first sang this holiday classic in the 1942 film Holiday Inn, starring Fred Astaire and Marjorie Reynolds. Though many artists have covered this song, Bing Crosby’s version will (in our humble opinion) always be the definitive one. If you’ve never watched the holiday classic White Christmas, do yourself a favor and add it to your holiday watchlist. It’s truly Bing Crosby at his best!
2. “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” by Perry Como
If the holiday spirit hasn’t hit you quite yet, you may feel a little more festive after listening to “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.” The song was released to critical acclaim in 1951 and continues to be a favorite today.
3. “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)” by Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole had one of the most beautiful voices ever, and “The Christmas Song” showcases it perfectly. Who doesn’t feel warm and cozy when they hear the opening lines? In case you’re wondering why we don’t roast chestnuts on an open fire much anymore, there’s a simple explanation. A mysterious blight killed the majority of American chestnut trees between 1904 and 1940. The more you know!
4. “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams
Did you know there’s a link between this song and the 1964 sitcom Gilligan’s Island? George Wyle, who composed the Gilligan’s Island theme, also wrote this song! Interestingly enough, the singer Andy Williams became synonymous with Christmas, thanks to his fondness for garish sweaters and his frequent appearances on holiday TV specials. In fact, it earned him the nickname “Mr. Christmas.” If you’ve ever pondered over the “scary ghost stories” lyric, this references a popular Victorian holiday tradition that Charles Dickens may (or may not) have inspired.
5. “A Holly Jolly Christmas” by Burl Ives
Johnny Marks, the songwriter behind “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and “Silver and Gold”, also wrote this holiday smash-hit. The song was first featured in the beloved 1964 classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. To say “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” is timeless is an understatement. It even charted on the Billboard Top 100 list in 2017, 52 years after its original release. Talk about a song with staying power!
6. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” by Gene Autry
Speaking of Johnny Marks, we can also thank him for this beloved Christmas classic! Mr. Mark’s brother-in-law is responsible for creating the character of Rudolph. Robert L. May, a thirty-four-year-old copywriter for a Chicago department store, wrote the story as a promotional gift for the customers. If “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is one of your favorite Christmas songs, you should send a thank-you note to Gene Autry’s wife. Though the singer didn’t want to do this song, his wife convinced him to record it. Considering it’s the second-best-selling Christmas song of all time, we’re certain Gene Autry sent his wife a few thank-you notes, too!
7. “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” by Gene Autry
This song might not be as popular today if it weren’t for a little wifely persuasion. In this instance, comic Eddie Cantor thought the song was too childish and didn’t want to perform it. At his wife’s insistence, Mr. Cantor sang this song during a live broadcast of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It was an instant hit, selling 300,000 copies by Christmas Day. It’s a Christmas classic, covered by everyone from the Jackson 5 to Frank Sinatra. And, of course, “The Singing Cowboy” himself, Mr. Gene Autry!
8. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Judy Garland
If you’ve ever seen the 1944 Meet Me In St. Louis starring Judy Garland, you witnessed this Christmas classic’s first-ever performance. While many artists have put their spin on it, Judy Garland’s version is the most special. (Or maybe we just really love Judy Garland.) The original version was so bleak that Judy refused to sing it. She said, “‘If I sing that, little Margaret [O’Brien] will cry and they’ll think I’m a monster.'” Thankfully, the composers listened to Judy and tweaked the lyrics.
9. “Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helms
Currently, “Jingle Bell Rock” has over 600,000 streams on Spotify and even charted at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2023. Bobby Helms’s version is probably the best-known, though other artists have covered it over the years.
10. “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” by Dean Martin
Written in 1945, the song has been featured in classic Christmas movies like Die Hard and The Family Man. (Yes, Die Hard is a Christmas movie!) Patsy Cline, Carly Simon, and even the Carpenters have all recorded their own renditions. We are, of course, partial to Mr. Martin’s version.
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Originally published November 25, 2024
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