78 Top Christmas Songs of All Time for the Greatest Holiday Playlist
This list of traditional tunes, modern hits, and popular hymns is just what your holiday party needs.
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All of your favorite holiday memories can probably be tied to some of the most popular Christmas songs in one way or another. As you place the lights on the Christmas tree you may start humming Bing Crosby's "White Christmas," or maybe you have a tradition of blasting Nat King Cole’s "The Christmas Song" while your family builds gingerbread houses. And who can forget the nostalgia-inducing soundtracks of your favorite Christmas movies (We're looking at you, Mr. Grinch)? Needless to say, a great Christmas playlist is an essential part of all of your festive activities, so allow us to help you pull together your best one yet.
While you can always tweak this list to cater to your own personal music taste, we’ve provided a plethora of carols, jingles and tunes that span genres. You’ll find tons of pop hits, Christian hymns, classic country songs and several R&B, rock and hip-hop bops.
Even if you’re looking for upbeat Christmas music that’s just for kids, you’ll find something to enjoy right here. So, get to scrolling and don’t forget to have a holly, jolly Christmas!
Christmas Everyday (2023)
Who doesn't wish Christmas was every day? Brandy expertly conveys that message with this catchy tune on her latest holiday album, Christmas with Brandy.
DJ Play A Christmas Song (2023)
In Cher's very first Christmas album, aptly titled Christmas, she brings fans this poppy dance floor hit. It is sure to get everyone up and moving.
All I Want for Christmas Is You (1994)
Mariah Carey has a whole album filled with Christmas songs, but this upbeat pop song (complete with jingle bells!) is her most enduring. So enduring, in fact, that the song hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts at the end of 2021, 27 years after it was originally recorded.
White Christmas (1942)
Bing Crosby's classic hit about a picturesque Christmas scene is one of the most popular holiday songs ever — the Guinness World Records even named it the best-selling single of all time.
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Last Christmas (1984)
Pop duo Wham!, composed of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, released this song in 1984, but it didn't hit the top of the charts until 2017 (after Michael's death), despite inspiring many cover versions over the years.
I'll Be Home For Christmas (1943)
We couldn't stop at one Crosby tune; this heartfelt holiday song is a moving tribute to the soldiers who fought in World War II.
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (1944)
Judy Garland originally recorded this soft Christmas song for the musical Meet Me in St. Louis, which is about four daughters coming of age while getting ready to move to New York. Time for a re-watch?
Jingle Bell Rock (1983)
The best-known version of this holiday classic was recorded by Bobby Helms in 1957, but Hall & Oates released it as a single in the early '80s complete with a can't-miss music video.
Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (1971)
John Lennon and Yoko Ono recorded this with the Harlem Community Choir as a protest song against the Vietnam War, and it eventually became a classic Christmas hit.
The Christmas Song (1946)
Everyone knows this holiday song, so it barely needs a name — it's the one where Nat King Cole sings, "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire." It's so popular that it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1974.
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree (1958)
Brenda Lee was only 13 years old (!) when she recorded this holiday hit. She probably wouldn't have guessed that people would still be listening to it today.
Christmas Vacation (1989)
The only Vacation movie to not feature Lindsey Buckingham's "Holiday Road," National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation opens with Mavis Staples singing this upbeat tune instead.
Christmas, Baby Please Come Home (1963)
Darlene Love's barn-burner of a song may be about heartbreak, but it makes us happy to hear it every year.
Frosty the Snowman (1947)
Gene Autry is the performer behind this song and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." So, it's a voice you've been attached to since you were a little kid.
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Mele Kelikimaka (Merry Christmas) (1950)
Bing is back, this time with the Andrews Sisters for a fun and bouncy song that tells listeners that "Mele Kelikimaka" is Hawaii's way to say "Merry Christmas to you."
Jingle Bells (1960)
Ella Fitzgerald's jazzy rendition of this Christmas classic is a holiday staple. A harmonica version of it was actually the first song ever played in outer space, according to the Smithsonian.
Santa Baby (1953)
This cheeky song by Eartha Kitt is about wanting some pretty extravagant Christmas gifts. Even though this is a holiday tune, it's one of her most well-known songs ever.
Blue Christmas (1957)
Elvis Presley's recording of this song is the most well-known version, but rumor has it that he didn't even want to sing it in the first place, according to an interview with late singer Millie Kirkham.
Hard Candy Christmas (1982)
Written as a song for the musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Dolly made the tune her own for the big screen adaptation that she starred in with Burt Reynolds in the '80s.
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Run, Rudolph, Run (1958)
When you need a Christmas song with some rock and roll to it, Chuck Berry is the first one to call. This one will get people to get up and dance!
Cameron (she/her) is a staff writer for Good Housekeeping, where she covers everything from holidays to food. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she received a B.A. in magazine journalism. In her spare-time she can be found scrolling TikTok for the latest cleaning hacks and restaurant openings, binge-watching seasons of Project Runway or online shopping.
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
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