76 Best Christmas Songs of All Time
Everything from traditional tunes to pop culture hits, all in one place.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! And with all the festive activities at hand — decorating your tree with lights, making holiday cookies and spending time with those you love most — you need the best Christmas songs of all time playing in the background to really set the mood.
Curating the perfect Christmas playlist is one of those special traditions that is right up there with baking cookies for Santa. But if you happen to need a little help this year refreshing your list, we've got you. In addition to those famous jingles and carols (like the 12 Days of Christmas), there are country spins on classics and pop-culture hits that will bring a dose of fun to any gathering.
Here, you’ll find tracks from the queen of Christmas herself, Mariah Carey, upbeat songs for kids, as well as religious hymns to help you remember the real reason for the season. So, get to scrolling and don’t forget to have yourself a merry little Christmas.
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 favorite. She'd 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!
Sleigh Ride (1958)
This Johnny Mathis pop song is from his first Christmas album ever — in total, he's released six throughout his career.
The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) (1958)
This novelty Christmas song came out back in the '50s, but we're sure everyone still knows what Alvin wants to find under the tree. It's a certified kid-pleaser.
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