Top 20 Best Classic Christmas Songs
Christmas might be the most musical holiday. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for those old-school holiday favorites that make us feel oh-so-very festive!
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00:00 "We set the scene for you. It's a cold December night. It's Christmas Eve."
00:06 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for those old-school holiday
00:11 favorites that make us feel oh-so-very festive.
00:14 "Soon the bells will start."
00:17 "And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing."
00:21 Number 20. Blue Christmas
00:27 "I'll be so blue." Elvis Presley may forever be the king of rock and roll,
00:34 but that doesn't mean that he didn't have a soft side. This classic, slightly melancholy
00:38 tune from 1948 was actually first recorded and sung by Doye O'Dell. But it's Presley's
00:44 versions from 1957 and a live iteration from 1968 that have become certified holiday classics.
00:51 "Those blue memories start calling."
00:58 The original featured a lot of heavy lifting in the backing vocals, courtesy of the Jordan Airs,
01:03 but it's Presley's charisma and delivery that give Blue Christmas some sass and swing.
01:08 The holiday may have a lot of love songs to its credit, but Blue Christmas is among the very best.
01:13 "I'll have a blue, blue, blue, blue Christmas."
01:20 Number 19. Christmas Time Is Here
01:23 Is there any television program that better represents the holidays than
01:36 a Charlie Brown Christmas? It's the animated classic that tells us "Christmas time is here,"
01:41 instantly transporting us back to our collective childhoods each and every time.
01:46 There's two versions of this song, one that was recorded as an instrumental by the Vince
01:51 Giraldi trio, and another that features the voices of St. Paul's Episcopal Church members.
01:55 "Olden times and ancient rhymes of love and dreams to share."
02:05 Both versions are smooth and atmospheric, featuring deft brushwork from drummer Jerry
02:11 Grinelli together with Giraldi's beautiful piano. We can't choose between them either,
02:16 and love both equally with all our hearts.
02:18 "You'll find by the fireside, and joyful memories play."
02:28 Number 18. Joy to the World
02:30 We refer to many of the songs on this list as classic, but another word that could describe
02:41 these Christmas tunes is "standard." Joy to the World definitely fits that bill, having been penned
02:47 way back in 1719. Isaac Watts was the initial writer, but modern day iterations are typically
02:53 performed under guidance from an 1848 arrangement by Lowell Mason.
02:57 Joy to the World is a festive and celebratory Christmas song that exemplifies the very word
03:08 in its title. Happiness and joy are the main driving forces to this iconic tune,
03:14 particularly for those of the Christian faith who celebrate the religious aspects of holiday carols.
03:18 Number 17. The First Noel
03:27 "The first Noel the angels did say, was to certain poor shepherds in fields where they lay."
03:39 One of the great things about classic Christmas carols is how many of us continue to sing their
03:43 praises, often regardless of personal views on faith. A good song allows just that,
03:49 and The First Noel helps capture the spirit of the holiday season perfectly.
03:53 It's another tune with old-school English roots, yet it continues to be performed today as a reason
03:58 for the season. The hymn today tends to adhere to the 1871 arrangement by composer John Stainer.
04:12 It retains a somber and gorgeous atmosphere, evoking awe and perhaps even tears from those
04:18 singing The First Noel with a fervent passion every holiday season.
04:30 Number 16. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
04:45 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen is another classic Christmas carol with a long and studied history,
04:50 so long in fact that its origins aren't precisely agreed upon by scholars.
04:55 What we do know is that it likely came to be around the 1650s, and that it's awesome.
05:00 This is a religious tune that celebrates Jesus Christ in a manner that's both austere and glad,
05:12 a thankful expression of joy that possesses the harnessed power of large choral voices.
05:17 This makes it easy to sing with a small group of friends, or as part of a larger presentation.
05:22 Either way, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen remains a classic.
05:26 Number 15. O Holy Night
05:40 Can a Christmas song feel more simultaneously jubilant and somber? Maybe, but it would need
05:45 to be something as good as O Holy Night. After all, there's a reason why a tune possessing a
05:50 history that dates all the way back to the 1800s is still relevant today, right?
05:55 A range of artists, from Mariah Carey to Josh Groban and more, have taken the carol and made
06:07 it their own over the years. Whether it's those versions or more traditional adaptations,
06:12 O Holy Night is usually embodied with grace, skill, and joyous melody. In other words,
06:18 the number is timeless, representing something of a holiday tradition.
06:22 Number 14. Hark the Herald Angels Sing
06:31 "Joyful all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies."
06:37 Hark the Herald Angels Sing is a Christmas standard that's even older than O Holy Night.
06:42 How old, you may ask? Well, biblical in a way, since it adapts a passage from the Christian
06:47 Gospel according to Luke, one which describes a divine celebration of God. As a result,
06:53 Hark the Herald Angels Sing is just that, a celebratory number that feels massive and full
06:58 of choral glory. This is one that sounds best performed while caroling in a group,
07:10 or as part of a large choir. But even if you're simply watching it on TV as part of a holiday
07:15 special, it'll be, well, special. Number 13. Do You Hear What I Hear?
07:25 "Song, high above the tree, with a voice as big as the sea."
07:32 The 60s were a time of much change and social revolution, and it also had more than its fair
07:37 share of noteworthy tunes that marked history. Do You Hear What I Hear is one of the more recent
07:42 historical Christmas songs to become a standard, first debuting back in 1962. It was crafted by
07:48 then-partners Noël Regnier and Gloria Shane in response to growing political tension regarding
07:53 the Cuban Missile Crisis. This may seem like a heavy backdrop for a Christmas song, and it is,
08:04 but Do You Hear What I Hear nevertheless delivers the goods when it comes to sending a beautiful
08:08 and simple message of peace for the holiday season. Number 12. O Come, All Ye Faithful.
08:21 "Hail, O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light."
08:26 The authorship of O Come, All Ye Faithful has been highly debated over the years,
08:31 but one thing's for certain, it's a piece we love hearing every holiday season. Something special
08:36 about numbers with such a history is how they can be adapted in the modern day without losing
08:41 any of their sentiment. Another good example of this is the Pentatonix version of O Come,
08:52 All Ye Faithful, which is as far removed from a monk's performance as one can get. Yet it all
08:57 somehow feels right, as the melodic bones remain as strong as ever. Pardon the pun, but we adore
09:04 this one. Number 11. We Three Kings.
09:13 "Glorious now behold him arise, King and God and sacrifice."
09:20 Here's a number that possesses an atmosphere unlike any other classic carol. Much of the
09:25 power of We Three Kings comes to the song's minor key, which is something of an anomaly within the
09:30 world of holiday music. This allows the thoughtful tune to truly evoke majesty and wonder, as it
09:36 tells the story of the three wise men who go to see the infant Jesus. "Bearing gifts we traverse
09:43 afar." This is one of those Christmas songs that radiates a sort of quiet awe, rooted deeply in
09:50 tradition. Yet like many of its malleable brethren, it's also been adapted in the modern day with fun
09:55 and unique spins. "Westward leading, still proceeding, guides to that perfect light."
10:04 Number 10. Winter Wonderland. "Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?"
10:13 At what point does a holiday song gain enough steam to become a classic? We feel like we've
10:18 heard Winter Wonderland featured in a thousand movies and television series, yet we never tire
10:23 of it really. "We had lots of fun with Mr. Snowman." "Yes, until the other kiddies knock him down."
10:30 There's just a jauntiness to the arrangements that feels upbeat and happy, aiding the brassy
10:35 melody to drive home this feeling of Christmas. There's nothing thematically heavy to weigh this
10:40 one down, just the joy of snowfall, cozying up by the fireplace, and spending some quality time
10:46 with the ones we love. What's better than that? "Walking in a winter wonderland."
10:56 Number 9. Frosty the Snowman. "Frosty the Snowman was alive as he could be,
11:03 and the children say he could laugh and play just the same as you and me."
11:08 Frosty the Snowman is one of those songs we always hear around Christmas time,
11:12 yet if you listen closely, you'll realize the tune never outright discusses the holiday.
11:17 This doesn't really matter at the end of the day, since the b-side of the original 1950 single by
11:22 Gene Autry definitely mentions Santa. Furthermore, the 1969 holiday special from Rankin/Bass further
11:29 cemented the story of Frosty into our collective imaginations for years to come. "He lived and died
11:36 on the streets of town, up to the traffic pump." All that aside, there's something about the magic
11:43 of the song that feels synonymous with holiday cheer. In other words, Frosty the Snowman is a
11:49 Christmas song through and through, and we wouldn't want it any other way. "Look at Frosty go,
11:54 thumpity thump, thumpity thump, thump, over the hills of snow."
12:01 Number 8. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. "What do you recall? The most famous reindeer of all."
12:11 Our next Christmas song is basically the mirror image to Frosty the Snowman,
12:17 acting as the catalyst for that snowman's creation. That's because Gene Autry earned
12:22 a holiday hit with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1949, a year before striking gold again with
12:27 Frosty. "You'll put out in history." It's no wonder the tune was such a success. It's fun,
12:35 tells a fascinating story, and completely immerses you in its fantastically holiday-centric world.
12:41 Plus, it reminds us all to embrace the things that make us different in the most festive way
12:46 possible. It's just not officially Christmas until that first time we hear Rudolph the Red-Nosed
12:51 Reindeer on the radio. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer had a very shiny nose." Number 7.
12:59 "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas." "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas"
13:03 is another song that appears often within visual media, like television and movies,
13:07 to paint a picture. "Take a look in the five and ten, glistening once again, with candy canes and
13:15 silver lanes aglow." It can easily be a picture of what an idealized Christmas may look like,
13:20 falling snow, crowded small-town streets, shopping, you know, a basic Hallmark holiday
13:25 flick that's come to life. There's also no shortage of contemporary and classic recordings
13:30 from talented vocalists to listen to. "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas."
13:38 When Michael Buble or Bing Crosby sing those first lyrics, something always shifts in the air.
13:43 However you consume it, there's no denying the unironic sentimentality running through
13:47 "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" makes it a perfect storm of holiday cheer.
13:52 "But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be."
13:58 Number 6. "The Little Drummer Boy."
14:00 Call this next one "Carol of the Drum" or "The Little Drummer Boy," but no matter the name,
14:13 we just can't help but pa-rum-pa-pum-pum along every time we hear it. It ties in thematically
14:18 with songs like "We Three Kings," setting the stage for a humble little boy who's invited
14:23 to meet the baby Jesus. "I've waited five rounds for him, pa-rum-pa-pum-pum."
14:31 The child's thoughtful gift of music makes the infant—and us, if we're being honest—smile,
14:36 underlining how "The Little Drummer Boy" says a lot with very little. This is a Christmas song
14:41 with a straightforward arrangement, a good message, and an ultra-hummable melody. In other words,
14:47 it's wonderful stuff. "May he silently pa-rum-pa-pum-pum."
14:56 Number 5. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town."
14:58 There seems to be no shortage of Rankin/Bass holiday specials for every occasion,
15:09 and we're absolutely not complaining. Of course, the "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" tune predates
15:14 the 1970 special, but many of us have a hard time separating the two. And who can blame us?
15:20 Animated classics help cement holiday songs in our collective brains rent-free,
15:25 alongside our most pleasant memories of the season.
15:27 Beyond this, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" also boasts plenty of replay value within its
15:38 various high-profile cover versions, such as the all-time classic from Bruce Springsteen.
15:44 A good track is a good track after all, and this is a true Christmas-time banger.
15:49 Number 4. "Jingle Bells."
15:57 We're all for even the wildest interpretations of holiday classics,
16:00 and "Jingle Bells" has been sung wonderfully all over the world since first being published back
16:05 in 1857. Naturally, there have been many takes on this vintage classic, and no two versions are
16:16 exactly alike. That's because it's equipped with an inherent versatility that allows a vocalist
16:21 to infuse their own personality into it, without us ever losing the holiday charm that anchors the
16:26 number. It's ironic, as "Jingle Bells" initially possessed no cultural ties to Christmas. Indeed,
16:38 some reportedly surmised that it was written either as a Thanksgiving hymn, or,
16:42 get this, a drinking song. Well, either way, it's a holiday staple now.
16:55 Number 3. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."
16:59 Historically, holiday tunes have a wide range of origins. Interestingly, "Have Yourself a
17:04 Merry Little Christmas" was actually composed for a musical flick. And not just any musical flick,
17:09 1944's "Meet Me in St. Louis." This version, sung by Judy Garland,
17:25 is truly fantastic, and remains emblematic of what makes the number so unforgettable.
17:30 Other artists, like Frank Sinatra, further helped make it the standard it is today.
17:34 The spirit of friendship, family, and goodwill is all over this tune, in everything from the
17:46 wistful, nostalgic lyrics to that quietly melancholic little melody. "Have Yourself
17:51 a Merry Little Christmas" is humble and low-key, but carries a lot of depth and nuance that we
17:56 absolutely love. Number 2. "Silent Night."
18:10 There's no getting around it, "Silent Night" is just a beautiful song. So beautiful, in fact,
18:16 that it becomes difficult to use any hyperbolic wordplay to describe it.
18:25 It balances spirituality with a gothically moody melody that sounds like pure magic.
18:32 Want proof? Just check out the version from Kelly Clarkson with Trisha Yearwood and Reba McEntire.
18:45 Or, if you're feeling a little spooky, check out the horror film "Silent Night, Bloody Night"
18:50 for a version you will not soon forget. Any way you slice it, "Silent Night" possesses
18:54 an arrangement that can be adapted across the board with great success.
18:58 Before we name our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions.
19:10 It's the most wonderful time of the year. The Andy Williams classic.
19:14 It's the most wonderful time of the year.
19:21 The 12 Days of Christmas. Leaping lords, we love this one.
19:25 And a partridge in a pear tree.
19:29 "O Tannenbaum," aka "O Christmas Tree." The best tree-trimming tune.
19:43 We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
19:46 Deck the Halls. It lifts our spirits every time.
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20:25 White Christmas.
20:27 The history of Irving Berlin's White Christmas is similar to that of "Have Yourself a Merry
20:37 Little Christmas" in that it was originally composed for a musical. This time it was
20:42 1942's "Holiday Inn," although fans of White Christmas might connect it more to the 1954
20:47 film that bears its name. The track is perfect for both, of course, and continues today as perhaps
21:01 the song most associated with the season. It's easy to hear why as well, since "White Christmas,"
21:07 for lack of a better phrase, just feels Christmassy. It's a case of a song being its own
21:12 self-fulfilling prophecy, a piece written for the season and about the season that
21:17 embodies the season from first note to last. Which classic Christmas tune melts your heart
21:30 and spreads joy for your family and friends? Let us know in the comments.
21:34 Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo,
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