10 christmas songs you need to add to your playlist
As many people have sang, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… and with the festive season finally upon us, the classic Christmas songs are inescapable once again. The defrosting of Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé signals the return of the classics: Last Christmas, White Christmas, Holly Jolly Christmas and many more.
However, as much as I love the nostalgic hits, I always find myself looking for fresh songs to soundtrack my festivities and keep my playlist updated. We have compiled a list of the top 10 Christmas songs that you may not have heard, but will definitely want to add to your festive playlist.
1. Buy me presents - sabrina carpenter
Sabrina’s 2023 Christmas EP, ‘fruitcake’, has got to be one of my favourite festive projects of all time. Every track embodies this time of year so perfectly. From upbeat tracks like the funky, borderline anti-christmas song ‘is it new years yet?’ to the heartbreaking ballad ‘cindy lou who’ and finished by the immaculate cover of the classic ‘white christmas’, ‘fruitcake’ has everything you could possibly need from a Christmas EP… and ‘buy me presents’ is certainly no exception.
This Christmas song is thematically the most traditional Christmas song on the EP and follows in the well-walked footsteps of songs like ‘Santa Baby’ in a refreshingly light-hearted and jovial way, encapsulating Carpenter’s talent to seamlessly weave her humour and personality into her music. The grand opening of this song, with its bold drums and light piano, feel like the opening of a Christmas movie and the gradual introduction of bells and the saxophone makes it feel very at home next to the classics. Despite only being released last year, this song feels filled with nostalgia and is the perfect addition to any and all yuletide playlist.
2. My only wish (this year) - britney spears
Britney released this Christmas hit in 2000, and 24 years on it would still holds up as a fresh sounding festive pop song. However, this track is wrongfully omitted from many yuletide music line-ups. This is classic Britney at Christmas and is a must at this time of year.
3. 7 O’Clock news / silent night - Phoebe bridgers, fiona apple and matt berninger
I’m going to start by saying that this definitely would not be a floor filler if you played it at an office Christmas party. However, Bridger’s signature style of melancholic yet important story telling is not lost in her recreation of the Simon & Garfunkel song with the same title. Bridger’s vocals are angelic and dreamy on this track, creating a disarming sense of light and calmness, which is quickly juxtaposed by the ever loudening ‘7 O’Clock News Report’, which feels more important than ever, given the political climate that we have all faced this year and that we continue to endure into the new year. It tackles many political issues, mainly through an Americentric lens, such as Roe V. Wade, racism and police brutality. The intense dichotomy of the two opposing themes never ceases to amaze and remind me of the political landscape we currently exist in and the eerily uncertain near future that lies ahead.
Although this song is not a classic feel-good Christmas hit, it feels far too relevant, too emotive and too incredible to not be included in this list.
4. Christmas Magic - Perrie
Perrie’s latest release is her festive track, ‘Christmas Magic’. The former Little Mix star has constructed a festive masterpiece, complete with perfect yuletide energy and modern pop influence, that creates a modern and fresh feeling hit that will stand alongside the classics in bringing you the festive feeling throughout the entirety of December.
5. A hand for mrs. clause - idina menzel & ariana grande
Even if you ignore her duo of Christmas EPs, there is a whole collection of flawless Christmas collaborations interwoven throughout Ariana Grande’s discography. From Mariah Carey and Jenifer Hudson to Liz Gillies and Kelly Clarkson, Grande has year on year been a part of incredible festive musical releases that have soundtracked many of our Decembers. Although her 2019 collaboration with Idina Menzel is often overlooked, it embodies everything great about Christmas music.
Not only does this song have the musical theatre influence that we would expect from Menzel, but its humorous take on the story of Santa and Mrs Clause is enough to push anyone irked by this year’s Boots advert into a rage induced fit. The track pulls its broadway influence throughout this classically festive song, whilst delivering the often untold story of Mrs Claus and the impact that she, as a figurehead for all women, has not just on Christmas but throughout the entire year.
This song is both a celebration of women and Christmas and is a great addition to your playlist.
6. christmas must be something more - taylor swift
The 2019 hit Christmas Tree Farm is often regarded as Swift’s Christmas song in its own isolation. However, in 2007, (before we even got Love Story), Taylor released her country inspired EP The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection. With her young country vocals, the album is very reminiscent of her early work and features covers of Silent Night, Santa Baby and Last Christmas, but it also features a few original festive tracks.
The most memorable of which is Christmas Must Be Something More. This song is an upbeat country-Christmas song, with a rather religious undertone that is often ignored in more modern Christmas releases. It is about remembering the reason for the season so if you are a more religious person, someone who loves Taylor Swift or someone who loves country music, this may be the perfect new addition to your festive playlist.
7. Kylie minogue’s christmas Album
I honestly really struggled to choose a single track off Kylie Minogue’s 2016 Kylie Christmas (Snow Queen Edition) to suggest because it is wall to wall festive tracks that will perfectly background your parties, Christmas day, putting your tree up or whatever you choose to do throughout December. With impeccable covers of many of the classics and many floor filling original tracks. This album is such a phenomenal addition to your playlists this December or listening on its own.
8. merry christmas, please don’t call - bleachers
Bleachers very recently released their new Christmas song and it is very true to themselves. Interestingly, this track does not rely on any classic features of the Christmas song genre and it remains very committed to their indie sound. This track joins the likes of Mud’s Lonely This Christmas, Jona Lewie’s Stop The Cavalry or Coldplay’s Christmas Lights in that it is more of a gloomy and melancholic take on festive songs. It is very unique and stands out among many other recent Christmas releases.
9. like it’s christmas - jonas brothers
The Jonas Brothers’ 2019 festive hit differs massively from the Bleachers’ track as it is a modern Christmas song reliant on many of the conventions that we expect from the genre. It is upbeat, jolly and the perfect Christmas party floorfiller. This song, not unlike many from the list, is one that is consistently excluded from playlists this time of year and one that I would encourage everyone who has not heard it to listen to.
10. december 25th - charlie puth
The final track on our list is the new release by Charlie Puth, he released this song in November and it was an immediate playlist addition. Despite the fact that the song is thematically about a breakup and handling that around the festive period, the song remains upbeat and although it sounds very festive and wintry, it is not overly reliant on Christmas cliches and predictable genre conventions. This is a great Christmas song but is still refreshing and unique.
bonus track. ‘tis the damn season - taylor swift
In the same way that Die Hard is only considered a Christmas movie due to the time it is set in, this is technically not a Christmas song, nor is marketed as one or even widely considered one. However, this song perfectly encapsulates the feeling of early winter and from the opening notes I am transported to a small rural town, staring at muddy tire tracks in fresh fallen snow. This song is about visiting your family home for the holiday season and the annual rekindling of a childhood romance that has never really died. The only way to describe this song is the feeling of an icy wind and numb cheeks; it is the perfect example of Swift’s storytelling ability and her talent of transporting people to new worlds with just a song.
It may not technically be a Christmas song, but it is certainly a perfect song to through in your mix this winter.
