100 Greatest Contemporary Christmas Songs
Criteria: Chosen for ongoing popularity, impact, importance, and strong association with the holiday. This list includes all eras of rock as well as contemporary pop and country; Christmas songs include both religious and secular songs as well as songs about winter which are associated with the festive season.
Note: In some cases, more than one year is provided because of notable re-recordings of the song by the same artist.
Note: In some cases, more than one year is provided because of notable re-recordings of the song by the same artist.
Contemporary Christmas Songs
1. White Christmas
(1954) - Drifters
2. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
(1958) - Brenda Lee
3. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
(1963) - Darlene Love
4. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
(1975, rel. 1981) - Bruce Springsteen
5. Do They Know It's Christmas?
(1984) - Band Aid
6. Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
(1971) - John & Yoko
7. Jingle Bell Rock
(1957) - Bobby Helms
8. Run Rudolph Run
(1958) - Chuck Berry
9. Blue Christmas
(1957) - Elvis Presley
10. Little Saint Nick
(1963) - Beach Boys
(1954) - Drifters
2. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
(1958) - Brenda Lee
3. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
(1963) - Darlene Love
4. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
(1975, rel. 1981) - Bruce Springsteen
5. Do They Know It's Christmas?
(1984) - Band Aid
6. Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
(1971) - John & Yoko
7. Jingle Bell Rock
(1957) - Bobby Helms
8. Run Rudolph Run
(1958) - Chuck Berry
9. Blue Christmas
(1957) - Elvis Presley
10. Little Saint Nick
(1963) - Beach Boys
11. Please Come Home For Christmas
(1960) - Charles Brown
12. This Christmas
(1970) - Donny Hathaway
13. Feliz Navidad
(1970) - Jose Feliciano
14. Sleigh Ride
(1963) - Ronettes
15. Merry Christmas Baby
(1968) - Otis Redding
16. All I Want For Christmas is You
(1994) - Mariah Carey
17. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
(1970) - Jackson 5
18. Christmas Wrapping
(1980) - Waitresses
19. Wonderful Christmastime
(1979) - Paul McCartney
20. Santa Claus Is Back In Town
(1957) - Elvis Presley
21. Merry Christmas Darling
(1970) - Carpenters
22. Frosty The Snowman
(1963) - Ronettes
23. What Christmas Means To Me
(1967) - Stevie Wonder
24. Merry Christmas Baby
(1947, 1956, 1962, 1968) - Charles Brown
25. Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)
(1995) - Trans-Siberian Orchestra
26. Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth
(1977, rel. 1982) - David Bowie & Bing Crosby
27. Silent Night
(1968, 1980) - Temptations
28. Fairytale of New York
(1987) - Pogues with Kirsty MacColl
29. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
(1956) - Cadillacs
30. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
(1963) - Ronettes
31. Step Into Christmas
(1973) - Elton John
32. Grown-Up Christmas List
(1992) - Amy Grant
33. Someday At Christmas
(1967) - Stevie Wonder
34. Last Christmas
(1984) - Wham!
35. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
(1963) - Crystals
36. Give Love on Christmas Day
(1970) - Jackson 5
37. Father Christmas
(1977) - Kinks
38. Santa, Bring My Baby Back To Me
(1957) - Elvis Presley
39. Same Old Lang Syne
(1980) - Dan Fogelberg
40. Pretty Paper
(1963) - Roy Orbison
41. I Believe in Father Christmas
(1975) - Greg Lake
42. Silent Night
(1962) - Huey "Piano" Smith & The Clowns
43. Hey Santa
(1993) - Carnie & Wendy Wilson
44. Please Come Home For Christmas
(1978) - Eagles
45. O Holy Night
(1998) - Celine Dion
46. Baby It's Cold Outside
(1962) - Ray Charles & Betty Carter
47. Christmas in Hollis
(1987) - Run-D.M.C.
48. Snoopy's Christmas
(1967) - Royal Guardsmen
49. (It's Gonna Be a) Lonely Christmas
(1948) - Orioles
50. Winter Wonderland
(1987) - Eurythmics
51. Sleigh Ride
(1992) - TLC
52. Christmas Rappin'
(1979) - Kurtis Blow
53. Christmas Ain't Christmas New Year's Ain't New Years Without The One You Love
(1969) - O'Jays
54. Baby's First Christmas
(1961) - Connie Francis
55. Jingle Bell Rock
(1961) - Chubby Checker & Bobby Rydell
56. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
(1968) - Temptations
57. Hark The Herald Angels Sing
(1988) - Mannheim Steamroller
58. The Man With All the Toys
(1964) - Beach Boys
59. Here Comes Santa Claus
(1957) - Elvis Presley
60. White Christmas
(1948) - Ravens
61. Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You
(1981) - Billy Squier
62. All I Want For Christmas is You
(1989) - Vince Vance & The Valiants
63. 2000 Miles
(1983, 1995) - Pretenders
64. Sleigh Ride
(1965) - Ventures
65. This Time of the Year
(1959) - Brook Benton
66. Merry Christmas All
(1976) - Denise Montoya & the Salsoul Orchestra
67. A Marshmallow World
(1963) - Darlene Love
68. Santa Baby
(1987) - Madonna
69. Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
(1979, 1982, 1984) - Elmo & Patsy
70. Mary's Boy Child/O My Lord
(1978) - Boney M
71. Rock and Roll Christmas
(1983) - George Thorogood
72. White Christmas
(1968) - Otis Redding
73. Winter Wonderland
(1964) - Aretha Franklin
74. It Doesn't Have To Be That Way
(1973) - Jim Croce
75. Don't Believe In Christmas
(1965) - Sonics
76. Lonesome Christmas
(1950) - Lowell Fulson
77. It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
(1992) - Amy Grant
78. Do You Hear What I Hear
(1987) - Whitney Houston
79. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday
(1973) - Roy Wood & Wizzard
80. Back Door Santa
(1968) - Clarence Carter
81. Please Come Home For Christmas
(1993) - Aaron Neville
82. Christmas in Dixie
(1982) - Alabama
83. Jingle Bell Rock
(1983) - Daryl Hall & John Oates
84. Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto
(1968) - James Brown
85. Christmas in Jail
(1956) - Youngsters
86. Merry Xmas Everybody
(1973) - Slade
87. If We Make It Through December
(1973) - Merle Haggard
88. Jingle Bells
(1990) - Barry Manilow & Expose
89. Mary, Did You Know
(1996) - Kenny Rogers & Wynonna Judd
90. Happy Holiday
(1962) - Shells
91. There's a New Kid in Town
(1991) - Keith Whitley
92. The Christmas Shoes
(2000) - Newsong
93. Celebrate Me Home
(1977) - Kenny Loggins
94. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
(1962) - Four Seasons
95. Deck the Halls
(1984) - Mannheim Steamroller
96. River
(1971) - Joni Mitchell
97. Hey Santa Claus
(1953) - Moonglows
98. White Christmas
(1963) - Darlene Love
99. Christmas Auld Lang Syne
(1960) - Bobby Darin
100. Merry Christmas Everyone
(1985) - Shakin' Stevens
(1960) - Charles Brown
12. This Christmas
(1970) - Donny Hathaway
13. Feliz Navidad
(1970) - Jose Feliciano
14. Sleigh Ride
(1963) - Ronettes
15. Merry Christmas Baby
(1968) - Otis Redding
16. All I Want For Christmas is You
(1994) - Mariah Carey
17. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
(1970) - Jackson 5
18. Christmas Wrapping
(1980) - Waitresses
19. Wonderful Christmastime
(1979) - Paul McCartney
20. Santa Claus Is Back In Town
(1957) - Elvis Presley
21. Merry Christmas Darling
(1970) - Carpenters
22. Frosty The Snowman
(1963) - Ronettes
23. What Christmas Means To Me
(1967) - Stevie Wonder
24. Merry Christmas Baby
(1947, 1956, 1962, 1968) - Charles Brown
25. Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)
(1995) - Trans-Siberian Orchestra
26. Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth
(1977, rel. 1982) - David Bowie & Bing Crosby
27. Silent Night
(1968, 1980) - Temptations
28. Fairytale of New York
(1987) - Pogues with Kirsty MacColl
29. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
(1956) - Cadillacs
30. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
(1963) - Ronettes
31. Step Into Christmas
(1973) - Elton John
32. Grown-Up Christmas List
(1992) - Amy Grant
33. Someday At Christmas
(1967) - Stevie Wonder
34. Last Christmas
(1984) - Wham!
35. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
(1963) - Crystals
36. Give Love on Christmas Day
(1970) - Jackson 5
37. Father Christmas
(1977) - Kinks
38. Santa, Bring My Baby Back To Me
(1957) - Elvis Presley
39. Same Old Lang Syne
(1980) - Dan Fogelberg
40. Pretty Paper
(1963) - Roy Orbison
41. I Believe in Father Christmas
(1975) - Greg Lake
42. Silent Night
(1962) - Huey "Piano" Smith & The Clowns
43. Hey Santa
(1993) - Carnie & Wendy Wilson
44. Please Come Home For Christmas
(1978) - Eagles
45. O Holy Night
(1998) - Celine Dion
46. Baby It's Cold Outside
(1962) - Ray Charles & Betty Carter
47. Christmas in Hollis
(1987) - Run-D.M.C.
48. Snoopy's Christmas
(1967) - Royal Guardsmen
49. (It's Gonna Be a) Lonely Christmas
(1948) - Orioles
50. Winter Wonderland
(1987) - Eurythmics
51. Sleigh Ride
(1992) - TLC
52. Christmas Rappin'
(1979) - Kurtis Blow
53. Christmas Ain't Christmas New Year's Ain't New Years Without The One You Love
(1969) - O'Jays
54. Baby's First Christmas
(1961) - Connie Francis
55. Jingle Bell Rock
(1961) - Chubby Checker & Bobby Rydell
56. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
(1968) - Temptations
57. Hark The Herald Angels Sing
(1988) - Mannheim Steamroller
58. The Man With All the Toys
(1964) - Beach Boys
59. Here Comes Santa Claus
(1957) - Elvis Presley
60. White Christmas
(1948) - Ravens
61. Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You
(1981) - Billy Squier
62. All I Want For Christmas is You
(1989) - Vince Vance & The Valiants
63. 2000 Miles
(1983, 1995) - Pretenders
64. Sleigh Ride
(1965) - Ventures
65. This Time of the Year
(1959) - Brook Benton
66. Merry Christmas All
(1976) - Denise Montoya & the Salsoul Orchestra
67. A Marshmallow World
(1963) - Darlene Love
68. Santa Baby
(1987) - Madonna
69. Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
(1979, 1982, 1984) - Elmo & Patsy
70. Mary's Boy Child/O My Lord
(1978) - Boney M
71. Rock and Roll Christmas
(1983) - George Thorogood
72. White Christmas
(1968) - Otis Redding
73. Winter Wonderland
(1964) - Aretha Franklin
74. It Doesn't Have To Be That Way
(1973) - Jim Croce
75. Don't Believe In Christmas
(1965) - Sonics
76. Lonesome Christmas
(1950) - Lowell Fulson
77. It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
(1992) - Amy Grant
78. Do You Hear What I Hear
(1987) - Whitney Houston
79. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday
(1973) - Roy Wood & Wizzard
80. Back Door Santa
(1968) - Clarence Carter
81. Please Come Home For Christmas
(1993) - Aaron Neville
82. Christmas in Dixie
(1982) - Alabama
83. Jingle Bell Rock
(1983) - Daryl Hall & John Oates
84. Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto
(1968) - James Brown
85. Christmas in Jail
(1956) - Youngsters
86. Merry Xmas Everybody
(1973) - Slade
87. If We Make It Through December
(1973) - Merle Haggard
88. Jingle Bells
(1990) - Barry Manilow & Expose
89. Mary, Did You Know
(1996) - Kenny Rogers & Wynonna Judd
90. Happy Holiday
(1962) - Shells
91. There's a New Kid in Town
(1991) - Keith Whitley
92. The Christmas Shoes
(2000) - Newsong
93. Celebrate Me Home
(1977) - Kenny Loggins
94. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
(1962) - Four Seasons
95. Deck the Halls
(1984) - Mannheim Steamroller
96. River
(1971) - Joni Mitchell
97. Hey Santa Claus
(1953) - Moonglows
98. White Christmas
(1963) - Darlene Love
99. Christmas Auld Lang Syne
(1960) - Bobby Darin
100. Merry Christmas Everyone
(1985) - Shakin' Stevens
Edited By: Brett Alan
Last Updated: 2020-11-30