My 400 Favorite Modern Christmas Songs, Day 6

As much as I love music and marvel at the wonder of the creative minds who not only produce a successful career, but I truly those who have only one hit. Yet, lately, I have began to realize that the person who writes a timeless Christmas song has the potential to keep several generations of family whom they will never meet financially secure for their lifetimes. Think about it. Who wouldn’t love to have been Dolly Parton when she wrote “I Will Always Love You,” then watch as Whitney Houston turns the song into a pop classic. But, now, compare that to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” that has been re-charting each year since it’s 1994 release and finally hit #1 on the Hot 100 the past three years. Now, there’s a moneymaker.

Some of the biggest selling songs in history are all Christmas songs. Mariah’s now the biggest-seller, but some others are like fellow-Hoosier Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock,” Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas.” There’s so many others too. And, each year, the songwriters of those songs continue to receive a royalty check that now can sustains their lives for a year or longer. That’s why the Christmas music industry is constantly pumping more and more new music each year. And, sure, most of it sounds the same. Yet, once every couple of years, an artist may nail a Christmas song, but for some reason, the song doesn’t make it on to radio or get streamed right away. No longer do new Christmas songs get immediate airplay during the initial season of release. Often, it takes them a couple of years before you begin to hear them on playlists or the radio. That’s why I am here. I LOVE to discover great new Christmas songs each year. Unfortunately, it takes some digging on your own.

Some artists who have released new Christmas music over the past couple of years that will probably be played more often on my stereo include Elton John & Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, Norah Jones, Kelly Clarkson, among others. And, every year when October rolls around, I will begin my annual new Christmas tunes dig for more new ones to throw in my future playlists. And, I am always scouring the internet for more old yuletide gems, just to spice up those playlists.

Yes, the holiday music obsession is a strange. I get that. But, every year, it becomes a source of finding my inner child each year. And, that’s not so bad, is it?

Time to get back to the countdown.

100. Bob & Doug McKenzie – “The Twelve Days of Christmas” (1981)

99. Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band – “Little Drummer Boy” (1987)

98. Carla Thomas – “Gee Whiz, It’s Christmas!” (1963)

97. The Three Wisemen (aka XTC) – “Thanks for Christmas” (1983)

96. Bebe Rexha – “Count on Christmas” (2017)

95. Otis Redding – “Merry Christmas Baby” (1968)

94. Johnny Mathis – “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas” (1986)

93. Ingrid Michaelson – “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (2018)

92. Band of Merrymakers – “A Very Merry Medley” (2016)

91. The Salsoul Orchestra – “Christmas Medley” (1976)

90. Charly Bliss – “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (2019)

89. Kylie Minogue – “Every Day’s like Christmas” (2015)

88. Frank Sinatra – “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (1957)

87. Ed Sheeran & Elton John – “Merry Christmas” (2021)

86. Chicago – “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” (2003)

85. Death Cab for Cutie – “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” (2004)

84. Darlene Love – “A Marshmallow World” (1963)

83. Stevie Wonder – “What Christmas Means to Me” (1967)

82. Slade – “Merry Xmas Everybody” (1973)

81. Andy Williams – “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” (1963)

80. Barbra Streisand – “Sleep in Heavenly Peace (Silent Night)” (1967)

79. The Shins – “Wonderful Christmastime” (2012)

78. The Monkees – “Unwrap You at Christmas” (2018)

77. Greg Lake – “I Believe in Father Christmas” (1975)

76. The Pogues with Kirsty MacColl – “Fairytale of New York” (1987)

75. Squeeze – “Christmas Day” (1979)

74. Dolly Parton & Michael Bublé – “Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas” (2020)

73. Bing Crosby – “Do You Hear What I Hear?” (1963)

72. Sia – “Candy Cane Lane” (2017)

71. Joni Mitchell – “River” (1971)

70. Extreme – “Christmas Time Again” (1992)

69. Kelly Clarkson – “Underneath the Tree” (2013)

68. CeeLo Green feat. The Muppets – “All I Need Is Love” (2012)

67. Darlene Love – “All Alone on Christmas” (1992)

66. Neon Trees – “Wish List” (2010)

65. OneRepublic – “Christmas Without You” (2011)

64. Mavis Staples – “Christmas Vacation” (1989)

63. Queen – “Thank God It’s Christmas” (1984)

62. Emmylou Harris – “Light of the Stable” (1979)

61. The Emotions – “What Do the Lonely Do for Christmas?” (1977)

60. Tevin Campbell – “O Holy Night” (1992)

59. Johnny Cash – “Silent Night” (1963)

58. The Staple Singers – “Who Took the Merry Out of Christmas” (1970)

57. Jackson 5 – “Give Love on Christmas Day” (1970)

56. Willie Nelson – “Christmas Blues” (1979)

55. The Beach Boys – “Little Saint Nick” (1964)

54. Vince Vance & the Valiants – “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (1989)

53. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers – “Christmas All Over Again” (1992)

52. The Drifters – “White Christmas” (1954)

51. Prince – “Another Lonely Christmas” (1984)

See?!?! I can objectively rank a Prince, Queen or Tom Petty song lower than the Top 10. This is empirical evidence on my objectivity concerning Christmas songs. Peace!