Top Ten Christmas Songs of All Time

Christmas time is officially around the corner and that means that everyone is going to be listening to their favorite Christmas tracks. With so many great Christmas songs over the years being covered by many great artists, in this article, we are going to be looking at the top 10 streamed Christmas songs of all time. In the end, I’m going to be putting these songs in order from best to worst. 

First, we should understand why Christmas songs have been such a tradition when it comes to the holiday season. Many of these songs are covers of songs that came out years and years ago. Many artists have decided to make a Christmas album and to do a cover of most of these songs because they are considered staple pieces in the Christmas songbook. 

Let’s go all the way back to the 4th century, yes, that is way far back. This is the first recollection of Christmas carols. You had Latin hymns like “Veni redemptor gentium” that were used to celebrate the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany. Most of the songs that you hear today on the radio or the next time you go to the shopping mall come all the way back from the 1930’s when they were composed and performed. As I had said, most of these songs you hear today, are cover songs which means that the artist singing the song didn’t make the song himself, the song was composed by someone else and that one artist is just doing a cover on it. This is seen a lot today and is very popular when it comes to Christmas music. 

When looking at the top 40 list that was published by Officialcharts.com, there are some songs that don’t even make the top 10 in the streaming charts that I would have thought made it! Here is a list of the top songs that didn’t make it to the top 10 list that I think could have. 

• IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR – ANDY WILLIAMS – #17 

It’s crazy that this song is number 17 on the Top 40 list. For me, I feel like this deserves to be in the top 5. One of the best Christmas songs I hear every holiday on the radio.

• WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME – PAUL MCCARTNEY – #18 

We are talking about a former Beatles here! I would have thought that someone like him would have climbed higher in the charts but Paul sits at the number 18 spot, just below Andy. 

• JINGLE BELL ROCK – BOBBY HELMS – #21 

Huge upset right here! This is considered Buy Some, number 1 in their list of best Christmas songs of all time! This is sitting at the number 21 spot! What a huge upset! This should be in the top 5 list!

• WHITE CHRISTMAS – BING CROSBY – #22

This is one of the most talked about Christmas songs of all time, and in some eyes, one of the staple pieces when it comes to Christmas songs. Bing Crosby was huge in the 40s and when he released this album in 1945, he had now, the most sold single in history that still stands today! 50 million sold! Still a record in the Guinness World Records book. White Christmas could be higher but it’s tuff to get the new generation to listen to something that old. 

• LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW – FRANK SINATRA – #33 

This is one of my favorite Christmas songs of all time. Ok sure, maybe I love anything Ol’ Blue Eyes did but this is a good Christmas song! If you want to listen to a jazzy swinging Christmas song, then here you go! One of the best to ever do it in this field! To see this at number 33, I’m not mad at all. 

Now after looking at some of the songs that could have made it in the top 10 list, we are going to be looking at the songs that have officially made it in the top 10. 

10. ROCKIN’ AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE – BRENDA LEE 

You are going to be in shock when I tell you this……. SHE WAS ONLY 13 WHEN SHE RECORDED THIS SONG. YES, 13! To have a voice like she did at 13 is just incredible. This is one of the best Christmas songs of all time and I’m happy to see it in the top 10. It is crazy to see this just break in at number 10. 

9. I WISH IT COULD BE CHRISTMAS EVERYDAY –  WIZZARD 

This is the first song in the Top 10 list that I’ve never heard before. If it’s at number 9, then it must be good. After taking a listen, it sounded ok. I don’t know how to wrap my head around it but for me, I don’t understand how this is number 9. When reading the comments on YouTube, some people said this was the best. Not sure about that. 

8. SANTA TELL ME – ARIANA GRANDE 

This song breaks into the top 10 list and sits at number 8. Ariana Grande is one of the best pop singers of this generation and looked to make a Christmas song that would break the charts. While she didn’t get in the top 5, she still managed to get number 8 which I think is respectable for someone like her. The song is nice and all but it’s really her fan base that has pushed this to the number 8 spot.

7. STEP INTO CHRISTMAS – ELTON JOHN 

It’s no surprise that we would see Elton John on this list, he’s been considered one of the best at what he does, and with a Christmas song like this, it’s no surprise he is number 7 on the top 10 list. 

6. IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS – MICHAEL BUBLE 

This is number 1 on my list. This is in my opinion the best Christmas song of all time. Michael Buble has got such a warming voice that will be heard every Christmas time for the next 30 years. He has one of the best voices as he has always tried to be a crooner just like Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, and Dean Martin and he fits right in. With a Christmas song like this, you are one of them.  

We now hit the Top 5 of this list! What songs have what it takes to be in the Top 5? Let’s take a look! 

5. DO THEY KNOW IT’S CHRISTMAS – BAND AID 

This is another song I’ve never heard before but it’s Top 5 for a reason. This is a song that was for a charity that had happened back in 1984. This was a part of the Band-Aid group that was put together in 1983-1985 to raise money for famine in Ethiopia. The group had some popular British and Irish musical acts.

4. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE – SHAKIN’ STEVENS 

This is number 4 on the list and is quite an interesting one. Sounds very 80s-like to me but was released in 1991 on his ‘Merry Christmas Everyone album’. He was known for his rock and this album has all of it.

3. FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK – POGUES FT KIRSTY MACCOLL 

We are now in the Top 3 and at number 3 we have ‘Fairytale Of New York.’ For me, this song isn’t bad but it’s not what I would have picked for number 3. The Pogues are an Alternative band and this song fits under that very well. 

2. LAST CHRISTMAS – WHAM!

I can’t even tell you how many times I have listened to this track. I’m a sucker for this era of music where we had this beautiful synth and a lovely drum in the background. These two were starting to dominate when this song was released and when it came to making a Christmas song, they just made one of the best ever. The song itself is one that many people could relate to. It’s all about how you gave your heart to someone special the Christmas before and now, the very next day, she has gone and given it all away. Now this Christmas, you are giving your love to someone special. This is a song I will listen to every Christmas. 

1. ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU – MARIAH CAREY 

And at the number 1 spot we have…….. ‘All I want for Christmas is You!’ this is the ultimate Christmas song and it is number 1 on the list. This is the song that got her famous and now, every time, when it turns the 1st of November, Mariah Carey posts a video on her YouTube channel promoting the song and telling everyone “It’s time.” it’s crazy to think how much money she had made off this on song. I feel like it’s also number 1 because of social media platforms these days. The song got really popular on TikTok and it was a thing for a while that people played this song when it hit December 1st and when it hits Christmas Day. I believe people still do this. It is a great song and is very bright and in your face and those lyrics go on forever and ever. All I Want For Christmas Is You!

Now that we know the top 10 list, here is the order I think they should go in, from best to worst. 

1. IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS – MICHAEL BUBLE
2. LAST CHRISTMAS – WHAM! 
3. ROCKIN’ AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE – BRENDA LEE
4. ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU – MARIAH CAREY 
5. SANTA TELL ME – ARIANA GRANDE
6. STEP INTO CHRISTMAS – ELTON JOHN 
7. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE – SHAKIN’ STEVENS
8. FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK – POGUES FT KIRSTY MACCOLL 
9. I WISH IT COULD BE CHRISTMAS EVERYDAY –  WIZZARD 
10. DO THEY KNOW IT’S CHRISTMAS – BAND AID