These modern Christmas songs are already classics. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at the biggest and best Christmas hits released from 1980 on, not including carols or covers.
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00:00 "It was December 24th when Holla's having the talk.
00:02 When I see the man chilling with his dog at the park."
00:05 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're looking at the biggest and best Christmas
00:09 hits released from 1980 on, not including carols or covers.
00:13 "Merry Christmas, I wrapped it up and sent it."
00:19 Number 20. Christmas Tree Farm - Taylor Swift
00:22 "My winter nights are taken up by static."
00:28 Nostalgia is a key ingredient in most Christmas hits, and no one knows that better than Taylor
00:33 Swift. In her 2020 track, "Tis the Damn Season," Swift spins a festive fable fit for a holiday
00:39 rom-com. But for that real Christmassy feeling, you can't beat Christmas Tree Farm.
00:43 "And I'm somewhere else, just like magic."
00:50 The singer mined her own childhood home movies for the music video, which features a tiny
00:56 Taylor opening presents and playing in the snow. The orchestral beginning makes way for
01:00 jingle bells and a bouncy, feel-good chorus.
01:02 "Under the mistletoe, watching the fire burn."
01:09 The lyrics reminisce on childhood Christmases at Swift's family farm.
01:13 Throw in a touch of romance under the mistletoe, and what's not to like?
01:16 "Oh baby, baby, merry Christmas."
01:20 Number 19. My Only Wish This Year - Britney Spears
01:24 "Last night I took a walk in the snow, couples holding hands, places to go."
01:30 The 2000s might not be everyone's go-to decade when it comes to iconic Christmas songs,
01:35 but you cannot go wrong with a bit of Britney. This slice of noughties nostalgia is festive,
01:40 up-tempo, and pure pop.
01:41 "I signed my letter that I'd suit with a kiss."
01:45 It first appeared on a holiday compilation album called Platinum Christmas, which also
01:49 featured songs by Whitney Houston and NSYNC. My Only Wish appears to take some inspiration
01:54 from Mariah Carey's most famous Christmas hit, but Spears still manages to make this song her own.
01:59 "I want my baby, baby, yeah."
02:02 In recent years, it's been hailed as a holiday classic,
02:05 and that chorus is definitely an earworm.
02:08 "Santa, that's my only wish this year."
02:14 Number 18. Merry Christmas - Ed Sheeran & Elton John
02:18 "Build a fire and gather 'round the tree."
02:22 Elton John's best-known Christmas song has to be 1973's Step Into Christmas. However,
02:28 he hit the holiday charts once again in 2021, this time with the help of Ed Sheeran.
02:33 "So kiss me under the mistletoe, pour out the wine, let's toast and pray for December snow."
02:40 Although the production is typically cozy and feel-good, there are nods within the
02:44 lyrics to the pain and loss of the COVID years, when the song was written.
02:47 "I know there's been pain this year, but it's time to let it go."
02:52 The song was also a charity single, with all of the UK proceeds going to support good causes.
02:57 With Elton John's trademark piano riffs, Sheeran's star power and a catchy chorus,
03:02 we think we'll be listening to this one for years to come.
03:05 "We'll have a good night and a merry Christmas time."
03:13 Number 17. Snowman - Sia
03:17 "Don't cry, snowman, not in front of me."
03:21 Sia broke the mold with her 2017 single "Snowman,"
03:24 which manages to be both a modern Christmas staple and also totally original.
03:29 "You should know that I'm never leaving, 'cause I'll miss the snow 'til death will be freezing."
03:36 There are no jingle bells, trumpets, or children's choir. Instead, this mid-tempo ballad relies on
03:42 piano and vocals to set the scene. The track caused a storm on TikTok and was the breakout
03:47 single from Sia's festive album, Every Day is Christmas.
03:50 "Go below zero and hide from the sun. I love you forever, we'll have some fun."
03:57 It's a song about a crying snowman, or taken less literally, a cleverly crafted love story.
04:02 "Snowman" has a touch of melancholy about it, but so do some of our favorite seasonal songs.
04:08 "My snowman and me."
04:13 Number 16. Santa Tell Me - Ariana Grande
04:16 "Santa tell me if you're really there."
04:21 When you listen to the lyrics, Ariana Grande's "Santa Tell Me" is another bittersweet tale of
04:26 broken hearts, but it's much easier to dance to. The production is a little bit pop, a little bit
04:31 R&B, and a lot of fun. "Christmas all around, and I'm trying to play it cool."
04:37 The chorus is bound to get stuck in your head, and at this point, it just feels like Christmas.
04:41 "Santa tell me if you're really there."
04:46 It's not the singer's first seasonal song, but it is her favorite, and it's ours too.
04:51 Not every holiday hit has the staying power to make it onto our yearly playlists,
04:55 but Grande seems to have cracked the code.
04:57 "I can give it all away if he won't be here next year."
05:04 Number 15. The Spirit of Christmas - Ray Charles
05:07 "Christmas is the time of year."
05:12 Ray Charles is a legend, but this mellow 80s ballad is criminally underrated for a Christmas
05:18 song. "I was sitting by the fireside."
05:24 The Spirit of Christmas is the title track of Charles' first holiday album,
05:28 which also features covers of The Little Drummer Boy and Santa Claus is Coming to Town.
05:32 It was recorded late in the artist's career, when Charles was 55 years old.
05:37 "All the kids all gather 'round."
05:43 The song calls back to the cozy fireside standards of the 40s and 50s,
05:46 but adds a touch of rhythm and blues. The track was also featured in the
05:50 seminal Christmas movie, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
05:54 "Oh, that's what I wanna get."
06:00 Number 14. Sleigh Ride - TLC
06:02 Nothing says the 90s like an R&B girl group remixing a Christmas classic.
06:12 Just watch the music video for TLC's Sleigh Ride if you don't believe us.
06:16 Technically, it is a cover song, but with a new melody, new lyrics, and some added festive rapping,
06:21 it bears very little resemblance to the original.
06:24 "Just hear those sleigh bells jingling, ring-ting-tingling too."
06:29 It might not be the sleigh ride you know best,
06:32 but this feel-good gem deserves its spot in the Christmas music canon.
06:35 It featured on the soundtrack for Home Alone 2, and more importantly,
06:44 paved the way for Destiny's Child's 2001 track, Eight Days of Christmas.
06:48 "They put an eight day of Christmas, my baby gave to me,
06:51 a pair of Chloe shades and a diamond belly ring."
06:53 Number 13. Mistletoe and Wine - Cliff Richard
06:57 "The child is a king, the carol a sing."
07:01 Mistletoe and Wine is a heartwarming Christmas classic that feels like a throwback to an earlier
07:07 era. British singer Cliff Richard bagged a UK Christmas number one with the song back in 1988,
07:12 charting higher than other holiday songs by Kylie Minogue, Petula Clark, and even U2.
07:17 "A time for living, a time for believing."
07:22 The melody and chorus are reminiscent of a traditional carol. Richard also asked to adapt
07:27 the lyrics, building on the religious theme. "Silent night, holy night."
07:34 The song was originally written for a musical version of The Little Match Girl,
07:38 and sung by 60s supermodel Twiggy in a TV movie. However, it's Cliff Richard's with
07:43 his carolers and marching band that people remember most fondly.
07:47 "Time to rejoice in the good that we see."
07:53 Number 12. One More Sleep - Leona Lewis
07:56 "Snow was falling all around us."
08:01 As we moved into the 2010s, it seemed like the golden age of the Christmas song was behind us.
08:06 But not everyone was ready to throw in the towel.
08:08 "So I wait, and I wait."
08:13 In 2013, Leona Lewis came back fighting with a peppy Motown-inspired hit,
08:18 destined to become a new festive staple. The hummable chorus is built on a Christmas countdown,
08:24 and as hooks go, it's a good one.
08:26 "Cause I got five more nights of sleeping on my own."
08:32 One More Sleep feels both modern and timeless, and Lewis' dreamy vocals give it that extra
08:37 sparkle. It's a song that's sure to give you that Christmassy feeling as soon as you hear that intro.
08:42 "One more sleep."
08:47 Number 11. Mistletoe - Justin Bieber
08:50 "It's the most beautiful time of the year. Lights fill the streets, spreading so much cheer."
08:55 It's been over 10 years since a baby-faced Justin Bieber released this holiday hit,
09:00 and it's starting to feel like a modern classic.
09:02 Okay, so it's corny, but aren't Christmas songs supposed to be?
09:06 "Everyone's gathering around the fire. Chestnuts roasting like a hot chiller."
09:12 From the opening jingle bells to the catchy chorus,
09:14 it's chock-full of references to the holiday season. Some might call Mistletoe an unashamed
09:19 bit of marketing, designed to cash in on the artist's teen heartthrob appeal.
09:24 But it turned out pretty good.
09:25 "I don't wanna miss out on the holiday. But I can't stop staring at your face."
09:31 The song itself is a chilled and likable listen,
09:34 and Bieber has the charm and the voice to carry it off.
09:37 "Kiss me underneath the mistletoe. Show me baby, how you love me so."
09:45 Number 10. Where Are You Christmas - Faith Hill
09:48 "Where are you Christmas?"
09:52 If you grew up watching Jim Carrey's Grinch every holiday season,
09:55 you are sure to remember this emotional power ballad.
09:58 Originally titled Christmas, Why Can't I Find You,
10:00 the song was performed by a young Taylor Momsen in the movie. It was renamed "Where
10:05 Are You Christmas" and released as a single by Faith Hill.
10:07 "My world is changing."
10:12 The additional lyrics for the pop version were written by the Queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey.
10:16 The track sets Hill's powerful vocals to a tinkling piano refrain,
10:20 while the lyrics spin a melancholy tale of lost Christmas spirit.
10:24 "Christmas is here, everywhere, oh."
10:32 It's surprisingly moving, as long as you ignore the music video.
10:35 "You will feel like Christmas all the time."
10:43 Number 9. Cold December Night - Michael Bublé
10:47 "Stockings are hung with care, children sleep with one eye open."
10:52 In 2003, Michael Bublé released his first festive record, Let It Snow. However,
10:57 it wasn't until the winter of 2011 that the Canadian crooner established himself
11:01 as the king of Christmas.
11:03 "Twinkling of the lights, the Santa carols fill the household."
11:08 Bublé's record-breaking Christmas album was chock full of festive favorites and duets with the
11:13 stars. Co-written by Bublé and his longtime collaborator Alan Chang, Cold December Night
11:18 stands out from the covers on the album. "So please just fall in love with me this Christmas."
11:26 The song is a real blend of old and new. Bublé's trademark singing style is complemented by the
11:31 twinkly and festive production. Meanwhile, the lyrics are reminiscent of many modern-day
11:36 Christmas songs. "The call, the season, the gift, I'm here, I'm yours."
11:42 Number 8. Underneath the Tree - Kelly Clarkson
11:45 "You're here where you should be, snow is falling at the cabinet seat."
11:53 Of all the Christmas songs from this century, we'd argue that Underneath the Tree has made
11:58 the biggest impression. ASCAP even named it the biggest Christmas song released since 2000.
12:03 "Tonight, I'm gonna hold you close."
12:09 It feels like it's been around forever, despite being released in 2013.
12:13 This modern classic was the breakout hit from Clarkson's first Christmas album,
12:17 Wrapped in Red. She co-wrote the song with producer Greg Kirsten and provided all her
12:22 own backing vocals. Joyous, upbeat, and easy to dance to, it's now a firm favorite with radio
12:28 DJs come the festive season. "Christmas on a beautiful side, don't make a thing of you and
12:34 holdin' me tight." And of course, no Christmas party is complete without it. The lyrics have
12:39 a familiar theme, but who cares when the song is so catchy? "Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah."
12:50 Number 7. Christmas Rapping - The Waitresses
12:52 "Bah humbug, well that's too strong, 'cause it is my favorite holiday."
12:57 It's hard to find a Christmas song that can be described as unique, but this one is definitely
13:02 different. It's feel-good without relying on the usual Christmas tropes. Festive, but not overly
13:07 saccharine. "Those lines so dark, those halls, trim those trees, raise up cups of Christmas cheer."
13:13 Does anyone actually know the words? Probably not unless you work in retail,
13:17 but it doesn't matter as long as you know the bit that goes, "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas,
13:21 but I think I'll miss this one this year." If you do know the words, you'll have noticed it's a
13:26 love story, but mostly it's about Christmas fatigue. The holiday season can be exhausting
13:31 at times, and even those of us who love Christmas can relate, with some memorable riffs and a great
13:36 hook. The Waitresses served up a Christmas classic. "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas,
13:42 but I think I'll miss this one this year."
13:44 Number 6. Fairy Tale of New York - The Pogues, featuring Kirstie McCull
13:48 "It was Christmas Eve, babe."
13:53 "Bah humbug" was too strong a sentiment for The Waitresses, but for The Pogues and Kirstie
13:57 McCull, it doesn't go far enough. Fairy Tale of New York is the one seasonal song that the
14:02 Christmas cynics can belt out along with the rest of us. "I've got a
14:06 feeling." Written in the style of an Irish folk ballad, it's about two people who hate
14:13 the sight of each other and have given up on ever feeling happy again. "You were pretty
14:17 clean off New York City when the Pogues came, they all loved them all." It's dark and chaotic
14:24 and irreverent, but it still feels like Christmas. From the opening piano chords to the raucous
14:29 chorus, it's hard not to get swept up in the spirit of it all. "And the bells are ringing
14:34 out for Christmas Day." Number 5. Driving Home for Christmas - Chris Rhea
14:41 British singer Chris Rhea started writing this likable ditty while stuck in Christmas traffic.
14:49 As his wife drove them home from London in the heavy snow, Rhea jotted down lyrics whenever
14:54 light shone into the car. "And it's been so long." It's a happy little song, with a hopeful,
15:01 lilting melody and a simple, relatable story. The track kicks off with a memorable intro and
15:06 is arranged in a 1950s style that makes it feel like a real holiday standard.
15:10 "Tucked in tow and tailpipes." It might not be the first Christmas song that comes to mind.
15:17 However, Driving Home for Christmas is the perfect easy listening track for the busy holiday period.
15:22 "Driving home for Christmas." Number 4. Merry Christmas Everyone - Shaken Stevens
15:29 "Snow is falling, all around us, children playing." Back in the 1980s, Shaken Stevens was
15:39 one of the UK's most successful musicians. Nowadays, he's best known for this enduring
15:44 Christmas hit. "We're gonna have a party tonight." The song feels like a successor to Paul McCartney's
15:51 Wonderful Christmas Time. With its catchy chorus and celebration of the simple pleasures of the
15:56 season, it's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. "It's the season, love and understanding."
16:02 It's true that the Christmas classics of the 70s and 80s do tend to blend together,
16:06 but what this song lacks in originality, it makes up for in charm. Jingle bells,
16:12 feel-good lyrics, and old-school rock and roll are a killer Christmas combination,
16:16 and this one is bound to get the whole family up dancing. "Merry Christmas, everyone."
16:24 Number 3. Do They Know It's Christmas - Band-Aid
16:27 Bob Geldof and his then-wife Paula were the driving force behind this record-breaking
16:38 charity single. In an effort to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia,
16:42 the lead singer of the Boomtown Rats put together a star-studded supergroup.
16:50 Band-Aid stormed to Christmas number one in the UK, and within a year,
16:54 their record had raised 8 million pounds. The song has been re-released three times to date,
16:59 featuring different celebrities each time. Sometimes known as Feed the World,
17:03 it is a banger of a Christmas hit, designed to be belted out at the top of your lungs.
17:08 In hindsight, some of the lyrics seem a bit insensitive, but it's the thought that counts.
17:19 "Feed the world."
17:21 Number 2. Last Christmas - Wham
17:26 George Michael, one half of British pop duo Wham, was one of the celebs featured in the
17:35 original Band-Aid. The same year, Wham released a future Christmas classic of their own,
17:40 which just narrowly missed out on that number one spot in the UK.
17:48 They also donated all of their royalties to famine relief. Almost 40 years on,
17:53 Last Christmas remains a holiday favorite, and has even inspired its own Christmas movie.
17:58 The song was written in Michael's childhood bedroom on a visit to his parents in 1983.
18:02 Wham recorded the track the following year, with Michael playing all of the individual instruments.
18:08 The bittersweet lyrics are set against a cheerful background melody,
18:16 making Last Christmas the perfect festive song, whatever mood you're in.
18:19 Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.
18:27 Stay Another Day - East 17 This 90s UK number one will
18:32 always be a Christmas song to us.
18:34 Christmas in Hollis - Run DMC Their Christmas rap featured on the Die Hard soundtrack.
18:44 Christmas Time - Don't Let the Bells End The Darkness - A glam rock Christmas classic from the early aughts.
18:54 Christmas Lights - Coldplay It's understated for a Christmas song,
19:03 but still one for the playlist.
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19:25 All I Want for Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey
19:37 Although many of the songs on this list have topped the holiday charts,
19:40 our Christmas number one has to be All I Want for Christmas Is You.
19:44 No festive playlist would be complete without Mariah Carey's iconic hit.
19:48 As an upbeat pop love song, it's often been imitated but never bettered.
19:58 Amazingly, both the lyrics and the melody were written in just 15 minutes.
20:03 I'm just gonna keep on waiting underneath the mistletoe.
20:09 The track is featured in numerous Christmas films and has been covered by a wide range of artists,
20:14 from Dolly Parton to My Chemical Romance. It may have taken 25 years to chart at number one,
20:20 but it is definitely here to stay.
20:21 Which festive favorites are on your Christmas playlist? Let us know in the comments.
20:33 It's getting in your head, it's getting in your head, it's getting in your head.
20:37 Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
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20:46 [Music]