The Top 10 Contemporary Christmas Classics

Years ago I remember reading an interview with John Mayer where he said that pop tunes are the most difficult songs to write. This article is to politely disagree with him because I’d say good Christmas songs are even harder to write because they’re like pop songs but only relevant for one month out of the year.

This is a top 10 of the best Christmas songs written and released within the last 50 years. That’s the criteria for this list in case you were wondering why there’s no Micheal Buble, Bing Crosby or Bruce Springsteen’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”. It also pains me to leave out Jose Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad” which came out in 1970, 51 years ago. My former morning show co-host Ashley Bee will be thrilled to hear this.

Here are the best Christmas songs from the last 50 years:

10. “Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir (1971)

This one just makes the cut having been released in 1971. The messaging may be a little lost with war still happening but listening to this song will make you forget about it for the three minute and thirty-three seconds it runs for. It’s infectiously catching and the Harlem Community Choir brought their A-game to this recording session.

9. “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays” – *NSYNC (1998)

A boy band ranked higher than a former Beatle? You bet! “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays” is a no-nonsense Christmas bop from Justin Timberlake and the other guys. “Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!” Enough said!

8. “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24” – Trans-Siberian Orchestra (1995)

This one’s controversial because it’s a medley of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” and “Carol of the Bells” but it’s a new composition and it’s got a badass story behind it so it’s at number 8! “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24” is a piece about a cellist playing a Christmas carol in the middle of warn-torn Sarajevo in the ’90s. It’s based off of the real life story of Vedran Smailovic who would play in public throughout the siege of Sarajevo often under the threat of bombs and snipers.

7. “Christmas Wrapping” – The Waitresses (1981)

This one’s refreshing because it’s a Christmas song about a women who’s too exhausted to participate in Christmas and wants to sit this one out after the troubled year she had. Her biggest problem seems to be this guy she wants to get to know but things keep getting in the way until *SPOILER ALERT* they bump into each other at a grocery store on Christmas eve. This one’s also personal for me this year because on December 1st a listener named Chad called my radio show trying to figure out the name of this song and it took me 23 days to figure it out!

6. “Mistletoe” – Justin Bieber (2011)

Kudos to JB for taking a risk on a new Christmas song so early in his career. Most artists will usually play it safe and cover the classics but Bieber ditches all his responsibilities to be under the mistletoe with you… shawty with you!

5. “Driving Home For Christmas” – Chris Rea (1986)

I cannot name another Chris Rea song but that’s okay because the one I know is amazing and it’s “Driving Home For Christmas”. The inspiration comes from sitting in traffic during the busy holiday season and it’s so relatable to anyone who’s been stuck outside a mall this month.

4. “Step Into Christmas” – Elton John (1973)

I know that this song is from the ’70s but the compression used during the production makes in sound like it was ripped off Limewire in 2002 and I’m all for it! It’s also a great track to kick off any Christmas playlist.

3. “Last Christmas” – Wham! (1984)

This one came out the same year as Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas” and George Michael donated the royalties from “Last Christmas” to the same charity. We also lost George Michael on Christmas day during the celebrity slaughter that was the year 2016 so he’s basically a Christmas saint now.

2. “All I Want for Christmas Is You” – Mariah Carey (1994)

It started off as a powerhouse track of the analog world and seamlessly made its way into our digital world with Mariah Carey’s ability to meme herself over the years every time around Christmas. Simplicity is the key to a great Christmas bop and Mariah nails it on this because all she wants for Christmas is you!

1. “Wonderful Christmastime” – Paul McCartney (1979)

The nostalgia of all the Christmases of your past hits you like a ton of bricks on literally the first note. The synthesizer makes the song. There’s been so many covers of “Wonderful Christmastime” and they’re all trash because they don’t have the synth. Its’ also impossible to be in a bad mood when it’s on and that’s what makes Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” the greatest contemporary Christmas classic!