75 Best Christmas Songs Ever

A playlist of the best Christmas songs ever, ones that need to be on every single Christmas party playlist! Whether you’re looking for Christmas classics, Christmas songs for kids, or even songs from a newer Christmas album or two, these are the best Christmas songs of all time!

The Best Christmas Songs List

There is something magical about the first time Mariah Carey’s Christmas classic gets played during the holiday season (whether it’s in December or not). And something even more magical as you watch your family dance along to the holiday classic Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree while you decorate your tree!

There are so many Christmas songs out there these days that it’s hard to keep track. This list is the ultimate list of Christmas songs – only the best of the best! I only included songs that I personally recognize and ones that you’d find on the “best Christmas songs” lists.

I do know quite a bit of Christmas music though so feel free to just use the ones that work best for your group if you think some of them are a bit obscure or not going to be guessed. I didn’t include some of our personal family favorites like Jingle Bells by the Meow Cats – just ones that most people will know!

Most Popular Christmas Songs

For now, here’s a list of the best Christmas songs that would be perfect for any of these Christmas parties or occasions! So invite some friends over for a Christmas wrapping party, put on some music, and enjoy!

I put in the artist for each of these songs that I felt was the most iconic version, but you can easily pick your own version of the song as well!

1. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams
2. Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms
3. You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch by Thurl Ravenscroft
4. Feliz Navidad by Jose Feliciano
5. A Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives
6. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee
7. The Chipmunk Song by The Chipmunks (also called Christmas, Don’t Be Late)
8. The Christmas Song by Nat “King” Cole (this is the chestnuts roasting song)
9. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Burl Ives – listen to this one while you play reindeer games
10. It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas by Bing Crosby (the Michael Buble version is also great!)

11. Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt
12. Do You Want to Build a Snowman? by Kristen Bell
13. Where Are You Christmas? by Faith Hill
14. All I Want For Christmas is You by Mariah Carey
15. 12 Days of Christmas by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters (although I really like the Pentatonix version if you’re into pop acapella)
16. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Judy Garland
17. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear by Frank Sinatra (I really like the Josh Groban one too)
18. Frosty the Snowman by Bing Crosby
19. Angels We Have Heard on High by Josh Groban
20. Mary, Did You Know? by Carrie Underwood

21. Last Christmas by Wham!
22. Wonderful Christmas Time by Paul McCartney
23. Happy Xmas by John Lennon & Yoko Ono
24. Blue Christmas by Elvis Presley
25. The Christmas Shoes by NewSong
26. Linus and Lucy by Vince Guaraldi Trio (from A Charlie Brown Christmas)
27. Little Saint Nick by The Beach Boys
28. Silent Night by Frank Sinatra

29. We Three Kings by Greater Vision
30. Santa Claus is Coming to Town by Bruce Springsteen (my favorite Christmas song EVER – there are other versions of Santa Claus is Comin to Town but this one is the best).
31. We Wish You A Merry Christmas by Bing Crosby
32. Jingle Bells by Mickey and the Gang
33. Away in a Manger by Carrie Underwood
34. Sleigh Ride by The Ronettes
35. Carol of the Bells by John Williams
36. Little Drummer Boy by Harry Simeone Chorale
37. O Come, All Ye Faithful by Nat King Cole
38. O Holy Night by Celine Dion
39. Let It Snow by Dean Martin
40. Silver Bells by Bing Crosby
41. Deck the Halls by Nat King Cole
42. Ave Maria by Andrea Bocelli
43. Joy to the World by Mariah Carey
44. White Christmas by Bing Crosby
45. The First Noel by Andy Williams
46. What Child is This by Carrie Underwood
47. Here Comes Santa Claus by Gene Autry
48. All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth by Alvin & The Chipmunks
49. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus by Jackson 5 (Dolly Parton is classic too!)
50. Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer by Dr. Elmo
51. Do You Hear What I Hear? by Whitney Houston
52. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by Nat King Cole
53. Winter Wonderland by Bing Crosby
54. Baby, It’s Cold Outside by Frank Sinatra (although I really like the Zoey Deschanel version!)
55. Up On the Housetop by Gene Autry
56. O, Little Town of Bethlehem by Nat King Cole
57. Go Tell It On the Mountain by Sara Evans
58. Run Rudolph Run by Chuck Berry
59. O Tannenbaum (similar to O Christmas Tree) by Vince Guaraldi Trio
60. What Christmas Means to Me by Stevie Wonder
61. Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy combo by Bing Crosby and David Bowie
62. Let It Go by Idina Menzel
63. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day by Casting Crowns
64. Christmas Sarajevo 12/24 by Trans Siberian Orchestra
65. What’s This by Danny Elfman (from Nightmare Before Christmas)
66. Please Come Home For Christmas by The Eagles
67. There’s No Place like Home by Perry Como
68. My Favorite Things by Julie Andrews (if you think this is Christmas)
69. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas by Gayla Peevey
70. I’m Getting Nuttin’ for Christmas by Shirley Temple
71. March of the Sugar Plum Fairies by Mariinsky Orchestra (from The Nutcracker)
72. We Need A Little Christmas by Johnny Mathis
73. Welcome Christmas by Danny Elfman (from The Grinch)
74. Here We Come A Wassailing by Choir of St. John Cantius
75. Hot Chocolate by Tom Hanks (from Polar Express)

Christmas Music Games

This also makes a perfect playlist for any Christmas games you might want to play that need music!

Three of my favorite party games are musical ones. In How Do You Doo, players have to sing “Doos” to get other players to guess a song.

In Name that Tune, players have to guess the song title and artist to win points for their team.

And in Christmas music bingo, you play bingo with a shuffled playlist instead of numbers – it’s so fun!

I posted about How Do You Doo here and Name that Tune here, so I won’t go into the full instructions now.

Or if you’d rather skip the playlist and see how well people know their Christmas music, this Christmas carol chaos printable game is awesome!

Downloadable Christmas Songs List

I’ve created three different downloadable Christmas song lists that you can use for any of the Christmas music games I mentioned above!

1. One for music lovers, meaning it’s the harder version without any hints/artists
2. One that should be used for How Do You Doo that has hints (to help people who may not know which song Sleigh Ride for instance is)
3. One that’s just in a list (not for cutting out) for Name That Tune. 

<< Download the Music Lover “hard” version for How Do You Doo >>

<< Download the easy How Do You Doo version >>

<< Download the Name that Tune version>> 

Apple Music Playlist

If you want an actual playlist, this Apple Christmas Essentials playlist is pretty much my list just missing a few songs but it’s pretty close and it’s available to the public!

FAQs about Christmas Songs