Ever since Halloween ended and the calendar turned to November, Christmas songs have slowly but surely been working their way to the forefront of radio airwaves and Spotify playlists. Now that we're so close to the holiday, the Christmas season is in full swing! If you're tired of the traditional hits, or feel like everything you hear is sung by someone irrelevant, give these fresh Christmas tunes a listen! Chances are you already know a few.
1. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus -- The Jackson 5
Nothing quite like little Michael singing about Mommy kissing Santa Claus to make you really feel the loss of innocence that goes along with this song, eh?
2. Little Saint Nick -- The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys might have made a career out of mastering the sounds of summer, but they bring the holiday season some well-needed harmonies and falsetto singing. Also, they make the observation of the century... "Christmas comes each time this year." Well done, boys.
3. Run Rudolph Run -- Chuck Berry
A rock'n'roll take on the holiday season from none other than the godfather of electric guitar himself. If you're into old time rock'n'roll, this one's worth a listen.
4. Blue Christmas -- Elvis Presley
The king of rock'n'roll croons this Christmas classic with an unmatched sentimentality. If you'll be missing anyone this Christmas, pour yourself some eggnog and play this song on repeat.
5. Wonderful Christmastime -- Paul McCartney
Few musical stars shine brighter than McCartney's, given his status as an ex-Beatle. This infectious tune was released at the end of 1979 just in time for the holiday season....and the synthesizer-based music seems just in time for the 80s, too.
6. Happy Xmas (War is Over) -- John Lennon
Unsurprisingly, this ex-Beatles' holiday output is much more politically charged than that of his old songwriting partner. Whether you care about the political message or not, the triumphant tune certainly has become a holiday classic!
7. The Christmas Song -- Justin Bieber
If you prefer your pop stars to be a little more contemporary than the people on the rest of this list, maybe J-Biebs' treatment of this classic is for you. It even features Usher!
8. Silent Night -- Beyonce
If you're looking for a live holiday deep cut, look no further than this. Regis and Kelly can't contain themselves, and Beyonce lives up to their advance praise. If you're looking for a really deep cut, dig up "8 Days of Christmas" by Destiny's Child...no wonder Beyonce went solo.
9. Last Christmas -- Taylor Swift
No one better than Taylor Swift to sing an angsty, post-breakup Christmas song!
10. All I Want For Christmas Is You -- Mariah Carey
There's no denying this song's firmly entrenched place amongst the ranks of holiday classic. There's also not much I need to say about it. Well done, Mariah, well done.
11. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays -- N'Sync
Saving the best for last! The song is full of warmth and happiness, tight-knit harmonies, and boy band charm. Also, the music video is just too good. Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays!
