It’s that time of year!! (Well, not for the Christmas music haters, I guess.) I always start listening to Christmas music on November 1st, and I decided this year to push that date back to October 31st, which means I’ve already been blasting Christmas songs for a full 24 hours. I never wait until after Thanksgiving, because I wouldn’t have time to listen to all my Christmas songs if I did! There are just too many good ones, many of which I want to listen to a good 30 times before the season is over. 😊
Plus, Caribou Coffee is generally out of their Pumpkin White Mochas before the week of Thanksgiving, anyway, so if they’re declaring the end of pumpkin season and the start of Christmas, so am I. With a peppermint mocha in hand, thank you very much. (My ultimate favorite Christmas coffee is the Candy Cane Mocha Frappe from Dunn Bros! What’s yours?)
In that spirit, today I’m sharing my 100 favorite Christmas songs. I’m sure many of them are very familiar to you, and maybe you’ll find a few new favorites, too!
Michael W. Smith & Amy Grant: “Almost There.” The king and queen of Christmas music right here. I have to put this at the top of the list because I’ve seen these two in concert together and it was easily THE best concert I’ve ever been to. Highly recommend their Christmas tour!
Francesca Battistelli: “Marshmallow World.” I like my Christmas songs to be upbeat, and this one fits the bill perfectly.
Kelly Clarkson: “Run Run Rudolph.” This whole album is so good. Also loving her newest Christmas release!
Francesca Battistelli: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” This is one of my favorite Christmas albums, if you can’t already tell.
Mariah Carey: “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” No surprise here, right? Yes, I also like PSLs.
TERRIAN: “God With Us.” Such a pretty song!
Kelly Clarkson: “Underneath the Tree.” I consider Kelly to be right up there with Mariah when it comes to Christmas.
Jonas Brothers: “Like It’s Christmas.” A true Christmas bop.
Leona Lewis: “One More Sleep.” Also love the REFIT choreo for my holiday workouts.
For KING & COUNTRY: “Glorious.” The key change always gets me.
Leighton Meester: “Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home).” I like the uptempo take on this song.
Mariah Carey: “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).” I also love this version!
CAIN: “Celebrate Me Home.” I really love this band and their version of this song. Their new Christmas EP is on its way to me in the mail right now!
Amy Grant: “Tennessee Christmas.” My mom played this album on repeat when I was little, and it brings back good memories.
Lincoln Brewster: “Shout for Joy.” I like the, well, joy of this song.
Leona Lewis: “Mr Right.” An underrated Christmas album, in my opinion.
Michael Bublé: “Cold December Night.” The guy’s got some good Christmas songs, that’s for sure.
Pentatonix: “Coldest Winter.” Genius.
Love & The Outcome: “Emmanuel.” “This good news we have to tell” pretty much sums it up!
Jump5: “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.” It doesn’t get more upbeat than this!
Chris Tomlin & Lauren Daigle: “Noel.” A holiday song from the Adele of CCM.
Francesca Battistelli: “Heaven Everywhere.” This song can put me in a good mood if I’m not feeling the Christmas cheer.
Meredith Andrews: “He Has Come For Us (God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen).” A song full of hope.
Britney Spears: “My Only Wish.” Does it get any better than 00s + Christmas? I think not.
Michael W. Smith & Audrey Smith: “Somewhere In My Memory.” This is an automatic favorite because it’s a cover of the theme from my favorite movie of all time. 😊
Michael W. Smith: “It’s a Wonderful Christmas.” Is it just me, or does this sound like it could also be on Home Alone?
John Williams: “Main Title from ‘Home Alone’ (‘Somewhere in My Memory’).” Speaking of…
Pentatonix & Maren Morris: “When You Believe.” I know this wasn’t originally a Christmas song, but Pentatonix picks the best songs to cover on their Christmas albums!
Wham!: “Last Christmas.” I feel like this is a love/hate song for a lot of people. I like it. 😊
Kelly Clarkson: “Oh Holy Night.” My favorite traditional Christmas song.
Plus One: “This is Christmas.” Plus One was like the Christian version of *NSYNC. Can’t go wrong.
Relient K: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Their Christmas albums boast some of the most unique holiday songs of all time, but this one is a bit more traditional!
Meghan Trainor: “Sleigh Ride.” Her whole Christmas album is so peppy. I bought it last year and now I want the deluxe edition!
Christina Aguilera: “Oh Holy Night.” Brings me back to 7th grade.
Faith Hill: “Where Are You Christmas?” Also brings me back to 7th grade.
Dara Maclean: “The Day That Love Was Born.” I don’t know if this song was ever super well-known, but I really like it.
Aly & AJ: “Greatest Time of Year.” Don’t worry, this was before the duo’s songs started requiring parental advisories.
Ariana Grande: “Santa Tell Me.” I could lie and say I don’t like it, but…that would be a lie.
Bryan & Katie Torwalt: “Emmanuel (God With Us Forever).” I think a lot of Christmas songs are worship songs, but this is true Christmas worship.
Dave Barnes: “I Pray on Christmas.” This whole album is so easy to listen to.
Pentatonix: “Mary, Did You Know?” I’d say this group has already solidified its status as a Christmas staple.
Dara Maclean & Dave Barnes: “Bethlehem Skies.” One of the few Christmas songs that isn’t a cover!
Mariah Carey: “Jesus Oh What a Wonderful Child.” Isn’t it crazy that this album is nearly 30 years old and still tops the charts every single year?! Well, there’s a reason for that.
Mariah Carey: “Jesus, Born On This Day.” The true reason for the season, people.
Plus One: “Our Christmas Prayer.” Why did boy bands ever go out of style?
Kelly Clarkson: “My Grown Up Christmas List.” Love both this cover and the Amy Grant version.
98 Degrees: “This Gift.” A 2000s classic.
Francesca Battistelli: “Snowy Day.” I love her unique style.
Glee Cast: “We Need A Little Christmas.” Perfect Christmas-tree-decorating music.
Alvin and the Chipmunks: “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) [Deetown Rock Mix].” A sped-up version of the original…ha.
Céline Dion: “These Are The Special Times.” Another Christmas album that stands the test of time.
Kelly Clarkson & Brett Eldredge: “Under The Mistletoe.” A more recent Christmas release with a good beat.
Amy Grant: “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.” I do get a sentimental feeling when I hear this.
Stacie Orrico: “Christmas Wish.” I loved this song as a teenager.
Casting Crowns: “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” We could use a little peace on earth about now, huh?
Amy Grant: “Breath of Heaven.” Classic 90s.
Amy Grant: “The Night Before Christmas.” The sound of my childhood. The Amy Grant Christmas songs were all Christmas standards in our house.
Bing Crosby: “White Christmas.” Because I live in Minnesota where this is a reality, and also because the movie by the same name is worth an annual viewing.
Dean Martin: “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” Another comforting Christmas classic.
The Carpenters: “Merry Christmas Darling.” This song was so ahead of its time when it used the word “Christmasing.”
Jordan Smith: “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” I saw him perform this one live, dressed like a seasick crocodile. Clever!
Avalon: “Joy (To the World).” Very early 2000s. So, right up my alley.
Brenda Lee: “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.” Can’t help but picture Kevin McCallister dancing with a cardboard cutout of Michael Jordan.
Bobby Helms: “Jingle Bell Rock.” And now I picture Kevin McCallister shuffling to the pool in his dad’s oversized sandals.
Glee Cast: “The Most Wonderful Day Of The Year.” A fun Rudolph update.
tobyMac & Leigh Nash: “Christmas This Year.” The perfect Christmas-y anthem.
Kelly Clarkson: “Christmas Isn’t Canceled (Just You).” Not exactly a classic, but it’s catchy!
Jump5: “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.” The millennial tween favorite.
Justin Bieber: “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.” The Gen Z tween favorite.
Brandon Heath: “The Night Before Christmas.” Sort of a melancholy song, but I like it.
Danny Gokey: “Lift Up Your Eyes.” If you need a little hope infusion this Christmas, this is your song.
Joy Williams: “2000 Decembers Ago.” Very 1997, but I loved this song in 1997.
Gene Autry: “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Every kid’s favorite Christmas song. (“Like a lightbulb!”)
Justin Guarini: “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.” Remember this guy from a certain reality show?
Katharine McPhee: “Christmas Is the Time.” Guess what my favorite show was in high school? Haha.
We The Kingdom: “Light Of The World (Sing Hallelujah).” We The Kingdom’s Christmas EP was my first Christmas music purchase this year!
LeAnn Rimes: “Today Is Christmas.” I think this was written for NBC, but it’s still catchy one day of the year.
Owl City & TobyMac: “Light of Christmas.” All of the Owl City quirkiness, plus tobyMac.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra: “Christmas / Sarajevo 12/24.” The coolest-sounding orchestra song there ever was.
Nat King Cole: “The Christmas Song.” “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…”
Carrie Underwood: “Favorite Time Of Year.” A new song! Perfectly festive.
Whitney Houston: “Do You Hear What I Hear?” It’s a shame Whitney never recorded more Christmas albums.
Josh Wilson: “Jesus Is Alive.” A good reminder.
MercyMe: “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear.” A very calming song.
Francesca Battistelli: “Behold Him.” A good song for when you’re grieving or when Christmas isn’t as merry as it usually is.
Perry Como: “Home for the Holidays.” What I used to listen to over and over when I lived in a dorm.
Mariah Carey: “Oh Santa!” Needed at least one Mariah song from the past 20 years on this list.
*NSYNC: “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays.” I mean, the depth of these lyrics…
Pentatonix: “Once Upon A December.” Simply brilliant to put this Anastasia tune on a Christmas record.
Frank Sinatra: “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.” Another one of those cozy, comforting songs.
Glee Cast: “Extraordinary Merry Christmas.” One of the few Glee originals.
Michael W. Smith: “Gloria.” I like this whole album infinitely better after hearing most of the songs live at his Christmas concert! He and his team are so talented.
The Ronettes: “Sleigh Ride.” I wonder how many dozen Christmas movies have featured this song.
Family Force 5: “Carol of the Bells.” A fun twist on the traditional version.
Hillsong Worship: “Seasons.” Technically I’m not sure if this is a Christmas song or not, because it’s found both on a Christmas album and a non-Christmas album. Your call, I guess.
Johnny Mathis: “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year.” My dad used to sing this to us on the first day of school in September. We did not appreciate it.
The Beach Boys: “Little Saint Nick.” For those Christmases that aren’t snowy.
Jonathan Groff: “Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People.” I mean, the lyrics alone.
Hey! I'm Brianna and I'm a millennial. I'm also a reader, writer, God-lover, introvert, and recovering perfectionist. ☺️
I want to inspire millennials to retain their morality, hope, and faith as they transition into adulthood and full-fledged "adult."
