Ariana Grande and Santa Claus visit The Empire State Building on November 25, 2013 in New York City.
Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images
Normally, there’s little room near the top of the charts for decades-old recordings. Most of the year, the Billboard Hot 100 is dominated by new songs by artists in their 20s and 30s; while old favorites are still streamed, they’re mostly relegated to commercials, TV series and radio. But holiday music is an exception to the rule that popular music is a young person’s game.
Come November, though, the script is flipped and classic holiday favorites — many of them by singers and songwriters who have long since passed — enter the charts. Right now, the top 5 songs on the Hot 100 have an average age of 52 years. The youngest song of the group, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You,” was released 30 years ago, while at 67, Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” is old enough to collect Social Security. America has collectively decided that these few songs, competing against countless others, are the holiday standards worthy of their attention — and as a result, they receive the biggest royalty checks of the season year after year.
There’s no shortage of recordings hoping to become the next “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (Brenda Lee) or “Last Christmas” (Wham!). Indeed, the lure of recurring earnings from a hit seasonal song results in a never-ending flow of new holiday recordings — some original songs, others cover versions of proven favorites. Success is elusive, though, and few tracks break through the competition to become perennial favorites.
So which songs have entered the Christmas canon? Billboard compiled this list of the top 25 “new” holiday songs released in the last 25 years, ranked by total consumption (streams and sales) through Dec. 12, according to Luminate. Each item shows the year the recording was released and its rank among the most popular holiday songs of 2024 (both old and new) overall.
-
1. Ariana Grande: “Santa Tell Me” (2014)
Just a decade old, Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” consistently rose the ranks to rub elbows with classics many decades older. Co-written by Grande, Savan Kotecha (Ellie Goulding’s “Love Me Like You Do,” Maroon 5’s “One More Night”) and ILYA (Grande’s “Problem”), who also produced, “Santa Tell Me” was No. 13 on Billboard’s list of the 100 best Christmas songs of all time. It’s one of only two songs on this list that ranks in the overall top 10 holiday songs.
Overall rank: No. 8.
-
2. Kelly Clarkson: “Underneath the Tree” (2010)
The rousing “Underneath the Tree,” written by Clarkson and producer Greg Kurstin, was featured on her 2010 album Wrapped in Red. Along with Grande’s “Santa Tell Me,” “Underneath the Tree” is one of two holiday songs released in the last 25 years to rank in the top 10 of all holiday songs.
Overall rank: No. 9
-
3. Michael Bublé: “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” (2011)
“It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” released in 2011, is Bublé’s take on a song written in 1951 by Meredith Wilson and popularized by both Perry Como and Bing Crosby that same year. It’s the first of five Buble tracks on this list.
Overall rank: No. 12
-
4. Jonas Brothers: “Like It’s Christmas” (2019)
Released in 2019, “Like It’s Christmas” was produced by Gian Stone (Justin Bieber & Ariana Grande’s “Stuck with U”) and co-produced by Mike Elizondo (Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Maroon 5).
Overall rank: No. 25
-
5. Ed Sheeran & Elton John: “Merry Christmas” (2021)
Co-written by Sheeran and John and produced by Steve Mac (co-writer of Sheeran’s smash hit “Shape of You”), “Merry Christmas” has performed well since its 2021 release on the Christmas edition of John’s album The Lockdown Sessions.
Overall rank: No. 29
-
6. Justin Bieber: “Mistletoe” (2011)
“Mistletoe” wasn’t universally loved at first — a Billboard review called it “an uninspiring, Jason Mraz-esque holiday track” that was “far from the classic Christmas pop of Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You.’” But the song, released on Bieber’s 2011 album Under the Mistletoe and co-written by Bieber and production team The Messengers (Nasri Atweh and Adam Messinger), has thrived.
Overall rank: No. 33
-
7. Sia: “Snowman” (2017)
“Snowman,” released on Sia’s 2017 album Everyday Is Christmas, was co-written by Sia and producer Greg Kurstin (Kelly Clarkson’s “Underneath the Tree”). The track got a boost in 2020 from the TikTok “Snowman challenge” in which people attempted to sing the song in one breath.
Overall rank: No. 34
-
8. Gwen Stefani: “You Make It Feel Like Christmas” (2017)
The title track from Stefani’s 2017 holiday album wasn’t an immediate success. Co-written by Stefani, country star Blake Shelton, Justin Trantor and busbee, “You Make It Feel Like Christmas” failed to land inside the Hot 100 chart when released but has since become one of the more popular new-ish holiday songs.
Overall rank: No. 35
-
9. Michael Bublé: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (2011)
Bublé’s 2011 album Christmas has sold 4.7 million units to date, according to Luminate, and has spun off a handful of popular reinterpretations of holiday favorites. His rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, now outperforms the original that was sung by Judy Garland in the 1944 musical Meet Me in St. Louis.
Overall rank: No. 38
-
10. Michael Bublé: “Holly Jolly Christmas” (2011)
Bublé’s rendition of “Holly Jolly Christmas,” from his multi-platinum 2011 album Christmas, is the second-most popular version of the song written by Johnny Marks. The most popular version — by far — is the 1965 release by Burl Ives.
Overall rank: No. 39
-
11. Pentatonix: “Hallelujah” (2016)
Leonard Cohen’s 1984 song “Hallelujah” has been covered by everybody from Bon Jovi to k.d. lang. John Cale’s 1991 cover inspired Jeff Buckley to record “Hallelujah” for his 1994 album Grace, a version that remains popular to this day. The Pentatonix version, however, stands as the best-performing iteration released in the last 25 years.
Overall rank: No. 45
-
12. Laufey: “Christmas Magic” (2024)
The top-ranking 2024 release on the list, “Christmas Magic” is Laufey’s first song to reach the Hot 100. Co-written by Laufey and her longtime producer Spencer Stewart, “Christmas Magic” got a boost from being featured in the Amazon movie Red One, which grossed $175 million in theaters before hitting Amazon Prime on Dec. 12.
Overall rank: No. 46
-
13. Kelly Clarkson & Ariana Grande: “Santa, Can You Hear Me?” (2021)
The relatively youthful “Santa Can You Hear Me?” was released on Clarkson’s 2021 album When Christmas Comes Around… and was co-written by Clarkson and one of her band members, Aben Eubanks. Clarkson and Grande performed the song on Clarkson’s 2021 NBC Christmas special, When Christmas Comes Around. Clarkson also performed it on the season finale of The Voice last year.
Overall rank: No. 51
-
14. John Legend: “What Christmas Means to Me” (2018)
Legend’s “What Christmas Means to Me” featuring Stevie Wonder is the lead-off track on his 2018 album A Legendary Christmas. Co-written by Anna Gaye (sister of Motown founder Berry Gordy and first wife of Marvin Gaye), Allen Story and George Gordy (brother of Berry), “What Christmas Means to Me” was first recorded for Wonder’s 1967 album Someday at Christmas.
Overall rank: No. 54
-
15. Katy Perry: “Cozy Little Christmas” (2018)
Written and produced by Perry, Greg Wells and Ferras Alqaisi, “Cozy Little Christmas” was released as an Amazon Original and is one of the few original holiday songs released in recent years to have lasting popularity. A video, which captures Perry and Santa enjoying the holidays in a low-slung bungalow, followed in 2019.
Overall rank: No. 55
-
16. Pentatonix: “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” (2016)
Pentatonix’s recording of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” easily bests Bing Crosby’s 1945 recording as the most popular version of the oft-covered English carol. The track was included on Pentatonix’s 2016 album A Pentatonix Christmas.
Overall rank: No. 56
-
17. Pentatonix: “Mary, Did You Know?” (2014)
Michael English first recorded “Mary, Did You Know?” in 1991, but Pentatonix’s version, released on the group’s 2014 album That’s Christmas To Me, is currently the most popular of the hundreds of versions. Written by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene, “Mary, Did You Know?” has appeared on numerous Billboard charts — most notably the Hot 100, where it hit No. 26 in 2014.
Overall rank: No. 58
-
18. Meghan Trainor: “Jingle Bells” (2023)
While Frank Sinatra’s 1954 recording of “Jingle Bells” is America’s favorite version, Trainor’s 2020 recording quickly became the runner-up. In fact, Trainor’s “Jingle Bells” became only the second version — after Sinatra’s — to make the Hot 100 when it peaked at No. 78 on the chart dated Jan. 6, 2024.
Overall rank: No. 60
-
19. Taylor Swift: “Christmas Tree Farm” (2019)
Taylor Swift has owned the Billboard charts in recent years — with the exception of holiday music. Not that she hasn’t seen any success there. “Christmas Tree Farm,” which was released in 2019, peaked at No. 59 on the Hot 100 that year, while an “Old Timey Version” released in 2021 reached No. 62 on the chart. And the track has earned some accolades in its short life, including finishing at No. 8 on Billboard’s list of the best Christmas songs of the 21st century.
Overall rank: No. 66
-
20. Laufey: “Winter Wonderland” (2023)
Laufey’s second track on this list, “Winter Wonderland” is a soft, jazzy rendition of the yuletide classic popularized by Perry Como, Darlene Love and many others. Her version was first released in 2023 as a Spotify Singles Holiday track, and this year, it was included on her A Very Laufey Holiday EP and released as a 7” red vinyl record.
Overall rank: No. 71
-
21. Sabrina Carpenter: “Santa Doesn’t Know You Like I Do” (2023)
Written by Carpenter, Amy Allen and Julien Bunetta for Carpenter’s 2023 holiday EP Fruitcake, “Santa Doesn’t Know You Like I Do” is a rare holiday song to mix melancholy with Christmas themes. Fruitcake peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard 200, but “Santa” didn’t really take off until after Carpenter’s album Short n’ Sweet spent four weeks atop the Billboard 200 in 2024.
Overall rank: No. 77
-
22. Michael Bublé: “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” (2011)
Bublé’s version of “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” ranks third after Darlene Love’s original 1963 recording (co-written and produced by Phil Spector) and Mariah Carey’s 1994 rendition. However, Bublé’s recording of the tune, included on his album Christmas, is the top-performing version of the song released in the last 25 years.
Overall rank: No. 82
-
23. Michael Bublé: “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” (2011)
Bublé scores another entry on the chart with his version of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” from his 2011 album Christmas. Written by Kim Gannon and Walter Kent, Bing Crosby’s original recording of the song from 1943 is the best-known version, but Bublé has the second-best performing version of the song, topping recent renditions recorded by Sara Evans, Camila Cabello, Pentatonix and Rascal Flatts.
Overall rank: No. 83
-
24. Idina Menzel: “Baby It’s Cold Outside” (2014)
Dean Martin’s 1959 recording of “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” which paired him with Marilyn Maxwell, is the only version that currently outperforms Menzel’s 2014 recording, which was included on Menzel’s 2014 album Holiday Wishes. Nicknamed the “Queen of Broadway,” Menzel was joined on the track by the King of Christmas himself, Michael Bublé.
Overall rank: No. 85
-
25. For King & Country: “Do You Hear What I Hear?” (2021)
Written in 1962 by Noël Regney and Gloria Shayne, “Do You Hear What I Hear?” was first recorded by the Harry Simeone Chorale. While numerous other versions have appeared on Billboard charts over the years, For King & Country’s recording of the song is currently outperformed only by Bing Crosby’s 1963 version.
Overall rank: No. 90