Over the years, artists of every genre have tried their hand at Christmas songs – doo wopers, soul and funk singers, rockers, punkers, alternative, indie, folk, new wave, ska, reggae, girl groups and 60’s garage, just to name a few. And every year, from Thanksgiving (when the stores first start playing them) to New Years, sick of the traditional, I go hunting for Christmas songs that don’t suck. Here are the results of my many searches over the years. Let me know of any other worthy additions I haven’t found yet. Merry Christmas.
You can watch them one at a time, by clicking on the links below, or hear the whole You Tube playlist by clicking on the video provided at the end of this post, which will play them all in sequence.
Gene Autry – Thirty Two Feet And Eight Little Tails – 1953
Ran-dells – Wintertime – 1964 – Doo-wop
The Wailers – She’s Coming Home – 1965 – 60s Pop
Dwight Twilley – Christmas Stars – 2004 – Jangle pop
The Ventures – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – 2002 – surf
Bruce Springsteen – Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town – 1975 – Rock
Chuck Berry – Run Rudolph Run – 1958 – Rock n Roll
Kinks – Father Christmas – 1977 – Power pop
They Might Be Giants – Santa’s Beard – 1988 – Alternative Pop
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – This Time Of Year – 2001 – ska
Julian Casablancas – I Wish It Was Christmas Today – 2009 – New Wave SNL cover
Darlene Love – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – 1963 – RnB
Adam Sandler – Chanukah Song – 1997
James Brown – Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto – 1968 – funk
Bobby Helms – Jingle Bell Rock – 1957
The Futureheads – Christmas Was Better In The 80s – 2010 – Indie
Rancid – Xmas Eve (She Got Up And Left Me) – 1992 – Punk rock
The Drifters – White Christmas – 1956
The Bird And The Bee – Carol Of The Bells – 2007
Debbie And The Darnells – Santa Teach Me To Dance – 1962 girl group
Margo Guryan – I Don’t Intend To Spend Christmas Without You – 1968 – dream pop
Pentatonix – Carol Of The Bells – 2012 – A Cappella
Weather Girls – Dear Santa (Bring Me A Man This Christmas) – 1983 – disco
Louis Armstrong – ‘Zat You, Santa Claus? – 1953 – Jazz vocal
Clarence Carter – Back Door Santa – 1968 – blues
Leroy Carr – Christmas In Jail (Ain’t That A Pain) – 1929
Ce Lo Green – What Christmas Means To Me – 2012 – R’n’B
The Pretenders – 2000 Miles – 1983
Ike And Tina Turner – Merry Christmas Baby – 1964 – Soul
Lowell Fulson – Lonesome Christmas – 1950
Oscar McLollie And The Honey Jumpers – Dig That Crazy Santa Claus
Goldfrapp – Winter Wonderland – 2008
Ramones – Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight) – 1989 – punk
John Lennon – Merry Xmas (War Is Over) – 1972
My Chemical Romance – All I Want For Christmas Is You – 2004
Otis Redding – Merry Christmas Baby – 1967 – soul
The Irish Rovers – Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer
The Killers – Don’t Shoot Me Santa – 2007 – Alternative
Frightened Rabbit – Its Christmas So We’ll Stop – 2007 – Indie
Canned Heat – Christmas Blues
Elastica – Gloria – 1995
Eartha Kitt – Santa Baby – 1953 – Vocal (Jazz standard)
Etta James – This Time Of Year (When Christmas Is Near) – 1998 – Jazz Vocal
Weezer – Christmas Song – 2000 – Alternative
Jerry Garcia – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – 1991 – Instrumental Jam
Alan Jackson – Please Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas) – 1993 – country
Smokey Hogg – My Christmas Baby – 1948
Face To Face – Merry Christmas – 2010 – Skate Punk
Everclear – Hating You For Christmas – 1997 – Skate Punk
Amy Winehouse – I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – 2013
The Maytals – Christmas Feeling Ska – Ska
Blink 182 – I Won’t Be Home For Christmas – 1997 – Pop punk
John Prine – Christmas In Prison – 1973 – country
Train – The River – 2015 – Joni Mitchell cover
Tommy Tutone – Santa I Got Your Number – power pop
Peter, Paul and Mary – A Soalin’ – 1963 – Folk (English traditional)
Jaymes Fenda and the Vulcans – Mistloe Toe Love – 1964 – Beat
Osaka Popstar – Christmas In The Loony Bin – 2016 – Pop punk
The Melodeers – Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer – 1960
Jerry & the Landslides – Get Off My Roof – 1965 – Rolling Stones Get Off Of My Cloud
Little Jimmy Thomas – Deck The Halls – 1964
Groove Thangs – Funky Christmas – 1989 – funk
Saturday’s Children – Deck Five – 1966 – psych
Orchids – Mr. Scrooge – 1964 – girl group
Bob Seger & the Last Heard – Sock It To Me Santa – 1966 – funk
The Dandy Warhols – Little Drummer Boy – 1994
Pearl Bailey – Five Pound Box Of Money – 1958
The Wise Men – Mr. Mojo’s Christmas (Door’s Medley) – 2001
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings – Ain’t No Chimneys In The Projects – 2015 – soul
Louis Prima – What Will Santa Claus Say? – 1936 – swing
Pixies – Holiday Song – 1987
The Long Blondes – Christmas Is Cancelled – 2005
Electric Six – Mr. Grinch – 2011 – Alternative Rock
Allo Darlin’ – Space Christmas – 2008 – alternative
Alton Ellis and the Lipsticks – Merry Merry Christmas – 1972 – reggae
The Hold Steady – I Hope This Whole Thing Didn’t Frighten You – 2014 – Indie rock
Freddie King – Christmas Tears – 1961 – blues
Descendents – Christmas Vacation – 1985 – skate punk
The Staple Singers – Who Took The Merry Out Of Christmas -1970 – soul
Jimi Hendrix Experience – All Along The Watchtower – 1968 – rock
The Wombats – Is This Christmas? – 2007 – indie
John Popper & Eric Clapton – Christmas Without You – 1999 – Blues
Mabel Scott – Boogie Woogie Santa Claus – 1948 – Swing
Artie Fullilove – Santa Claus Please Listen To Me – 1967 – Northern Soul
Bey Ireland – All I Want For Christmas Is A Go-Go Girl – 1966 – Garage Rock
The Features – Father Christmas – 2004 – Indie
Homer & Jethro – Santa Claus The Original Hippie – 1968 – Country
Jack Scott – There’s Trouble Brewing – 1963 – Rockabilly
Smithereens – Waking Up On Christmas Morning – 2007 – garage rock
Sun 60 – Mary X-Mess – 1993 – Alternative
Sad Lovers And Giants – Christmas On Easter Island – 1991 – Alternative
Sparks – Thank God Its Not Christmas – 1974 – Glam
The O’jays – Christmas Just Ain’t Christmas Without The One You Love – 1973 – Phil. Soul
Coldplay – Christmas Lights – 2010 – Alternative
Los Campesinos – Kindle A Flame In Her Heart – 2014 – Alternative
Free Design – Close Your Mouth (It’s Christmas) – 1968 – 60s Pop
Madness – Inanity Over Christmas – 1984 – Ska
The Ethiopians – Ding Dong Bell – 1968 – Reggae
Hooligan – Punk Rock Christmas – 2013 – Ska
Anti-Heros – All Hail Santa – 1988 – Punk
Thee Spivies – There’s No Christmas On The Moon – 1996 – Alternative
The Dollyrots – Because I’m Santa – 2012 – Pop punk
Toxic Kid – Merry Cretins Christmas – 2015 – Skate Punk 
Andrew Sisters – Jing-a Ling – 1950 – Big Band
Luanne Hunt – Christmas Without You – 2007 – Country
Hallmarks – Soul Shakin’ Psychedlic Santa – 1967 – Garage
Mojo Nixon – Christmas Christmas – 1992 – Garage
Sufjan Stevens – Christmas In The Room – 2012 – Indie
Eels – Everything’s Gonna Be Cool This Christmas – 1998 – Alternative
Shonen Knife – Space Christmas – 1991 – Punk Pop
The Damned – There Ain’t No Sanity Clause – 1980 – Punk
Fountains of Wayne – I Want An Alien For Christmas – 1997 – Indie
The Hives and Cyndi Lauper in A Christmas Duel – 2008
Simon & Garfunkel – Star Carol – 1967
Johnny & the High Notes – Do You Believe – 1969 – Psych
Green Seagull – First Snow of Winter – 2018 – Psych
Saturday’s Children – Christmas Sounds – 1966 – Sunshine Pop
Superbravo – La Nuit – 2019 – Indie Electronic Pop
Raveonettes – Come On Santa – 2008
Swansea Sound – Happy Christmas To Me – 2021 – Pop Punk (Buzzcocks anyone?)
Green Pajamas – I Wish It Was Christmas – 1984 – Alternative
Les Bicyclettes de Belsize – A Very Indie Christmas – 2016 – Indie Pop
Disappointment Choir – A Pretty Good Christmas – 2022 – Indie
The Pocket Gods – Apocalyptic Christmas – 2021 – Lo-fi
Detox Twins – I Don’t Like Christmas (But I Love The Sound) – 2020 – Synth Pop
Lachlan Denton and Studio Magic – This Christmas – 2019 – Indie
White Town – Why I Hate Christmas – 1994 – Indie
Wednesday Week – Christmas Here – 1984 – Alternative Jangle Pop
Johnny Rabb – Gotta Get Lucky For Xmas – 1984 – Rockabilly
Plan 9 – Merry Christmas – 1984 – Garage
Calexico – Green Grows The Holly – 2012 – Indie via Tex-Mex
Guster – Tiny Tree Christmas – 2011 – Indie
Elvis Presley – Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me – 1957 – Rockabilly
Menace Beach – Holidays Are Heavy – 2015 – Shoegazers
Best Coast – Christmas and Everyday – 2016 – Indie
Arcade Fire – Jinglebell Rock – 2001 – Alternative (sort of)
Mt. Joy – Every Holiday – 2019 – Indie
Blink 182 – Not Another Christmas Song – 2019 – Pop Punk
Corey Taylor – X-M@$ – 2010 – Hardcore Punk
Korn – Kidnap The Sandy Claws – 2008 – Nu Metal
Angry Snowmans – Hanukkah – 2009 – Hardcore Punk (Adolescents/Amoeba cover)
Linda Lindas – Groovy Xmas – 2022 – Pop punk
Joy Zipper – Christmas Song – 2003 – Shoegazer
Graham Parker – Soul Christmas with Nona Hendryx – 1994 – Soul
Ben Folds – Lonely Chrismas Day – 2000 – Alternative
Guster – Mamacita, Donde Esta Santa Claus? – 2018 – Live cover
Rules? What Rules? We don’t need no stinkin’ Rules. It’s a Christmas song if I say it’s a Christmas song.
