Singing in the New Year: Best and worst Christmas songs to keep you cozy this season

Love it or hate it, Christmas music is a part of the holiday season. Now that One Direction has started their year-long hiatus, Christmas music is the only thing keeping me going. Others are probably tired of hearing Christmas music by now, since retail outlets started playing it before Thanksgiving. Still, some songs that get annoying faster than others, so let’s start by taking a peek at some of the best Christmas songs.

The Best:

Irving Berlin – “White Christmas”

First released in 1942 and made famous by Bing Crosby, this song has been covered by several big names in the music industry, including Bob Marley, Panic! at the Disco, and Taylor Swift. No matter how many times it’s covered, each rendition manages to retain the same mellow, nostalgic feel, though nothing quite says “curl up by the fire with hot cocoa” like Crosby’s smooth crooning.

white christmas

Andy Williams – “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”

A lot of people don’t like this song. It is another oldie, released in 1963, but I think it’s definitely a goodie, too. It might get a little too much air time, especially in department stores, but no matter how many times it plays, the second the band starts playing my spirits are instantly lifted. The song is so upbeat and Andy William’s voice blends with the backing choir perfectly.

andy

Mariah Carey – “All I Want for Christmas is You”

Let’s face it, this song is never going to get old. With sleigh bells, a get-up-and-dance beat, and romantic lyrics, Mariah Carey has absolutely captured the Christmas spirit with this song. This is another song that has been featured in dozens of Christmas movies, including the Hugh Grant movie “Love Actually,” and covered by artists of every genre, including Ariana Grande and My Chemical Romance.

carey

Now, I have to turn into the Scrooge and deliver the worst Christmas tunes:

The Worst:

New Kids on the Block – “Funky, Funky Christmas”

If you like the 80s, you’ll definitely love this song. However, if you like 80s R&B, as this song was supposedly classified, it’s definitely not going to rock your world. Donnie Wahlberg should’ve stayed off the block when he was writing this song and stuck to the pop tracks NKOTB were famous for.

nkotb

Elmo and Patsy – “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”

I don’t know if it’s the old folk vibe or if I’ve just heard it too many times while working retail, but every single time this song comes on I wish I was Grandma so I could get run over by a reindeer too. Elmo’s thick drawl becomes grating after even a few seconds.

grandma

Alvin and the Chipmunks – “Christmas Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)”

I’ll be honest, the first time I heard this song I loved it. I thought it was adorable. Then, the first chorus ended and bled into the second chorus which bled into the third chorus and the little chipmunk voices sounded more and more like nails on a chalkboard.

chipmonks

Just like family, some Christmas songs are a great time but others rile your nerves from the very first note. With new holiday albums coming out every year, there’s something out there to turn every Grinch into Cindy Lou.

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