The Best of Christmas Music

Christmas has always been the time for decorated Christmas trees, great food, Christmas music and sharing love between family and friends.

Christmas hymns and carols

“Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth” became a holiday favorite when the song was recorded by Bing Crosby and David Bowie.

“O Come, O Come Emmanuel” is a hymn with the English version co-translated by John Mason Neale, an Anglican Priest in the 1850s. This Christmas hymn has original Latin roots and dates back to the 18th century, Neale is also known for penning his own original carol – “Good King Wenceslas”.

“It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” is another popular Christmas carol with one of the popular versions sung by Julie Andrews. This is a poem from 1849 and a Christmas carol that was written by the pastor Edmund Sears of the Unitarian Church in Wayland, Massachusetts. The lyrics by Sears was set to the tune "Carol" that was written for the poem by Richard Storrs Willis.

In the mid-19th century a clergyman wrote one of the best-known Christmas carols “We Three Kings” One of the most popular versions was recorded by The Beach Boys in 1964. The carol was written by John Henry Hopkins Jr in 1857. Hopkins wrote the carol for a Christmas pageant in New York City.

Among the most loved Christmas carols is “O Holy Night” which was adapted from an 1855 French poem. One of the outstanding versions is sung by Carrie Underwood. This carol is based on a poem in French by poet Placide Cappeau in 1843 and set to music by composer Adolphe Adam in 1847 with the English version by John Sullivan Dwight.

Christmas songs

One of the greatest Christmas classics was sung by Bing Crosby "White Christmas" which was included in a lovely Christmas movie by the same name in 1954. The song was written by Irving Berlin and became a number one best-seller.

Judy Garland captured our hearts when she sang “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” in the 1944 movie " Meet Me in St Louis". The song was written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane in 1943 and introduced by Garland in the movie.

Most everyone both adults and children look forward to the popular Christmas cartoon "A Charlie Brown Christmas" which was first aired in 1964. The song the characters sang was "Christmas Time Is Here" It was specially written for the Charlie Brown Christmas special by Vince Guaraldi and Lee Mendelsohn.

One of the most popular Motown Christmas classics is "What Christmas Means to Me" sung by Stevie Wonder and recorded in 1967. There are many other versions but this one tops the list.

The Ramones came out with a punk kind of Christmas song. “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Wanna Fight Tonight)”. It was recorded in 1989.

In 1960 R&B singer Charles Brown recorded “Please Come Home for Christmas” in 1960. However, the most popular version was recorded by The Eagles some 20 years later making it a sentimental Christmas song.

In 1983 The Pretenders recorded a lovely Christmas ballad “2,000 Miles” which was written as an ode to their late guitarist Jame Honeyman-Scott.

The Godfather of Soul James Brown recorded a different kind of Christmas song titled “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto”.

Every Christmas everyone enjoys watching some version of The Grinch featuring that green creature who hated Christmas There is the original animated cartoon version “The Grinch That Stole Christmas” and an absolutely delightful movie starring Jim Carrey titled "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" This brings us to the Christmas song that is always popular “You’re a Mean One, Mr Grinch”.

“Santa Claus is Coming to Town” has always been a popular Christmas song and has two versions that stand out from the rest, One we recorded by a young Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 and the other by rocker Bruce Springsteen.

A heartwarming Christmas song “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” was recorded by Bing Crosby. The song was written by lyricist Kim Gannon and composer Walter Ken, It was originally written to honor soldiers overseas longing to be home at Christmas.

The Pogues and Kristy MacColl recorded a wonderful Christmas song “Fairytale of New York”. The song was written by Jem Finer and Shane McGowan. It is an Irish folk-style ballad and written as a duet, The song was originally released in 1987.