The 10 Most Popular Christmas Songs In America
What are the most popular Christmas songs in America?
We have the answer.
A few years ago, Billboard created a chart exclusively devoted to Christmas songs. It measures the volume of people who've been exposed to the song on the radio (Billboard does not provide exact figures, only the ranking).
So here is your American Christmas canon as of the week of Holiday Season 2013:
10. "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" By John Lennon (1971)
There's some debate about how much snark is in this song. We'd like to think John was above using children in that way.
9."Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)" By Trans-Siberian Orchestra (1995)
Okay.
8. "White Christmas" By Bing Crosby (1942)
Apocryphally, Irving Berlin, who wrote this song, quipped to his secretary upon its conception, "Grab your pen and take down this song. I just wrote the best song I've ever written - heck, I just wrote the best song that anybody's ever written!"
7. "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" By Andy Williams (1963)
This is not a good song.
6. "Feliz Navidad" By Jose Feliciano (1970)
Did not expect to see this one here.
5. "A Holly Jolly Christmas" By Burl Ives (1965)
If John Lennon's song has slipped into non-irony, the reverse has happened to this song.
4. "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)" By Nat King Cole (1946)
King. Cole.
3. "Jingle Bell Rock" By Bobby Helms (1957)
This is not that version, but it may have salvaged this song.
2. "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" By Brenda Lee (1958)
Some one hit wonders laugh all the way to the bank. Brenda Lee is only 69 years old, and is LOL'ing hard right now at whatever you may think of this song.
1. All I Want For Christmas Is You/Mariah Carey (1994)
The last great, original Christmas song.
Bonus Lists, via Record Research:
Recordings With The Most Chart Appearances, 1954-2004
13. "The Chipmunk Song" by The Chipmunks /10
12. "The Chanukah Song" by Adam Sandler/11
11. "Silent Night" by Bing Crosby/11
10. "White Christmas" by The Drifters/11
9. Merry Christmas Baby by Charles Brown/12
8. Please Come Home For Christmas by Charles Brown/13
7. Blue Christmas by Elvis Presley/15
6. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee/15
5. Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer by Gene Autry/16
4. The Little Drummer Boy by The Harry Simeone Chorale/18
3. "Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms/23
2. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)" by Nat King Cole/24
1. White Christmas by Bing Crosby/38
Christmas songs recorded by any artist with most chart appearances
15. "Silver Bells" - 138
14. "The Little Drummer Boy" - 142
13. "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" - 144
12. "I'll Be Home For Christmas" - 14711. "O Little Town Of Bethlehem" - 15310. "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" - 1599. "Joy To The World" - 1638. "The First Noel" - 1747. "Jingle Bells" - 1766. "O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles) - 1785. "Winter Wonderland" - 1854. "O Holy Night" - 1873. "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)" - 2252. "White Christmas" - 2321. "Silent Night" - 337