12 songs to add to your Christmas playlist

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – Michael Bublé (2012) 

Personally, all of Michael Bublé Christmas covers should be on everyone’s playlist, and a lot of people would agree. It could be said that Michael’s uplifting portrayal of Darlene Love’s 1960s hit is very underrated. From the angelic vocal call and response (provided by the choir) to the definitive guitar solos, the song disregards the misery the original initially grasps and Michael gives a different perspective of hope and optimism that their loved one comes home before December 25th. 

Last Christmas – Wham! (1984) 

This traditional synth-pop anthem features the emotive vocals of the late George Michael and is a breakup bop that has been covered by the likes of Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and JLS. The juxtaposition in the first line, “Last Christmas, I gave you my heart, but the very next day you gave it away” contrasts the accompanying simplistic but effective instrumental texture, which 21 year old George, impressively produced all by himself using a Roland Juno 60 synthesiser, LinnDrum Drum Machine, and of course, the use of sleigh bells. 

Step Into Christmas – Elton John (1973) 

Popularised by Gavin and Smithy on the 2019 Christmas special of Gavin and Stacey, the uplifting classic from the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road era remains in the hearts of many during the festive season. Elton’s transmissible Rock and Roll energy compliments the joy witnessed in the upbeat tempo, unforgettable melodic contour and the Phil Spector inspired production. Again, another Christmas gem that that deserves more recognition. 

Jingle Bell Rock – Brenda Lee (1964) 

If you have never watched Mean Girls, please include that to your watch later list on Netflix, as well as adding this song to your playlist. This nostalgic song is perfect for replicating the dance in Santa helper outfits and getting your mum to record you whilst doing it at a Christmas concert, until someone breaks the stereo and (accidentally) kicks it into someone’s face. Brenda’s seductive vocal tone with the rockabilly choir and string orchestration provides the magic that is witnessed in Christmas itself. 

Underneath The Tree – Kelly Clarkson (2013) 

Another very festive song with vibrant R&B production, mesmerising vocal performance and chromatic Motown-inspired harmonies. Where the lyrics are not as cliché as some of the massive Christmas hits, it is without a doubt that the saxophone and sleigh bell solos acts as major catalyst to the song’s composition overall. 

Merry Christmas Everyone – Shakin’ Stevens (1991) 

Where the song unfortunately reached number 2 on the charts, Shakin’ Stevens is rightfully not forgotten at Christmas time, especially since the warm musical elements portray the themes of family and being together at Christmas which was incredibly important with the social issues that surrounded the 1980s. Originally, songwriter Bob Heatlie created the initial demo in a garage and the song was even held back a year because of the release of Band Aid’s charity single, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” 

The Power Of Love – Gabrielle Aplin (2012) 

Apart from being a leading department store in the UK, John Lewis is also well-known for their famous Christmas themed advert that has become tradition to many households. When an advert about a Snowman is combined with an emotional work, such as Aplin’s, it is sure to bring a tear to your eye. This rendition of the emotive ballad originally by Frankie Goes To Hollywood has its instrumentation recycled to become a more acoustic but more powerful melancholic arrangement. 

Santa Tell Me – Ariana Grande (2014) 

Loved by Arianators, the artist herself lyrically pleads to Santa for a respectful love interest that she can have a long-term relationship with that lasts for more than a year. Where it could be argued by some that the term ‘Santa’ may be interpreted differently by Ariana, this interpolation of ‘Santa Baby’ by Eartha Kitt includes a lot of Christmas elements – from the dominating orchestral arrangement in the introduction, to the xylophone playing the same melodic line in unison to Ariana in the chorus.  

Driving Home For Christmas – Chris Rea (1986) 

Where it was not possible to do so last Christmas, this is the ultimate tune for driving back to your hometown at Christmas this year and remarkably, Chris summarises this lyrical concept very well. The delicate piano adds a sentimental touch to the story, there are many lush harmonic elements that can be adored, such as the guitar riffs inspired by the main piano riff and the string contour that remains throughout the song’s duration. 

Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End) – The Darkness (2004) 

Any rock fan will argue that this is the best Christmas song, and what is not to like about the band when they provided hits such as ‘I Believe in a Thing Called Love’. Where a lot of Christmas songs are classed under the pop genre, this unique 2000s classic provides an excellent fusion of Christmas musical elements with glam metal. Overall, it is an intriguing composition full of Justin’s falsettos, choral sections and an unexpected key change that provides a lot of festivity to a metal sub-genre and takes a lot of inspiration from the likes of the band, Queen. 

Fairytale of New York – The Pogues (1988) 

Despite the controversial lyrics that the songwriters have been held accountable for in recent years, it is more famously known as the greatest Christmas song of all time with an extensive backstory. The song includes themes of optimism and romanticism from the first few notes played on the piano and becomes instantly recognisable to any listener in any setting. After 1 minute and 23 seconds, the cheerful folk elements take over the composition amongst the melancholic lyrics about the reality of relationships, and personally, this makes the song distinctive to any other song you may find in the Christmas catalogue. 

All I Want For Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey (1994) 

And finally, how could the Queen of Christmas be forgotten? After Halloween, Mariah Carey comes out of hibernation to spread the festive joy. Love it or hate it, this 90s hit is one of the most defining songs to Christmas’s culture, even if it only just reached number 1 in the UK Official Charts as of last year after so many years of placing in the Top 10. As well as the song demonstrating the diva’s vocal abilities, the Gospel vocal elements and suitable instrumentation allowed this song to acclaim positive criticism and it would be very peculiar for a radio station not to play this defining Christmas tune. 

The full playlist of Lucy’s Christmas recommendations can be found here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4iMquBjUnz9ubenhI1WMIv?si=58706cc274164ab9