Merry Christmas Playlist

According to research by Time Magazine, These are the most popular Christmas songs, based on number of recordings since 1978.

I’m using this list to compile my Ultimate Christmas album – nearly thirty of the most popular songs, in my favorite version. It’s my little Christmas gift to you.

Spotify Playlist (not everything below, but close)

Silent Night (733) – The Real Group, The World At Christmas [Spotify] [iTunes]

Joy To The World (391) – Yo Yo Ma & Friends, Songs of Joy and Peace [Spotify] [iTunes]

O Holy Night (374) – Nancy Wilson, A Nancy Wilson Christmas [Spotify] [iTunes]

What Child Is This (329) – Cantus, Comfort and Joy: Volume 1 [Spotify] [iTunes]

Away In A Manger (300) – Nat “King” Cole, The Christmas Song [Spotify] [iTunes]

O Come, All Ye Faithful (296) – Take 6, He Is Christmas [Spotify] [iTunes]

White Christmas (283) – Bing Crosby, White Christmas [Spotify] [iTunes]

Ave Maria (270) – Chanticleer, Let it Snow [Spotify] [iTunes]

The Christmas Song (254) – The Manhattan Transfer, The Christmas Album [Spotify] [iTunes]

Jingle Bells (254) – Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas [Spotify] [iTunes]

God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen (236) – The Swingle Singers, Noels Sans Passport [Spotify] [iTunes]

The First Noel (234) – Chanticleer, Christmas With Chanticleer Featuring Dawn Upshaw [Spotify] [iTunes]

Angels We Have Heard on High (220) – Robert Shaw, Christmas With the Robert Shaw Chorale [Spotify] [iTunes] [Amazon]

Hark, The Herald Angels Sing (216) – Take 6, He Is Christmas [Spotify] [iTunes]

Little Drummer Boy (213) —–

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (206) – The Singers Unlimited, Christmas [Spotify] [iTunes]

It Came Upon A Midnight Clear (196) – The Singers Unlimited, Christmas [Spotify] [iTunes]

O Little Town of Bethlehem (193) – Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Have Yourself a Jazzy Little Christmas [Spotify] [iTunes]

Winter Wonderland (187) – James Taylor, A Christmas Album [Spotify] [iTunes]

We Three Kings (180) – Mannheim Steamroller, Christmas [Spotify] [iTunes]

Deck The Halls (175) – The Singers Unlimited, Christmas [Spotify] [iTunes]

O Come, O Come Emmanuel (169) – Robert Shaw, Christmas With the Robert Shaw Chorale [Spotify] [iTunes]

I’ll Be Home For Christmas (162) – Diana Krall, Christmas Songs [Spotify] [iTunes]

Silver Bells (158) – Joe Williams, That Holiday Feelin’ [Spotify] [iTunes]

Santa Claus is Coming to Town (143) – Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters, A Merry Christmas from Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters [Spotify] [iTunes]

We Wish You A Merry Christmas (137) – John Denver & The Muppets, A Christmas Together [Spotify] [iTunes]

Sleigh Ride (115) – Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas [Spotify] [iTunes]

Let It Snow (109) – The Manhattan Transfer, The Christmas Album [Spotify] [iTunes]

There are a quarter of these for which one or more other versions are interchangeable (for example, Nat “King” Cole’s “The Christmas Song”), but none of these aren’t my favorite, and I think this is a great Christmas morning mix.

BONUS TRACKS

Coventry Carol – Chanticleer, Christmas With Chanticleer Featuring Dawn Upshaw [Spotify] [iTunes]

Holiday for Strings – New York Voices, Let It Snow [Spotify] [iTunes]

Merry Christmas, everyone!