Most Requested Christmas Pop Songs

Top Pop Hits Are All I Want For Christmas Is You & Joy To The World

Nov 18, 2008 Daniel Workman

This collection of most popular Christmas songs performed by pop music stars makes for great playlists at festive parties, dinners and dances.

More pop music songs have been written for the Christmas season than any other holiday.

Some of the most popular hits are traditional Christmas music individualized by pop music superstars like Bruce Springsteen, the Eurythmics and the Carpenters.

Yet many of the most requested Christmas pop songs are original pieces inspired by joy, a sense of family and love.

Top 10 Christmas Pop Songs

Mariah Carey co-wrote All I Want For Christmas Is You. Despite modest initial success, the song has become a modern Christmas classic topping pop music charts around the world. Released almost 60 years ago, Bob Torme wrote lyrics for The Christmas Song on a blisteringly hot day in July to mentally cool himself off with images like “Jack Frost nipping at your nose”.

1. All I Want For Christmas Is You … Mariah Carey (released 1994)
2. The Christmas Song … Nat King Cole (1949)
3. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town … Bruce Springsteen (1998)
4. Blue Christmas … Elvis Presley (1957)
5. Feliz Navidad … Jose Feliciano (1970)
6. Winter Wonderland … Eurythmics (1987)
7. Happy Xmas (War is Over) … John Lennon (1971)
8. Jingle Bell Rock … Hall and Oates (1985)
9. My Only Wish (This Year) … Britney Spears (2000)
10. Wonderful Christmastime … Paul McCartney (1979)

Bruce Springsteen had been performing Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town in concert for years before releasing the song on side B to My Hometown. Springsteen also performs a version titled Santa Clause Is Fooling Around which is about how Kris Kringle can steal other men’s ladies if they’re not careful. Despite the fact that Wham!’s Last Christmas deals mainly with a failed relationship, the million-selling hit is now a standard on U.K. radio during Yuletide.

Other Christmas Songs From Pop Music Stars

Bob Geldof organized a group of pop superstars to sing Do They Know It’s Christmas as a charity single. Contributors included Paul Young, Boy George, George Michael, Simon Le Bon, Bono, David Bowie, Phil Collins and Paul McCartney. This Christmas bestseller earned U$14 million towards African famine relief. Richard Carpenter wrote the music for Merry Christmas Darling to match lyrics that a lonesome soldier wrote in 1946. After its release in 1970, the ballad has been an annual Christmas pop hit for over 35 years.

1. Do They Know It’s Christmas … Band Aid (released 1984)
2. Merry Christmas Darling … The Carpenters (1970)
3. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas … Christina Aguilera (2000)
4. Do You Hear What I Hear? … Whitney Houston (1989)
5. Pretty Paper … Willie Nelson (1972)
6. Please Come Home For Christmas (Bells Will Be Ringing) … The Eagles (1978)
7. Santa Baby … Madonna (1987)
8. Ay, Ay, Ay It’s Christmas … Ricky Martin (1999)
9. Green Christmas … Barenaked Ladies (2000)
10. Baby It’s Christmas … Amy Grant (2008).

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas is the standout single from Christina Aguilera’s 2000 album ‘My Kind of Christmas’. And while singers with strong voices including Robert Goulet, Johnny Mathis and Roger Whittaker have released powerful renditions of Do You Hear What I Hear?, Whitney Houston belts out a memorable pop version of the Christmas song that remains a top-selling download every Christmas season.

Author’s Choice For Best Christmas Pop Song

Technically, the song Joy To The World by Three Dog Night isn’t a Christmas song; its lyrics have nothing to do with the classic Christmas hymn with the same title. Hoyt Axton wrote the melody and chorus to the pop song, then simply made up nonsense lyrics as fill-in material. Yet those lyrics made a playful song even more fun, which is why Joy To The World remains one of the happiest Christmas party songs.

Sources for this Article

This article presents independent calculations and insights based on Pop Music Charts song data presented by Pop Culture Madness and songfacts.com.

The copyright of the article Most Requested Christmas Pop Songs in Pop Music is owned by Daniel Workman. Permission to republish Most Requested Christmas Pop Songs in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Pop music creates a joyful mood at Christmas