The Most Iconic Modern Christmas Songs Ranked From Nay To Sleigh

Beyond the presents, food, advent calendars and time off work, Christmas songs are the best part of the holiday season.

The right jolly track can put you in the best mood and these songs often climb up the charts as the festive season approaches and everyone gets into holiday mode — and the pop stars of today know this better than anyone else.

These days it seems like the it thing to do for any artist is release at least one modern Christmas original or cover of a classic to solidify their place as a real artist.  However, this foray into Christmas tunes doesn’t always go well.

So here’s the definitive ranking of the most iconic modern Christmas songs from nay to slay:

**Note: I did not include beloved tracks like Michael Bublé’s ‘It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas’ and ‘Holly Jolly Christmas’ simply because they are direct covers of classic Christmas songs. Instead, we’re ranking original songs or covers that change or add lyrics.**

---

#17. Justin Bieber — ‘Drummer Boy’ feat. Busta Rhymes

The song that actually inspired me to write this list was ‘Drummer Boy’ by Justin Bieber, which is one of the weirdest Christmas songs ever made.

In JB’s defence, his chorus in the Christmas song remains relatively unchanged from the original and the added beat does make it sound like a bop. But all the rapping really does ruin this song. I mean, let’s take a look at some of the lyrics, shall we?

“Yeah, I’m on the drum / Yeah, I’m on the snare drum / Yeah, I’m on the beat ’cause the beat goes dumb and I’m only spitting heat ’cause I’m playing for the sun…”

#16. Liam Payne — ‘All I Want (For Christmas)’

Sorry to all Directioners out there, but I just cannot enjoy a sad Christmas song. Be happy! It’s Christmas! No one is bumping this sad boy anthem during Chrissy lunch or as we open presents on Xmas morning. Please beg your girl to get back with you on literally any other holiday.

#15. RuPaul — ‘Hey Sis, It’s Christmas’ feat. Markaholic

This song sure is… a song. But you have to hand it to RuPaul: if there’s profit to be made, she’s going to make a song about it. Unfortunately for the Mother of Drag, not even featuring the track in the Drag Race UK Season 3 finale could make this song hit.

14. Sia — ‘Candy Cane Lane’

‘Candy Cane Lane’ doesn’t get me in the Christmas spirit and maybe that’s just because Sia spends a bunch of bars just singing about the colours “red and yellow and pink and green, orange and purple and blue” to tell us “Christmas is waiting for you”.

Do the other holidays not have colours or something?

#13. Taylor Swift — ‘Christmas Tree Farm’

Swifties, please don’t attack me but the only way I can describe ‘Christmas Tree Farm’ is that it’s a love song based around Christmas, not a Christmas song. I will not be taking any questions.

#12. Faith Hill — ‘Where Are You Christmas?’

While this song is a modern classic it is also undeniably depressing, which makes a lot of sense considering ‘Where Are You Christmas?’ was literally written for The Grinch — a story about a big-bellied, green creature literally stealing Christmas.

I know this is one of my mum’s favourites, but I do not pump this track during the holidays simply because of how sad the whole thing is. Sorry, Faith Hill.

#11. Michael Bublé — ‘Santa Baby’

Michael Bublé’s desperation to prove that he’s definitely, 100 percent NOT gay in ‘Santa Baby’ absolutely derails this modern Christmas classic.

But thank God someone finally had the courage to make a version of the song that not only asks for a Rolex and steel blue 65′ convertible, but also refers to Santa as “buddy” instead of baby. Now the straight men of the world finally have a song to sing along to during the holiday season too.

#10.*NSYNC — ‘Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays’

*NSYNC has what is the most cookie-cutter, sickly sweet Christmas song probably ever. But even though it doesn’t have the horniness of songs like ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ and it lacks the specific details carols like ‘Little Drummer Boy’ tell, ‘Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays’ is still a modern classic.

#9. Mariah Carey — ‘Oh Santa!’ feat. Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson

Look, ‘Oh Santa!’ is fine. The issue with the song is that it’s obvious chart-bait that’s trying to piggyback off Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ success. I mean, why else would Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, and Mariah Carey get together to beg Santa to make an ex “mine this Christmas”.

Honestly, if it takes Santa having to grant wishes to finally make you want me, I don’t want you anymore.

#8. Gwen Stefani — ‘My Gift Is You’

The good thing about ‘My Gift Is You’ is that Gwen Stefani is not slapping you in the face with ~holly jolly vibes~ so that you know she’s talking about Christmas.

A couple of references to lights, Santa, and wrapping presents is all Stefani needs to tell you that she doesn’t want presents, money or a wedding ring this year — just love from her man. I can’t relate, but you do you, Gwen.

#7. Tyler, The Creator — ‘You’re A Mean One, Mr Grinch’

When it comes to modern remakes of Christmas songs, Tyler, The Creator takes the cake with ‘You’re A Mean One, Mr Grinch’. Despite basically singing the same lyrics from the 1966 original, Tyler makes the song sound brand new.

And for all the artists who want to flip Christmas classics by adding rap, take note. This is the only way to do it. I’m looking at you, Justin Bieber.

#6.The Jonas Brothers — ‘Like It’s Christmas’

Even though the Jo Bros only released ‘Like It’s Christmas’ in 2019, the song feels like it was plucked out of the 2000s and has already been on rotation for over a decade.

And it’s no surprise because the song has all the ingredients that make a perfect Christmas tune: a bouncy, happy melody, mention of holiday snow, and the singer — or singers, in this case — being madly in love with a woman that they can’t help but write a song about. Let’s just hope that they’re all singing about their respective wives and not the same woman.

#5. Destiny’s Child — ‘8 Days of Christmas’

I’m going to be honest, this Destiny’s Child track is pure chaos and Beyoncé wouldn’t be caught dead recording something like this these days.

But in 2001 it was totally normal to sing about your baby giving you “a pair of Chloe shades and a diamond belly ring”, “a crop jacket with dirty denim jeans” or “a gift certificate to get my favourite CDs”. And honestly, goals. I hope every woman gets at least eight gifts from their partners in the lead up to Christmas, too.

#4. Kelly Clarkson — ‘Underneath the Tree’

Miss Kelly Clarkson did the damn thing on ‘Underneath the Tree’. Giving the same vibe as Gwen Stefani’s ‘My Gift Is You’, all Kelly wants for Christmas is her partner under the tree. I can’t relate because I’m materialistic and love presents, but I’m happy for her. Plus, there’s a sexy saxophone. What’s not to love?

#3. Ariana Grande — ‘Santa Tell Me’

‘Santa Tell Me’ really is a perfect modern Christmas song. It has a jolly beat, a very festive music video and Ariana Grande implies throughout that she really, really wants to fuck Santa. Mood.

#2. Justin Bieber — ‘Mistletoe’

Sure, there were some major missteps (ahem, ‘Drummer Boy’) on JB’s Christmas album, Under the Mistletoe, but let me be clear: the song ‘Mistletoe’ is not included in that grouping.

‘Mistletoe’ slaps. Hard. It’s romantic and cheesy, is filled with every Christmas cliche and buzzword imaginable, and, best of all, it was the start of Bieber’s R&B era that ended up blessing us with Journals a few years later.

#1. Mariah Carey — ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’

I mean, did you really think that anything other than ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ would be in first place? There’s a reason the perfect song takes over the charts every time Christmas rolls around. All hail my Santa Claus, Mariah Carey.