With the onset of the holiday season, it means it is time for holiday music. These days between traditional physical media including CDs and records, and the plethora of streaming services, access to holiday is as easy as it has ever been to set a festive mood through music.
Of course, everyone has their preferences when it comes to their favorite holiday music artists. For the past couple of decades for example the pop singer Mariah Carey takes over the music charts in December with her Merry Christmas record, and the classic holiday special from 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack from the Vince Guaraldi Trio is a go-to for many people and their holiday playlists.
Other people however may prefer holiday tunes like Run DMC’s, Christmas in Hollis or the rock-inspired albums from Trans Siberian Orchestra to create those lasting family holiday memories.
Regardless of whether someone leans towards the classics from Bing Crosby, Brenda Lee, Frank Sintra and Burl Ives or if someone is jamming to John Legend, the Waitresses, and Lemmy Kilmister (Motorhead), there are no wrong choices when it comes to holiday playlists.
Arguably a good example how a diverse holiday music playlist can include newer and older music is the CE Pro Holiday Playlist. This holiday playlist includes selections from CE Pro staff members Zach Comeau, Nick Boever, Arlen Schweiger, and Bob Archer. What’s interesting about this playlist is that Comeau and Boever are younger Millennials, while Schweiger and Archer are Gen Xers and given their respective demographics, their ages may reflect their song selections.
Lightapalooza took place in late February, and the growth of the event has mirrored the rapid ascension lighting fixtures and controls.
Here are 24 songs that bring the spirit of the holidays to your home theater systems. We also have a version of this playlist available for Apple Music users.
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), by U2
A great Christmas song done by a great rock band. This version is arguably a modern classic.
Christmas is a Time To Say “I Love You” by Billy Squier
Billy Squier was a huge artist in the early 1980s and songs like The Stroke can still be heard on the radio today. This song appears regularly in any rock-oriented holiday playlist.
Please Come Home for Christmas by The Eagles
Please Come Home for Christmas showcases Don Henley’s terrific singing voice, and despite how good this song is it was a difficult choice putting the song on this list because Henley is such an unlikeable guy. Separating the person from the song, let’s give credit where credit is due.
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus by John Mellencamp
Mellencamp falls into the same category as Henley, but once again let’s give credit where credit is due. John Mellencamp’s version of, I Saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus has distinguished itself as a holiday classic.
Christmas Wrapping by the Waitresses
Christmas Wrappings is probably the Waitresses most well-known song. It’s interesting that a new-wave 80s band’s biggest hit is now a holiday classic.
Santa Claus is Com’ to Town by Bruce Springsteen
A modern classic from a hugely influential artist.
Run Rodolph Run by Lemmy, Kilmister, Billy F Gibbons, and Dave Grohl
Secretly, we know Santa loves loud rock-n-roll and who better represents loud rock music than Lemmy.
Happy Xmas (War is Over) by John Lennon Yoko Ono
Another modern classic holiday song by the iconic John Lennon.
A Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives
Burl Ives is probably associated by multiple generations of kids with the Frosty the Snowman holiday special and this song is closely associated with that special.
Jingle Bells by Frank Sinatra
Frank is probably the world’s first rock star and his version of Jingle Bells is a must have holiday playlist classic.
Little Saint Nick by The Beach Boys
What would a holiday playlist be with this great Beach Boys song be.
White Christmas by Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby’s White Christmas may be the ultimate holiday song.
Boogie Woogie Santa Clause by Brian Setzer Orchestra
Brian Setzer is a ripping guitar player and his rock-a-billy takes on Christmas music always bring fun and energy to holiday festivities.
All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey
Mariah’s ego probably won’t like this, but despite her vast catalog of hits, she will be most remembered for an awesome Christmas album.
Last Christmas by Wham! (Arlen Schweiger)
George Michael sadly passed away on Christmas day 2016. As part of Wham! he and Andrew Ridgeley created memorable pop hits, including this smooth holiday ballad.
Christmas in Hollis by Run DMC (Zach Comeau)
A classic hip-hop holiday anthem that blends festive cheer with the group’s signature style.
Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/2 by Trans Siberian Orchestra (Nick Boever)
It’s hard to envision Christmas without the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, with their rock-influenced takes on classic orchestral music, it brings its own unique energy to the Christmas season. It also keeps speakers at the ready to pick on the subtler plucks of violins before diving into the pounding rhythms of the rock sections.
Christmas at Ground Zero by Weird Al Yankovic (Arlen Schweiger)
I could not resist putting in Weird Al’s ode to 1980s nuclear tensions between the U.S. and Russia. Only he could pull that off as a holiday song. Resonates well with Gen Xers like myself.
Oh Come All Ye Faithful by Twisted Sister (Zach Comeau)
This metal-nifused rendition of the holiday classic song will get the heads banging after present for a uniquely electrifying Christmas anthem.
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee ranks up there with Bing Crosby for arguably the greatest holiday song ever done.
Baby, It’s Cold Outside by John Legend (featuring Kelly Clarkson) (Zach Comeau)
This flirty Christmas classic is renewed with two of music’s most talented artists.
Santa Baby by Alicia Keys (Zach Comeau)
Speaking of flirtacious, Alicia Keys brings signature soulful vocals and a jazzy, modern twist to this timeless holiday tune.
White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes (Nick Boever)
While not strictly a “Christmas” song, White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes evokes a unique feeling from the season. The drums and strings come together to create a very warm rhythm that is then accompanied by the haunting, almost ethereal harmonies of the band, capturing the warmth of the fire juxtaposed to the cold dark nights filled with snow drifts. The simplicity of it allows those harmonies to really shine on a good sound system.
O’ Tannenbaum by Vince Guaraldi Trio (A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack)
A Charlie Brown Christmas is probably the best holiday special ever made and the music from the old TV special sounds just as good today as it did back in 1965.
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