- There are some horrendously underrated Christmas songs
- Julian Casablancas, Destiny’s Child and more have festive bangers
- Here’s a selection of tunes for when you’ve had enough of Mariah
Underrated Christmas songs are criminally underserved in our cultural landscape.
Look, we all love blaring out Mariah Carey, Elton John, The Pogues, John Lennon and various Rat Packers across the holiday season. We’ve all indulged Michael Bublé’s back catalogue (sounds like a euphemism, but I assure you it isn’t) throughout December.
The classics are classics for a reason, so naturally, we go hog wild for them during Christmas. However, there are so many underrated Christmas songs floating around that we are doing a tremendous disservice to by not giving them their flowers at the most wonderful time of the year.
Read more: How much Mariah Carey earns from All I Want For Christmas Is You
Wherever you go during December, whether it’s shopping for presents because you require the adrenaline rush of a potential ‘Jingle All The Way’ situation (albeit with less reindeer punching) or just to the nearest bar or pub to recover from said Christmas shopping, you’re likely to be bombarded with the same selection of tunes.
There’s not a lot wrong with them, of course. Many are bona fide bangers. What’s not to love about sinking a pint while Bing Crosby and David Bowie croon ‘Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth’? Magical, isn’t it?
But what of those songs that either slip under the radar or are not enthused about enough? Some by the finest artists of a generation? How does it even happen that a Tyler, The Creator or The Strokes or Beyoncé can commit their tones to a few minutes of joyous festive cheer and not receive the same adulation as so many icons who came before them?
Hopefully, this can be rectified somewhat with this list of the most underrated Christmas songs of all time. Stick them on a playlist and get them on repeat this Boxing Day and enthusiastically tell all your friends about them over a pint of Baileys.
The Most Underrated Christmas Songs of all Time
The Killers – Don’t Shoot Me Santa
Let’s face it, the Big Guy has a stressful enough time of it over Christmas. So it is always worthwhile to record a single that reminds him not to take out his festive rage on anyone by shooting them in the face. A song that serves as both a holiday bop and a public service announcement.
Miley Cyrus – Sleigh Ride
In all honesty, this would be on here for the completely unnecessary ‘YEE-HAW’ at the beginning – but combine that with the rest of the song absolutely slapping AND the bonus of Miley performing a version of it on Bill Murray’s Netflix special A Very Murray Christmas and you have yourselves an instant Christmas classic.
John Legend – Bring Me Love
The entirety of Big John’s 2018 A Legendary Christmas album could be on this list, to be honest. It’s choc full of soulful festive sing-a-longs but this wholesome slice of seasonal romance bounces along with an abundance of brass and sax. Absolute perfection.
Destiny’s Child – 8 Days of Christmas
This is probably the song on the list that comes closest to being ‘rated’ – but even so, the fact that ACTUAL DESTINY’S CHILD recorded a festive tune this ferociously good and it ISN’T treated as an all-timer is a crime against music – and Christmas. On repeat all December, please.
Tyler, The Creator – You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
It’s Tyler, The Creator rapping The Grinch theme on an actual animated family film. Even if the song was literally the worst thing ever to be committed to audio, it would make the list. Fortunately, Tyler breathes new life into the Whoville classic. And improves it, to be honest.
Julian Casablancas – I Wish it Was Christmas Today
Not even the lead singer of The Strokes is too cool for a festive throwdown. Mr. Casablancas’ three-minute cut of Yuletide indie riffing sounds like he had got too into a viewing of Home Alone while recording Is This It and, in all honesty, it completely works.
Confidence Man – Santa’s Comin’ Down the Chimney
Very much a track that drops when the office Christmas party has become a bit more debauched as it enters the early hours of the morning. Not wholesome sleigh bells and peace on Earth. More drinking shots of tequila out of hollowed-out mince pies and grinding inappropriately on the Three Wise Men.
The Ramones – Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)
The big Christmas argument is usually pretty unavoidable. Especially when the red wine, eggnog and champagne have been flowing since breakfast. So it’s a relief to hear a band responsible for quite a lot of fighting (mainly when they were doing their best to make Phil Spector’s head explode) offering a message of peace, albeit one set against a backdrop of cacophonous, raw garage punk.
Imagine if The Bear’s Fishes episode was actually just everyone shouting about how much they loved the forks that had been laid out for Christmas Eve dinner. That’s what this song sounds like.
Ludacris – Ludacrismas
For the name alone and the line “All I want for Christmas is two gold front teeth”. Grammys should have been invented for this song alone.
Blink-182 – Won’t Be Home For Christmas
Christmas is (sorry Jesus, if you’re reading this) all about everything being fun, loud and pretty stupid. Blink-182 has made a career about being all of those things. So it’s only natural that one of the funnest, loudest and stupidest bands of all time cooked up a three-minute Christmas classic.
Work these 10 underrated Christmas songs into your rotation this year and they will never, ever leave.
