Soul In Stereo’s Top 50 Christmas Song Playlist
It’s not the holidays without music, and lord knows after the year we’ve had, we deserve a little holiday cheer.
Every year here at Soul in Stereo we dedicate this month to our favorite Christmas tracks – those iconic sounds that have been passed down through the generations and continue to make lasting holiday memories today.
This year, though, we’re putting the power directly in the hands of our readers.
A couple of weeks ago, I asked readers to nominate their favorite holiday tracks for our definitive playlist of the best Christmas songs ever.
The result? THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY NOMINATIONS.
Y’all love Christmas, huh?
Below, you’ll find the top 50 selections nominated by readers, ranked by the number of times the songs were nominated. The top four songs should be no surprise – they ran away with this thing. But you may be surprised by some other entries on this list. It makes for a diverse listening experience.
Below you’ll find the top 50 Christmas songs you voted to include and, of course, you’ll find a Spotify list of … almost all the songs below. Sorry Sisqo fans, tell him to put that track on Spotify.
May your holidays be merry, bright and filled with great music.
50. Vanessa Williams, “Do You Hear What I Hear/The Little Drummer Boy”
49. Take 6 and Stevie Wonder, “O Thou that Tellest Good Tidings to Zion”
48. Pentatonix, “Little Drummer Boy”
47. Kenny G, “Greensleves”
46. Dru Hill, “This Christmas”
45. Aretha Franklin, “Blue Holiday”
44. Whitney Houston, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
43. The Temptations, “O Holy Night”
42. The O’Jays, “I Can Hardly Wait Til Christmas”
41. Sisqo, “Perfect Christmas”
40. TLC, “All I Want For Christmas”
39. Kelly Clarkson, “Underneath the Tree”
38. Stevie Wonder, “What Christmas Means to Me”
37. Kanye West, “Christmas in Harlem”
36. James Taylor, “Some Children See Him”
35. Charles Brown, “Please Come Home for Christmas”
34. Pentatonix, “Mary Did You Know”
33. Jermaine Hardsoul and Eric Roberson, “Merry Christmas”
32. Charles Brown, “Merry Christmas Baby”
31. Al Green, “What Christmas Means to Me”
30. Wham!, “Last Christmas”
29. The Pogues, “Fairytale of New York”
28. Patti LaBelle, “Reason for the Season”
27. 69 Boyz and Quad City DJs, “What You Want for Christmas”
26. Mariah Carey, “Joy to the World”
25. Jackson 5, “Give Love on Christmas Day”
24. Kirk Franklin and the Family, “Now Behold the Lamb”
23. The Temptations, “Give Love on Christmas Day”
22. Clarence Carter, “Back Door Santa”
21. Alexander O’Neal, “My Gift to You”
20. A Few Good Men, “Silver Bells”
19. Kurtis Blow, “Christmas Rappin”
18. Snoop Dogg, “Santa Claus Goes Straight to the Ghetto”
17. Jackson 5, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”
16. Mariah Carey, “O Holy Night”
15. Stevie Wonder, “Someday at Christmas”
14. Nat King Cole, “The Christmas Song”
13. The Drifters, “White Christmas”
12. Whitney Houston, “Who Would Imagine a King”
11. Run DMC, “Christmas in Hollis”
10. Sounds of Blackness, “Soul Holiday”
9. Whitney Houston, “Joy to the World”
8. Luther Vandross, “Every Year, Every Christmas”
7. OutKast, “Player’s Ball”
6. The Emotions, “What Do the Lonely Do at Christmas”
5. TLC, “Sleigh Ride”
4. Mariah Carey, “All I want for Christmas is You”
3. Boyz II Men featuring Brian McKnight, “Let It Snow”
2. Donny Hathaway, “This Christmas”
1. The Temptations, “Silent Night”
Where is Johnny Gill’s ‘Give Love on Christmas Day’ or SWV’s rendition of ‘Silver Bells?’
You should have voted for them!