It’s time! The wait is over, and we can now officially start celebrating Christmas. Don’t get me wrong, Thanksgiving is great, but as December approaches, it’s time for the real holiday season to start. We can all begin to defrost our decorations and take out our heated blankets. Pour yourself some hot chocolate or apple cider, put on some matching pajamas, light a peppermint candle, cuddle up to a fire (or a fake fire on your laptop), and listen along to the following songs with me. These are, in my opinion, the best pop Christmas songs and covers that need to be on your holiday playlist this year.
1. “A Nonsense Christmas” by Sabrina Carpenter
My favorite pop Christmas song is one that was released just one year ago: “A Nonsense Christmas” by Sabrina Carpenter. It’s a cute Christmas remix of her song “Nonsense” from her album emails i can’t send. So why does this deserve to be number one on my list? Well, for starters, Sabrina Carpenter is one of the fastest-rising pop stars right now, and many people have crowned her the “pop princess.” She’s even opening for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in South America. Carpenter has an amazing voice, and her lyrics are always on point.
“A Nonsense Christmas” is no different. Although it’s nowhere near a traditional Christmas song, I will pretty much guarantee that the majority of us college girlies will love it. I also want to shout out the fact that Sabrina just released an entire Christmas-themed EP titled fruitcake with six songs on it. They definitely all deserve a listen and a spot on your playlist this year because they’ll add that little bit of holiday spice.
2. “Christmas Tree Farm” by Taylor Swift
It’s not surprising that a Taylor Swift song is in my top two, but what else would you expect? This song was released in December 2019 shortly after Swift wrote it on her Christmas vacation. We all know that Swift is a songwriting machine, so it isn’t a huge shock to learn that this song was written, recorded, and released in only six days. The music video is also adorable, featuring many of Swift’s own childhood memories from the Christmas tree farm that she grew up on in Pennsylvania (hence the song title). It even includes a home video of Swift receiving her first guitar on Christmas morning. The song amassed almost eight million streams in its first week and is one of the most listened-to Christmas songs today.
3. “Santa Baby” by Ariana Grande and Liz Gillies
Ariana Grande is definitely a queen of Christmas songs, as she has done many covers over her time as a singer. She’s also one of the most famous artists who’ve released a Christmas EP. Christmas Kisses has four tracks on it, all of which are amazing as usual. However, what makes “Santa Baby” specifically so great is that it features Liz Gillies, which brings us back to that Jade and Cat Victorious duet moment. If you want to hear a little bit of nostalgia or the sound of two iconic singers harmonizing to perfection, I strongly suggest that you listen to this as soon as possible.
Alongside this cover of “Santa Baby” is also a cover of the same song by Lexi Jayde that I wanted to mention. Jayde brings a much softer tone to this famous track, and it’s a perfect listen if you’re going on a little winter walk through campus.
4. “Sleigh Ride” by Miley Cyrus
There’s nothing I love more than when artists put their own spins on classic songs, and that’s exactly what Miley Cyrus did for “Sleigh Ride.” Cyrus has one of the most unique and recognizable voices in the music industry today, which has only helped her grow in popularity and fame. Some might say that releasing a Christmas cover is out of pocket for her, but considering the fact that her godmother is Dolly Parton, it didn’t shock me much. In 2017, Cyrus released two Christmas covers: “Sleigh Ride” and “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.” Both are great and should be given a shot on your Christmas playlist. They’ll add a remixed classic vibe to your music this holiday season.
5. “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” by Noah Cyrus
I brought up Miley’s cover of “Sleigh Ride,” so it’s only fair that I bring up her sister’s cover of “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.” Noah Cyrus is often looked over as an artist because of Miley, but they both have beautiful voices that are very different from each other. I’d argue that Cyrus is one of the hottest up-and-coming artists right now, so we should all jump on that train as early as possible. She may not bring as much twang to her cover of this Christmas classic, but her steady voice carries just as well and will be a beautiful addition to your holiday playlist.
6. “Santa, Can’t You Hear Me – Live” by Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande
At this point, I’m convinced that Kelly Clarkson can sing anything from country to rap to smooth jazz. There isn’t anything much better than a Clarkson and Ariana Grande Christmas duet. Hearing their voices harmonize in this live song is just mesmerizing. If you listen to this song for any reason, it should be for the sake of hearing two women with outstanding vocal ranges singing this amazing track. Once you hear it, it’ll be an instant addition to your on-repeat Christmas songs.
7. “Christmas Wrapping” by the Spice Girls
The Spice Girls are one of the most recognized girl bands of all time, but I had no idea that they had a Christmas-themed song. “Christmas Wrapping” is one of three songs on their 1998 Goodbye single album. At first, they didn’t even want to record this song, but we should all be glad that they did. This is a swaggy new take on Christmas music and it’s honestly just so fun to listen to. It definitely isn’t a classic or traditional in any way, but you can tell that the Spice Girls had fun adding their own twist and sounds to this track.
To finish off, there are four more tracks that I want to include as honorable mentions: “Make It To Christmas” by Alessia Cara, “Drummer Boy” by Justin Bieber, “Christmas Without You” by Ava Max, and “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” by Tyler, The Creator. Although these don’t crack my personal top seven, they might end up being one of your favorites, so give them a listen! Join with me in getting into that holiday cheer by cranking up the Christmas songs.
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