Which Xmas Songs Are Popular Where You Are?

[andylgr]

I love Christmas. I love the atmosphere, the decorations, the cosy homely feel of the cold dark evenings, the films, the TV. It takes me back to my childhood where every Christmas was so special with the family get togethers, the over the top decorations, the awesome 80's presents, the thrill of big movie premieres being top of the ratings on Xmas TV schedules, the raft of TV specials that shows did for this time of year and of course the Christmas songs too.

The radio starts playing them in Dec, the music channels are showing various top Xmas song countdowns and I even have a playlist on spotify too. But I wondered what its like in other countries.........

Who's Christmas songs get played regularly on TV and radio?

Do the 70's and 80's classic UK xmas songs get played on the worldwide stage?

Do you have your own xmas hits that are unique to that country?

As a guide heres the top ones that not only I like but the ones that I think are staples of every December here in the UK.

Slade - Merry xmas everybody
Wizzard - I wish it could be xmas every day
Wham - Last xmas
Shakin Stevens - Merry xmas everyone
Cliff Richard - Mistletoe and wine
Paul McCartney - Wonderful xmas time
Mariah Carey - All I want for xmas is you
The Darkness - Xmas time (dont let the bells end)
Mud - Lonely this xmas
The Pogues - Fairytale of New York
Jona Lewie - Stop the cavalry
Chris Rea- Driving home for xmas
The Pretenders - 2000 miles
Queen - Thank god its xmas
Frankie goes to Hollywood - The power of love
David Bowie / Bing Crosby - Little drummer boy
Elton John - Step into xmas
Boney M- Marys boy child
David Essex - A winters tale
Dean Martin - Let it snow
Bing Crosby - White xmas
Nat King Cole - Xmas song
Kim Wilde - Rockin around the xmas tree
Greg Lake - I beleive in father xmas
Andy Williama - Its the most wonderful time of the year
Bobby Helms - Jingle Bell rock
Perry Como - Its beginning to look a lot like xmas
Frank Sinatra - Have yourselves a merry xmas
Jonny Mathis - When a child is born

As a side note, given how The Darkness embraced 70's glam rock with their xmas song, I was really disappointed that Leps didn't do the same with theirs.

[edwardcreighton]

Living in Thailand it's Mariah and Wham by a distance.

[jazr0d]

Spinal Tap - Xmas with the Devil
Steel Panther - Sexy Santa

[seanb]

Mistress for Christmas - AC/DC

[drappelfed]

I love almost everything the Leps have done in their career. Having said that, I don't think they could have put out a more boring Christmas song if they tried. Big fail on that one.

[andylgr]

Dec 21, 2022 16:36:54 GMT -8 drappelfed said:

I love almost everything the Leps have done in their career. Having said that, I don't think they could have put out a more boring Christmas song if they tried. Big fail on that one.

I feel the same. There are a lot of Christmas songs put out every year, but very few 'newer' songs actually make it in to that bracket where they will be played every year on the radio or make it to Xmas compilation albums.

Its tough to break in to the list of already long established Xmas classics. This is why I think The Darkness hit the nail on the head with theirs, they went full 70's glam with the style and with the added bells and choir it hits all the right beats for a classic Xmas single.

IMO an acoustic Xmas song is never going to have the same impact as something more upbeat. Funnily enough around the same time as the Leps song, Thunder did their Xmas song and it too was a forgettable acoustic style ballad. Which is surprising given that both bands grew up in the 70's where the glam rock bands made the Xmas charts their own.