With Christmas just days away and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” playing seemingly everywhere you turn, you might be ready for something a little different in your holiday rotation.
Although decades-old classics typically dominate billboard charts during the holiday season — many by artists who can collect Social Security — a new generation of holiday hits has managed to break through and claim their place among the seasonal standards.
Here are the five most streamed and purchased holiday songs released in the past 25 years, according to Billboard:
‘Santa Tell Me’ (2014) — Ariana Grande
Leading the pack is Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me,” which has remarkably climbed to become one of Billboard’s “100 best Christmas songs of all time” since its 2014 release.
‘Underneath the Tree’ (2010) — Kelly Clarkson
The original American Idol has also proved herself a modern Christmas queen with “Underneath the Tree,” which she cowrote with producer Greg Kurstin in 2010.
‘It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas’ (2011) — Michael Bublé
Michael Bublé has become synonymous with modern Christmas music, and his 2011 rendition of “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” shows why. His warm take on the 1951 classic has become the definitive version for a new generation, ranking eighth on Billboard’s “Most Popular Holiday Songs of 2024 (Both Old and New)” overall.
‘Like It’s Christmas’ (2019) — Jonas Brothers
The Jonas Brothers proved they could spread holiday cheer with “Like It’s Christmas” (2019), which has quickly become one of the most popular modern Christmas songs, landing at No. 25 on the overall holiday chart.
‘Merry Christmas’ (2021) — Ed Sheeran and Elton John
When Ed Sheeran and Elton John joined forces for “Merry Christmas” in 2021, they created instant holiday magic. The collaboration between the modern hitmaker and the music legend has already established itself as a seasonal favorite, ranking 29th among all holiday songs.
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