My Top 10 Modern Christmas Songs

Hello!

So...my last post focused on classic Christmas songs that I felt deserved to be in a top 10, which you can view here. Now, it's all about those modern hits that already could be seen as classics.

As before, my top 10 is in no particular order.

10.  Leona Lewis- One More Sleep

Back in 2006, Leona Lewis won the third series of The X Factor. Having released 3 albums, in 2013, she decided to release a Christmas album, called Christmas, with Love. One More Sleep was the lead single from this album.

One More Sleep tells the story of a protagonist waiting for her partner to come home, with her counting the days within the chorus. One More Sleep earned Leona a place on the Singles Chart at number 3.

9. Kelly Clarkson- Underneath the Tree

Kelly Clarkson burst onto the scene with her classic song Miss Independent. After tons of other hits, such as Since U Been Gone and My Life Would Suck Without You, She decided to release a Christmas album, with the lead single of this album being Underneath The Tree.

The music video is just as christmassy, which involves Clarkson performing on the set of her Christmas special, Kelly Clarkson's cautionary Christmas Music Tale, dressed in a beautiful red dress. The song itself became Clarkson's 14th top 40 hit. It reached number 78 on the Billboard top 100.

8. Gabriella Cilmi- Warm This Winter

2008 was the year of Gabriella Cilmi. Following the success of her top 10 hit, Sweet About Me, she decided to release a Christmas song, in the form of Warm This Winter.

A cover of 1962's I'm Gonna Be Warm this Winter, by Connie Francis, Cilmi's version reached 22 on the UK singles chart. It was actually recorded specifically for the Winter season campaign of The Co-operative supermarket but it was since announced in November 2008 that it would be an addition to the deluxe edition of her top 10 album, Lessons to be Learnt. Sadly, it doesn't seem to be played much nowadays because it is a good song.

7. George Michael- December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)

Okay...everyone has heard of the Christmas classic Last Christmas but did you know that George Michael released another Christmas song? Yep...in 2009, without the support of his Wham bandmate, Andrew Ridgley, George released December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas).

There was a surprise in that originally it was going to be for the Spice Girls and less surprisingly, due to the fact it's a Christmas song, it was also a possibility that it was to go to the King of Christmas himself, Michael Buble. However, George Michael kept it.

In fact, keeping it was the best thing George did. After performing it on The X Factor, the physical copies of the single sold out within a day. It debuted at number 14 on the UK singles chart.


6.  Sam Smith- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Yes...I know that Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is a classic song but considering that Sam Smith had a big comeback in 2017, I thought it was only right that his version should be included.

Originally sung by Judy Garland in the classic film, Meet Me in St. Louis, this melancholic song is perfect for Sam's voice.  Smith's version fared better than the original, reaching the Billboard 100 for the first time, at number 90. In the UK, he reached number 65 on the singles chart with this song.

5. The Darkness- Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)

Let's be honest, The Darkness are only known for two songs: I Believe in a Thing Called Love and this one.  In fact they both had the same success as well...they both hit number 2 in the UK singles chart. Christmas Time... was beaten to Christmas number one in 2004 by Gary Jules' Mad World (seriously...a Christmas song was beaten to number one by this?).

Anyway, despite this issue, Christmas Time is still getting regularly played and it has since become a Christmas classic, 13 years after it was released.

4.  Justin Bieber- Mistletoe

I think we can all agree that Justin Bieber is not to everyone's taste, including mine. However, what some of you may not know is he released a Christmas song.

Yep,  at the age of 17, Bieber released his first Christmas single, Mistletoe and later, he released a Christmas album, Under the Mistletoe. Mistletoe is a typical Bieber song, about him kissing someone under the mistletoe. Cue loads of young girls screaming at this blog post "That should be me!"

Mistletoe debuted at number 21 on the UK singles charts, selling 280,000 copies and being streamed 9m times. It fared a bit better in the US, entering the Billboard chart at number 11.

3. Sia- Santa's Coming For Us

Sia's had a great career so far since she burst onto the scene with David Guetta to sing on Titanium. Following on from other successful hits, such as Cheap Thrills and Chandelier, Sia decided it would be her turn to crack the infamous Christmas market. The result? This catchy little number.

Describing a typical Winter season, with the protagonist singing "Nights are getting shorter now/Hot chocolate fills the air." It is also hinted that the protagonist is singing about spending Christmas with a loved one, singing to this loved one "You're the angel at the top of the tree," and that "Santa's Coming For Us," after the loved one is encouraged to write and send a letter to Santa.

It was the lead single off her new album Everyday is Christmas, which just entered the top 40 in the UK albums chart. It did better compared to Santa's Coming For Us, which only entered the UK singles chart at 65.

2. Coldplay- Christmas Lights

Chris Martin had already tried his hand at releasing a Christmas song, by being part of Band Aid 20 in 2004. However, in 2010, he joined his fellow band members and Coldplay released their first (and as far as I know only) Christmas song, Christmas Lights.

This song is a typical Coldplay song. Featuring a beautiful piano melody, the song depicts Christmas gone wrong; "Christmas night, another fight," with the protagonist saying that because of this, "it doesn't really feel like Christmas at all."

The song was very popular in both the UK and USA.  In the UK, it reached number 13 in the singles chart and in the US, it hit 23 in the Billboard top 100.

1. Michael Buble- Cold December Night

Let's be honest...Michael Buble is the King of Christmas. You don't here from him all year and then suddenly, in December, his Christmas songs start playing and he gets at least one Christmas special.

This particular song features on his Christmas album and describes a typical christmas with stockings hung up on the fire place and children waiting for Santa. It's also a chance for the protagonist of the song to pour their heart, begging their crush 'Please fall in love with me this winter" and "Kiss me on this cold December Night."

Buble's album, Christmas, beat Snow Patrol's album Fallen Empires to the number 1 on the UK album charts in the winter of 2011. It has featured in the album chart during the Christmas season ever since.

My Top 10 classic Christmas songs

Hello!

We all love Christmas don't we? The decorations. the Christmas dinner (apart from Brussel Sprouts!). the Christmas TV. The time spent with family, etc.

However, I think we can all agree that we can start to get into the Christmas spirit when Christmas songs start playing on the radio. Therefore, with Christmas around the corner, I decided that I would give you my top 10 classic christmas songs.

As always, the top 10 in no particular order.

10. Greg Lake- I believe in Father Christmas

I like this song as it shows the excitement of being young at Christmas. It tells the story of the protagonist as they share memories of a "Christmas tree smell," and how they believe in Father Christmas, as they "saw him and through his disguise."

Released in 1975, it reached number 2 on the UK singles chart, kept off the number one spot by none other than Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. Sadly, Lake died in 2016 but this classic ensures that he will never be forgotten.

9. Elton John- Step into Christmas

Elton John is known for his outfits sometimes being shiny and in your face so what better than him doing a song during a season that is shiny and in your face...A.K.A Christmas.

Step into Christmas was released in 1973 and reached number 24 in the UK singles chart. It fared better in the USA, getting to number one on the Billboard Christmas singles chart. The video features Elton sitting at his trademark piano, wearing a glitzy suit and equally trademark wacky glasses. Fun fact: this song has a B-side single, with the title being the stupidly brilliant Ho Ho Ho (Who'd Be a Turkey at Christmas?).

In 2009, it was announced that Step Into Christmas was the ninth most played Christmas song in the UK and in 2016, it was certified silver, after selling 200,000 copies.

8.  Wizzard- I Wish it Could Be Christmas Every Day

I Wish it Could Be Christmas Every Day has lyrics that describe the joy of Christmas: snow falling during Christmas day (although if you live in the UK, the snow usually falls too early and is gone by Christmas), the excitement for children about Santa coming during Christmas Eve, and other Christmas traditions.

It was released in 1973 and peaked at number 4 on the UK singles chart. Of course, it is well known nowadays as not only a classic Christmas song but also to sci-fi fans as being in the Christmas special of the Netflix hit, Black Mirror.

7. Chris Rea- Driving Home For Christmas

You Know the feeling: It's Christmas time and you're travelling to see relatives and because of how many people have decided to do the same, you're stuck in traffic. What are you going to put on to cheer you up? Well, I think this song is perfect to sing along to. Yes...it describes the situation you're in but it does it in a cheery way. It reminds you of the reason you are stuck in traffic...you "can't wait to see those faces," and that the driver next to you is "just the same."

The song peaked at number 26 in 1988 and in 2009, it was re-released with the proceeds going to the charity Shelter. It has also been covered by X Factor stars, Stacey Solomon and Joe McElderry.

6. Mariah Carey- All I Want For Christmas is You

As soon as those Christmassy chimes start and Mariah utters those first few notes, you know you are in for one hell of a sing song with this track.  Oh...and if you have a crush, it could also be seen as a perfect song to sing to them. However, as much as everyone loves singing this song at the top of their voices, I would not recommend singing like that in front of your crush as it might scare them off.

All I Want For Christmas is You has entered the UK single charts multiple times, originally at number 2, in 1994. Most recently, it has been at number 5, showing that this song will be loved for many years to come. Yes...she is considered a diva but this song will forever be a Christmas classic.

5. Shakin' Stevens-Merry Christmas Everyone

Yes...this song is a bit cheesy but it's still a classic.  Released in 1985, it became Shakey's fourth number 1 on the UK singles chart. The song has a real Christmassy feel, describing a typical scene of families playing in the snow, as well as how Christmas is a "time for parties and celebration." The lyrics perfectly match the video, which features Shakin' Stevens visit Santa's Grotto, which includes a visit to Santa's workshop.

It is still a Christmas classic and it would be difficult to not find it on a Christmas compilation album. Altogether now: "Merry Christmas Everyone!"

4.  The Waitresses- Christmas Wrapping

This song probably isn't as well known as the others but I really like it.  It tells the story of the problem that everyone has during Christmas...there's just not enough time to sort out everything. It describes the typical process of preparing for Christmas, such as decking halls and getting trees. It's also hinted that the person is single, as it references how it "flashes back to spring time, saw him again," concluding with the person saying they "couldn't miss this one again," having previously debated about whether to attend a Christmas party and even celebrate Christmas itself, because they had reunited with the guy.

Unfortunately, it didn't chart in 1981, when it was released but it did chart at 45 the following year, on the UK singles chart. It has since featured in a few Christmas movies, notably Fred Claus. Furthermore, here's a possible, little-known fact: it was covered by the Spice Girls!

3.  Paul McCartney- Wonderful Christmas Time

Paul McCartney's little ditty about having a great Christmas with your friends and family and that the joy of Christmas "only comes at this time of year," is one that is fun to sing along together. McCartney recorded this track on his own but in the video, he is accompanied by his Wings bandmates and his late wife Linda.  Wings themselves performed on tour in 1979.

It peaked at number 6 in the UK singles chart when released in 1979 and it was at number 10 on the Billboard's Christmas singles chart in 1984.  Furthermore, it was featured in the 1998 film, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer- The Movie.

2.  Band Aid- Do They Know it's Christmas?

In 1984, a large group of pop stars, brought together by Boomtown Rats frontman, Bob Geldof, to record a charity single, with the aim to raise money for those in poverty in Africa. Celebrities such as Wham, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet among others. Band Aid was the name and Do They Know It's Christmas? was the name of the single.

It was a massive hit, beating Wham to the UK Christmas number 1 single in 1984, staying there for five weeks.  It also became the fastest selling single of all time and the best selling single of all time, until Elton John's Candle in the Wind surpassed it in 1997.  33 years later, it is still a bonafide classic.

1. Wham- Last Christmas 

I have to admit, this song has a certain melancholic feel this year, due to George Michael's death last year. However, it is still a firm favourite among people at Christmas. It tells the story of unrequited love, with the protagonist talking about how they declared love to their loved one but the loved one then proceeded to "give it away." Despite the sad topic, it still remains popular, with loads of artists covering it including Ariana Grande, Carly Rey Jepson, Billie Piper, Arctic Monkeys (during their Humbug tour) and...the crazy frog (Unfortunately, I am not making this up).

It was a big hit, with it close to becoming number one, only to be beaten by Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas?. Despite this, Wham didn't mind, due to the former being for charity. In fact, Wham donated money made from sales of this record to a similar charity to Band Aid.  In addition, it has since sold 2 million copies, making it the best selling single of all time in the UK that never got to number one.