According to a 2018 poll on Statista, approximately 32 percent of listeners during this holiday season listen to Christmas music in the United States, and for good reason! As many gear up for the holiday season, they are ditching their normal playlists and transferring to Christmas music for a much more joyous and cheerful way to cope with the stressful atmosphere this season presents. Every year more and more Americans are starting to wake up and see Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” on their playlists. This song joins the list of the five iconic Christmas tunes with wonderful characteristics that everyone recognizes and worships!

In order for a Christmas Song to have the cheery tone that we all enjoy and love, there are a few building blocks to be established.

• The song needs to be celebratory and sentimental for the listeners.
• It needs to be nostalgic for the listener, igniting that feeling of pressing the rewind button again and again to replay.
• The song needs to stick to the tempo! For example, if it starts off very upbeat and happy it needs to stay that way.

Here is an overview of the Top 5 Christmas songs of all time that followed these traits and made the list! 
1. “All I Want for Christmas Is You” By Mariah Carey

This iconic song has been in houses over the holidays all over the USA, putting smile after smile in every home as it is an uptempo love song. It has appeared on the 19th spot on the Hot 100 and has been at the #1 place during the Christmas season for the 1990s, 2000s, 2010’s the 2020’s, and is staying strong in 2024.

2. “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams

This song is iconic as it portrays a wide range of happiness and joy over the Christmas season for everyone. It unites both families and friends together over the season. It has appeared on the Hot 100 and peaked at #11 this year.

3. “Santa Tell Me”  by Ariana Grande

This classic song is one for all those from Generation Z as it was released in 2014. The song portrays a joyous and upbeat tone that appeals to the tone of the holiday spirit. It is also a very catchy song that will make you sing the song for hours on end! It has been on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached an impressive place at number #19 this year.

4. “Feliz Navidad” by Jose Feliciano

This song has united Latino and American cultures by having verses in English and Spanish! It is about sharing happiness, love, and compassion with everyone regardless of their ethnicity or where they came from. It has appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 list for 2024 at #25.

5. “Last Christmas” by Wham!

This song captures the feeling of Christmas as both happy and upbeat, but also sad with the lyrics it presents following a betrayed relationship. It was first released on December 3, 1984 and has appeared at #3 at the Hot 100 for 2024.

Most of these songs appeal to listeners in the USA because they make Christmas a wonderful season and prioritize giving to others. However, if these songs do not appeal to you or you’re stuck with the winter blues, just enjoy meeting with your loved ones and rejoice in the moments that make your heart smile!