In Which We Rank The Christmas Songs That Don’t Suck

There’s a ton of shitty Christmas music out there. Of course, some might argue that it’s in perfect proportion to the amount of shitty music that’s out in the rest of the year, but the tricky thing about music for the holiday season is that even if a song is good, if you hear it 937 times in a three-week span, chances are you’re gonna start hating it anyhow. So I would say that there’s an even finer line to be walked between good and shitty when it comes to listening at this time of year.

That said, there’s a ton of really, really, good music out for Christmas… I’ll pitch three of my own selections here, but let’s get the ball rolling on your picks below in the comments as well!

First off, a bunch of people pitched this one when we started our initial conversation in the secret DFOverlords lair. I think what makes this so endearing for me every time is that they got Clarence Clemons to do all the low “Ho Ho Ho”s in the background… It’s hilarious and awesome quite honestly. So for choice number one… Bruce Springsteen’s cover of “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town”.

Next on my list is my all-time favorite Christmas album, Vince Guaraldi’s soundtrack from A Charlie Brown Christmas Carol. I feel like this one is also gonna be a widespread one – it’s also celebrating its 50th birthday this year! The guy is just an absolute genius. I got a book of the piano transcriptions a few years ago as a present and I love pulling it out every holiday season to just get my ass kicked right and left by it – he was an absolute monster player and my piano abilities pale in comparison.

Finally, because I am a NEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRDDDDD (and because my username does indeed hold very specific meaning to me) I have to pick Handel’s Messiah. There’s a reason it’s lasted as long as it had in the canon of Baroque and classical music. Handel was one of the most brilliant composers the world has ever known and his music just fills me up with wonder and awe at how he managed to put together such a masterpiece. The Hallelujah Chorus, in particular, is probably the best-known bit of this piece and it’s him at his most bombastic. So if you feel a need for the Holy Spirit to enter ya, give this a go.

So let’s hear it! There’s lots of good stuff out there.