Christmas Hits

I got into pop music when I was 10, back in autumn 1972. I thought it might be fun to look back at the Christmas hits since then – at least songs that I can personally remember. My focus is on the UK charts because that’s what I’m most familiar with, though I’m Irish.

1970s

• 1972

  • Happy Xmas (War Is Over) -John & Yoko & The Plastic Ono Band With The Harlem Community Choir
  • Little Drummer Boy – Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Band
• 1973

  • Merry Xmas Everybody – Slade
  • I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day – Wizzard
  • Gaudete – Steeleye Span
  • Step Into Christmas – Elton John
• 1974

  • Lonely This Christmas – Mud
  • Wombling Merry Christmas – Wombles
  • Christmas Song – Gilbert O’Sullivan
  • Hey Mister Christmas – Showaddywaddy
• 1975

  • I Believe In Father Christmas – Greg Lake
  • It’s Gonna Be A Cold Cold Christmas – Dana
  • Make A Daft Noise For Christmas – Goodies
  • In Dulce Jubilo – Mike Oldfield
  • A Spaceman Came Travelling – Chris De Burgh
• 1976

  • When A Child Is Born – Johnny Mathis
• 1977

  Bing passed away that year. I won’t generally include re-releases but I can’t remember any specifically Christmas hits from 1977. You do get many novelty records at Christmas, but I’ll stick to Christmas songs if I can.

  • White Christmas – Bing Crosby
• 1978

  • Mary’s Boy Child – Boney M
  • Christmas In Smurfland – Father Abraham & The Smurfs
• 1979

  • Wonderful Christmas Time – Paul McCartney
  • Christmas Wrappin’ – Kurtis Blow
  • A Merry Jingle – Greedies

1980s

• 1980

  • Stop The Cavalry – Jona Lewie
  • December Will Be Magic Again – Kate Bush
• 1981

  • Hokey Cokey – Snowmen
  • Christmas Wrapping – The Waitresses

  1982

  • Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy – David Bowie & Bing Crosby
  • Little Town – Cliff Richard
  • A Winter’s Tale – David Essex
  • Singalong-a-Santa – Santa Claus & The Christmas Trees

  1983

  • 2000 Miles – Pretenders
  • Pipes of Peace – Paul McCartney
  • What Are We Gonna Get ‘Er Indoors – Dennis Waterman & George Cole
  • Cold As Christmas – Elton John

  1984

  • Do They Know It’s Christmas? – Band Aid
  • Last Christmas – Wham!
  • So Near To Christmas – Alvin Stardust
  • Thank God It’s Christmas – Queen

  1985

  • Merry Christmas Everyone – Shakin’ Stevens
  • Walking In The Air – Aled Jones
  • Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town – Bruce Springsteen

  1986

  • Caravan of Love – Housemartins
  • Santa Claus Is On The Dole – Spitting Image
  • Driving Home for Christmas – Chris Rea
• 1987

  • Fairytale of New York – The Pogues
  • Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree – Kim Wilde & Mel Smith
  • Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – U2
    
• 1988

  • Mistletoe And Wine – Cliff Richard
  • Silent Night – Bros
  • Christmas Song – Alexander O’Neal
• 1989

  • Do They Know It’s Christmas? – Band Aid II

1990s

• 1990

  • Saviour’s Day – Cliff Richard
  • The Best Christmas Of Them All – Shakin’ Stevens
• 1991

  • We Should Be Together – Cliff Richard
  • Silent Night – Simon & Garfunkel
  • I’ll Be Home This Christmas – Shakin’ Stevens
• 1992

  • I Still Believe In You – Cliff Richard
  • All Alone On Christmas – Darlene Love
  • Sleigh Ride – TLC
• 1993

  • I Was Born On Christmas Day – Saint Etienne
  • All Alone On Christmas – Darlene Love
• 1994

  • All I Want For Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey
  • Please Come Home For Christmas – Bon Jovi
• 1995

  • The Gift Of Christmas – Childliners
  • A Winter’s Tale – Queen
• 1996

  • Your Christmas Wish – Smurfs
• 1997

  • Merry Christmas Baby – Hanson
• 1998

  • Cruise Into Christmas – Jane McDonald
• 1999

  • The Millennium Prayer – Cliff Richard
  • A Christmas Kiss – Daniel O’Donnell

• 21st Century

  I don’t imagine that there were very many new Christmas songs in the 21st Century, so I’ll just make a single list

  • I Wish It Could Be A Wombling Christmas – Wombles With Roy Wood (2000)
  • I Believe In Christmas – Tweenies (2001)
  • Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End) – the Darkness (2003)
  • Santa’s List – Cliff Richard (2003)
  • Christmas is All Around – Billy Mack (2003)
  • Have A Cheeky Christmas – Cheeky Girls (2003)
  • Do They Know It’s Christmas? – Band Aid 20 (2004)
  • Jingle Bells – Crazy Frog (2005)
  • 21st Century Christmas – Cliff Richard (2006)
  • Last Christmas – Crazy Frog (2006)
  • Once Upon a Christmas Song – Geraldine (2007)
  • December Song – George Michael (2009)
  • Christmas Lights – Coldplay (2010)
  • Mistletoe – Justin Bieber (2011)
  • It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas – Michael Bublé
  • One More Sleep – Leona Lewis (2013)
  • Underneath the Tree – Kelly Clarkson (2013)
  • Santa Tell Me – Ariana Grande (2014)