Your Ultimate Christmas Playlist for 2024: Classic Hits and Fresh Releases
The Enduring Appeal of Christmas Playlists
As December arrives, Christmas playlists become the soundtrack to the festive season, bringing joy to homes, shops, and gatherings worldwide. Whether streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube, these carefully curated collections blend nostalgic classics with contemporary hits, offering something for every listener. This year, Christmas music listening has begun substantially earlier than ever before, with 30 Christmas songs occupying Spotify’s top 50 on December 1, 2025—more than double the 14 tracks present on the same date in 2019. The rise in early festive listening demonstrates just how integral these playlists have become to our holiday traditions.
Chart-Topping Christmas Classics Dominate Streaming
Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ remains the top Christmas song on iTunes and has spent 17 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 100 chart. The UK’s most-streamed Christmas songs place Mariah Carey’s hit at the top with 475 million streams, followed by Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’ on 457 million, and ‘Fairytale Of New York’ by The Pogues with 316 million plays. These timeless tracks continue to dominate playlists year after year, proving that classic holiday songs never go out of style.
Other perennial favourites rounding out the top streaming positions include Shakin’ Stevens’ ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’ and Brenda Lee’s ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’. The highest-placed modern Christmas song goes to Michael Bublé’s ‘It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas’, with 257 million plays.
Fresh Festive Releases for 2024
While classics reign supreme, 2024 has brought a wave of exciting new Christmas music. 2024 is closing with new Christmas recordings from modern artists spanning pop, R&B, hip-hop, K-pop, jazz and rock. Artists such as Lady Gaga, RAYE and Laufey put their own inventive spins on famous carols, while FIFTY FIFTY, Coco Jones, GloRilla and Kehlani released brand-new anthems celebrating love, light, mistletoe, snow, presents and family.
Laufey released a Christmas EP titled ‘A Very Laufey Holiday’ in 2024, featuring six tracks. Jennifer Hudson released her first full Christmas album, ‘The Gift of Love’, in 2024. Country music fans also have plenty to enjoy, with new releases from Kassi Ashton, Little Big Town, Dasha and a whole EP from Megan Moroney.
Building the Perfect Christmas Playlist
Creating the ideal Christmas playlist involves balancing beloved standards with fresh discoveries. Apple Music offers ‘Essential Christmas’ and a special 2024 ‘Carols Covered’ which includes new versions of holiday classics from various artists. Meanwhile, Spotify provides curated playlists for every mood, from traditional carols to indie Christmas tracks and festive party anthems.
Whether you prefer the cosy nostalgia of classic crooners or the modern energy of contemporary pop stars, Christmas playlists offer the perfect accompaniment to holiday celebrations. As streaming continues to shape how we experience seasonal music, these collections ensure that the joy and spirit of Christmas remain accessible to all.