14 • Saint Etienne - I Was Born On Christmas Day | 117 points

 

roll the tape! one of the more left-field picks in this countdown from alternative dance act Saint Etienne, with singer Sarah Cracknell and Tim Burgess (of The Charlatans) crooning softly over a driving house beat. Check this one out if you're unfamiliar with it!

 

 

13 • Chris Rea - Driving Home For Christmas | 117 points

 

Driving Home For Christmas is another to gradually become a staple of holiday playlists in recent times, a very likeable song with its warm, laid-back piano instrumental and Chris' unique gravelly vocal

 

 

12 • Boney M - Mary's Boy Child / Oh My Lord | 125 points

 

Boney M's disco-tinged christmas record took them to the top of the charts for 4 weeks in 1978. It's never really been on my radar as a classic but it's clearly popular here - also finishing Top 10 in last year's Christmas Rate

 

 

11 • Jona Lewie - Stop The Cavalry | 158 points

 

The second war-related track in this batch, Stop The Cavalry wasn't intended as a Christmas hit but nonetheless became one in the winter of 1980. It's a wonderful synthpop track, with an infinitely memorable brass refrain <3

 

 

15 • Darlene Love - All Alone On Christmas | 114 points

 

Three decades after Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), Darlene came back with a banger! Such a joyous and infectious track, with its stomping energy and sax solos (it also namedrops her aforementioned classic at one point, which is a nice touch)

 

Has this still only peaked at number 32 on the year of release in 1992?

 

Surprised at the low positions for John Lennon and Slade. But love the other tracks from Chris De Burgh and St Ettiene. Most surprising hit for me is Boney M, it’s one of those Xmas singles very ‘of its time’. One of the biggest selling hits of the decade but sounds very disco like. Very 1978!

Edited December 23, 20204 yr by Christmasteve201

I love basically everything in that section to be honest. I do love how the rise of Streaming has enabled all the older classics to chart evrryear. It makes me so happy <3

I'll be presenting the top 10 tonight, since Calum also has other commitments ala the Buzzjack Awards. Be here around 6pm for starting.

Also, I'm sure I speak for the rest of the personal charts mods and indeed, all of the Moderators on Buzzjack when I say this. Thank you so much for all the hard work you've been putting into the site Calum :wub: x

I always loved ‘Mull Of Kintyre’ even if it’s not a Xmas song, it was Xmas number one in 1977 though.

 

Do you like it better than ‘Candy Cane Lane’?

Candy Cane is a grower. I watched it this morning. Yep, wasn't sure at first, but I'm starting to like it.

I still prefer Snowman.

Edited December 23, 20204 yr by house.martin

If I'd seen this earlier I'd probably have pushed another couple of indie faves into the top 40 :(

 

Pleased to see Chris de Burgh and Saint Etienne in the top 20, both of those are great and higher than I expected them to be!

I don't think I've heard 'All Alone On Christmas' before. Otherwise, it's good to see so many classics in the top 20.

I don't think I've heard 'All Alone On Christmas' before. Otherwise, it's good to see so many classics in the top 20.

 

You better hold onto your hat. Your Xmas faves are all here x

Candy Cane is a grower. I watched it this morning. Yep, wasn't sure at first, but I'm starting to like it.

I still prefer Snowman.

 

Sort of seems like THE hit from the album in terms of longevity every Xmas. I’ve already heard it following the album release used on Xmas promo ads!

10 • Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas | 159 points

I'm so happy to see this make the top 10 here. It's not exactly a conventional Christmas song either, so that itself makes it even more impressive that it regularly features on a lot of people's list of Top Christmas songs and obviously it has a great reaction on Buzzjack every year. I have three ultimate favourite Christmas songs and this is one of them. Maybe the Nostalgia from my childhood just hits hard and that's why. I have so many memories of this when I was a child. Regardless of how it makes me feel, it's remained a classic after all these years and hopefully will continue to do so for years to come!

09 • Greg Lake - I Believe In Father Christmas | 160 points

Now I am guilty of having never went out of my way to listen to this track and I didn't put it in my list of Christmas songs I put forward for this chart, indeed, I put a lot of the newest modern Christmas tracks forward and a lot of those, I was the only one to feature on the chart :lol: This had a lot of votes to be featured here but I'm neither here nor there after hearing it either.

08 • Leona Lewis - One More Sleep | 187 points

Now, who doesn't love a bit of Leona? Quite a few people actually! She's a queen with an amazing voice and had started out fresh from X-Factor looking like she was going to have an amazing career, but music wise, I'd say she's dropped off the radar. This has become a Christmas classic, and I'd say that's solely down to Streaming being more prevalent than ever, (I honestly think this would have been forgotten about otherwise) but then again, it is here in the top 10, so I'm likely wrong. So anyway, this is a bop albeit not anywhere near my favourites for Christmas.

07 • Shakin' Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone | 203 points

OH MY GOD YESSSS. What a tune! So Christmassy and amazing. Hits me right in the feels everytime I hear it. I'm sure this is a staple on the charts now because it never fell out of people's minds around Christmas time. Possibly one of the best Christmas songs ever made? I think so! I just watched the video for this again when I was adding the video above and honestly though, it's kinda creepy? I mean it's bad enough that it looks like Michele Barratt isn't really moving his lips when he sings the entire video but near the beginning, when he's on the sleigh with an elf, she just looks terrified. Sitting there with a weird smile, she looks more maniac than happy elf. Enough bashing though, this is A Christmas chart and it will be full of cheer. This is one of my ultimate favourites after all.

06 • The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping | 206 points

:wub: Super Super Rocky Goodness. I'm actually surprised to see this so high, do so well and feature on so many Christmas charts. Especially so high. It's very unconventional compared to everything else on the list, colour me shocked. Fun fact for you all, I'd never even heard this song until The Saturdays covered it and that led me to listen to it. It's become a perennial favourite though and it's easy to see why.

One good thing the Saturdays have done, introduce you to a much superior original! Think the Spice Girls covered ‘ brief as Wrapping’ too.

 

Shocked you hadnt heard Greg Lake before the rundown, my ultimate Christmas song as I’m sure you seen it was number one in my list. Just listen to the track early one Xmas morning just as sunrises and there’s snow on the ground, magical. Reminds me of my childhood getting up on Xmas morning.

I noticed a few of us gave our full 20 points to Greg Lake, including me, so it's great to see him in the top 20.

05 • Wizzard - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday | 257 points

Another ultimate favourite of mine. So I lied, I have four ultimate favourites :kink: Like Wizzard said, I wish it could be Christmas everyday! Could you imagine? Just imagine all the presents 5 year old me used to think! At least the economy would be in better shape with all the money we'd be spending. The chorus for this song is immensely catchy! The whole song is fantastic although it's funny to see a man with a long heard leading such a joyful song! He looks more like a rocker than someone who is all the jolly about Christmas.