The 30 Most Popular Christmas Songs of All Time

The holiday season annually returns classic Christmas songs to the Billboard Hot 100. These include “Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helms, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee, and “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” from Andy Williams.

Among the more recent tunes occupying the Hot 100 are “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey, “Underneath The Tree” from Kelly Clarkson, and Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me.” 

To determine the most popular Christmas songs of all time, 24/7 Tempo reviewed performance data on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Holiday songs were ranked based on an inverse score wherein a week at No. 1 is worth 100 points, a week at No. 2 worth 99 points, and so on, up to a week at No. 100 worth one point. Chart data is current through the week of Dec. 16, 2023.

Any pop star worth his or her salt makes music for the holidays. Classic crooners and singers Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, and Perry Como all had holiday hit singles and albums. 

In the 1950s, the nascent genre of rock ‘n’ roll realized that the holidays presented an opportunity to put their particular spin on Christmas themes of fun, heartbreak, and longing. These included Elvis Presley, Connie Francis, and Chuck Berry.  

Of all the Christmas songs, “White Christmas” has no equal. Guinness World Records estimates “White Christmas” has sold 50 million copies, easily the most of all time. Bing Crosby first sang it on his radio show on Christmas Day 1941, several weeks after the Pearl Harbor attack. Written by Irving Berlin, the song’s lyrics are about a longing for home, and resonated with American troops fighting overseas. (The most popular songs are different than those that have been listened to the most online — here are the most streamed Christmas songs of all time.)

30. Justin Bieber, “Mistletoe”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 11 (for 1 week)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 12 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: November 5, 2011

29. David Seville And The Chipmunks, “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 39 (for 1 week)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 15 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 14, 1959

28. Kristen Bell, Agatha Lee Monn & Katie Lopez, “Do You Want To Build A Snowman?”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 51 (for 1 week)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 18 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: January 11, 2014

27. Elvis Presley, “Blue Christmas”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 24 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 10 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: January 5, 2019

26. Nat King Cole, “Deck The Halls”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 16 (for 1 week)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 10 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 26, 2020

25. Frank Sinatra, “Jingle Bells”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 20 (for 1 week)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 11 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: January 5, 2019

24. Eagles, “Please Come Home For Christmas”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 18 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 12 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 9, 1978

23. New Kids On The Block, “This One’s For The Children”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 7 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 16 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: November 11, 1989

22. The Chipmunks With David Seville, “The Chipmunk Song”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 4 weeks)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 13 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 1, 1958

21. Gene Autry, “Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 25 (for 1 week)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 17 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 22, 2018

20. Andy Williams, “Happy Holiday / The Holiday Season”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 18 (for 1 week)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 16 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 14, 2019

19. Michael Buble, “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 20 (for 1 week)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 17 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 17, 2011

18. Chuck Berry, “Run Rudolph Run”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 10 (for 1 week)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 19 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 15, 1958

17. Darlene Love, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 15 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 19 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 29, 2018

16. Ariana Grande, “Santa Tell Me”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 12 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 21 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 13, 2014

15. Perry Como And The Fontane Sisters With Mitchell Ayres And His Orchestra, “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 12 (for 1 week)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 20 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 29, 2018

14. Gene Autry, “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 16 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 22 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 15, 2018

13. The Harry Simeone Chorale, “The Little Drummer Boy”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 13 (for 1 week)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 28 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 22, 1958

12. Kelly Clarkson, “Underneath The Tree”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 12 (for 1 week)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 24 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 21, 2013

11. Dean Martin, “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 8 (for 1 week)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 25 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 15, 2018

10. Bing Crosby, “White Christmas”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 12 (for 1 week)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 30 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 22, 1958

9. The Ronettes, “Sleigh Ride”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 10 (for 1 week)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 25 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 22, 2018

8. Jose Feliciano, “Feliz Navidad”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 6 (for 1 week)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 28 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: January 7, 2017

7. Wham!, “Last Christmas”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 4 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 34 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: January 7, 2017

6. Nat King Cole, “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 9 (for 1 week)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 40 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 12, 1960

5. Andy Williams, “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 5 (for 1 week)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 35 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: January 7, 2017

4. Burl Ives, “A Holly Jolly Christmas”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 4 (for 5 weeks)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 35 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: January 7, 2017

3. Bobby Helms, “Jingle Bell Rock”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 3 (for 7 weeks)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 52 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 22, 1958

2. Brenda Lee, “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 2 weeks)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 54 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: December 12, 1960

1. Mariah Carey, “All I Want For Christmas Is You”

• Peak position on Hot 100: No. 1 (for 12 weeks)
• Total time spent on Hot 100: 61 weeks
• Entered Hot 100: January 8, 2000