Welcome to the Fuzzmas Advent Awards, a series running every day throughout December celebrating all our favourite things from 2018. Today we’re counting down our top 22 Christmas songs from this year.
2018 has been a brilliant year for music as a whole, but as Christmas is almost upon us, many well-known artists and rising stars have released Christmas songs this year, really bringing the festive season into everybody’s homes. What with music being easily accessible nowadays, thanks to streaming, we really have been spoilt for choice.
We have to admit, though, you can’t beat the classics, however, many newer tracks have certainly joined the fray and titled themselves as classics as we can’t help but love the likes of Leona Lewis’ “One More Sleep”, Gabriella Cilmi’s “Warm This Winter”, and Kelly Clarkson’s “Under The Tree”. The question is, which 2018 songs will join them in the upcoming years?
For day twenty-two of our Fuzzmas Advent Awards, we’ve collated 22 of the best 2018 Christmas songs, some are covers of classic tracks, some are original songs from up-and-coming stars, and some are from the biggest artists around at the moment.
22. Flakefleet Primary – Light Up
Children singing to raise money for charity – what more could we want? Flakefleet Primary School in Fleetwood decided to release this original Christmas song in a bid to reach number one in the UK and to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society. They managed to chart at number 64 on the UK Singles Chart, and it’s no surprise as this song will certainly get stuck in your head. The adorably cute music video shows the children spending time with residents at a local care home, lighting up their lives and giving them memories to remember.
21. Gwen Stefani – Secret Santa / Gwen Stefani – You Make It Feel Like Christmas (feat. Blake Shelton)
Okay, so the second one in and we’re already cheating, but you can’t really blame us because just look at this music video! Gwen Stefani & Blake Shelton teamed up for this original Christmas song, titled “You Make It Feel Like Christmas”, on her Christmas studio album of the same name, last year; yet, in 2018, we finally got a music video for the song, seen above, alongside a re-release of the album with five additional songs, labelled as the deluxe version.
And so, to keep it to 2018 only Christmas songs, we chose the officially 2018 released single “Secret Santa” which was made available to radio outlets in Italy. It’s a sweet Christmas track that definitely deserves to become a classic in the future. It’s one of those songs that will catch on in the next few years if it gets added to enough playlists and is talked and promoted enough – we’re sure Italian radio stations are loving it as much as we are.
20. Sufjan Stevens – Lonely Man Of Winter
Slowing our Christmas article down is Sufjan Stevens with “Lonely Man Of Winter”, who tells a story throughout whilst he impresses us with his voice. It’s slow and gentle but in a Christmassy way, enough to draw us in and listen to again and again. This one may take a few listens but it gives us chills from the first minute because it’s clear that this song is rich and full of the winter season.
19. Ingrid Michaelson – All I Want For Christmas Is You (feat. Leslie Odom Jr.)
Here is our first cover on our Christmas list, but just listening to this track makes us melt. Ingrid Michaelson is one delicate singer who knows exactly how to sing this song, with Leslie Odom Jr. and, although, we’ve heard this covered better by other singers in the past years, and it’s impossible to beat Mariah Carey’s original version, this one takes on a whole new meaning; especially with the softness of Ingrid Michaelson’s voice paired with the ultimate soul perfection from Leslie Odom Jr., this works more than we could ever have imagined.
18. Matt LeGrand – White Christmas
Time for our second cover of many in this list, and it’s Matt LeGrand singing the classic Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas”. The original is one we hear every single year and it’s impossible to beat it, however, Matt LeGrand has certainly switched it up into a bigger beat and his vocals are outstanding from start to finish. He certainly is a rising star; and, with exceptional vocals on tracks such as this one, he’s set to be a name we’ll all be talking about.
17. We The Kings – There Is A Light
We The Kings dropped their first Christmas album, titled “Seasons Greetings from the Sandbar” this year, featuring 10 tracks, with this one being one of two original songs on the LP. It’s got a bit of Christmas imagination sparkle to it that will certainly age well as the years go by. It can also be seen as exciting as it really brings the spirit of the night before Christmas.
16. Hunter Hayes – Blue Christmas
Yes, we have a bit of country into the mix this year, and this is probably not the first time we see Hunter Hayes in this list, as his recently released EP contains three amazing Christmas covers that we simply adore. This one is slow but incredible because his voice is just as amazing as his hit songs, and is filled with so much Christmas spirit. “Blue Christmas” was originally sung by Elvis Presley, and Hunter Hayes sure proves that he has a bit of the king himself in him for this track.
15. Bronnie – Modern Day Xmas
Technically, this song was released in 2015 as “Modern Day Christmas”, with the above video dropping last year, but this year saw Bronnie re-release the song as part of her 2018 EP “Silent Misery” under the new title “Modern Day Xmas!”. This track adds a bit of punk-rock into the Christmas mix and Bronnie certainly impresses with her vocals and musicality for a rock Christmas song. It’s one you’ll be adding to your Christmas playlists, for sure.
14. Tyler, The Creator – I Am The Grinch (feat. Fletcher Jones)
Christmas isn’t Christmas without The Grinch. In promotion of the brand new animated film of The Grinch by Illumination and Universal Pictures, this catchy little number, which feels very anti-Christmas, makes our list because this Dr. Seuss story is something that we all know. Tyler, The Creator has done a fine job on this track and it really feels like something that The Grinch would sing!
13. Hunter Hayes – I’ll Be Home For Christmas
We did say that Hunter Hayes would appear multiple times, and here he is again with this incredible cover of Bing Crosby’s “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”. There’s so much Christmas magic flowing through this track that it’s just something we can’t help but include in our list as it really shows how incredible this country artist truly is. What’s not to like about this song?
12. Martina McBride – Happy Holiday (It’s The Holiday Season)
From one country-pop singer to another with another cover, Martina McBride has released another Christmas album, this year, that contains a whole bunch of classics, some of which she has previously released on other Christmas albums. This song is actually a medley of two songs, “Happy Holiday” by Bing Crosby and “Holiday Season” written by Kay Thompson; the two are usually fused together to create this medley, which was made popular by Andy Williams. This is tuneful and sweet with Martina McBride impressing with her beautiful vocals. She’s certainly one people think of when it comes to Christmas, along with Michael Bublé. This is one that we simply adore from her.
11. The Monkees – The Christmas Song
Just missing out on the top 10 is The Monkees – we bet you didn’t expect to see this name in this list. The height of their career was in the ’60s but their music is totally timeless and they really prove it in this track, which has recently received an animated music video. The song, “The Christmas Song” was originally sung by The King Cole Trio, but was later re-recorded by Nat King Cole. The Monkees certainly do the song justice, and the music video certainly makes this song more drift-like, taking us right to Christmas day.
10. Pentatonix – What Christmas Means To Me
One of the most underrated bands in the world, Pentatonix has been growing their career and they continue year-after-year, gaining more and more fans as time goes on. They are another artist who people already identify with Christmas, as they have quite a few Christmas albums amongst their releases, and this year saw them drop “What Christmas Means To Me”, which this track is the title song. It’s jovial, fun, and full of the Christmas magic which Pentatonix certainly uses to their musical abilities. This is bound to be a welcome surprise in any Christmas playlist for years to come.
9. Hunter Hayes – This Christmas
Although we’ve included his other covers from his EP in this list, “This Christmas” by Hunter Hayes is definitely the best one out of the three. It’s a cover of the much-loved classic by Donny Hathaway, and Hunter Hayes, once again, does it justice as he showcases his brilliant vocals and perfect tone. This is one song that deserves much more attention every Christmas year, for sure.
8. Pentatonix – Where Are You, Christmas?
A powerful Christmas ballad from Pentatonix is definitely worthy of a top 10 placing. “Where Are You, Christmas?” is full of absolutely incredible vocals from Pentatonix, showing off their brilliant artistry. This one would totally fit into a classic Christmas playlist as it is a full on ballad, from the five-piece, that will be remembered word-for-word every single year it is played.
7. Pentatonix – Sweater Weather
Okay, so we have three Pentatonix tracks in the Top 10, but we really cannot help it as they are an exceptional five-piece group that deserves a lot more recognition. This track, “Sweater Weather”, is difficult to get into from the start, however, by the end of it, we assure you that you’ll be replaying the track because it is undeniably catchy. It’s upbeat and addicting, and is one of those tracks that we’ll happily label as iconic because it will be one we will play every single year – it just fits in well with many Christmas playlists, and that is what will make it become a classic in the future.
6. RuPaul – Hey Sis, It’s Christmas (feat. Markaholic)
How can we not include RuPaul’s Christmas track in this list? We love a good Christmas party track, and we now have a bit of RuPaul to get our bodies moving on Christmas day! “Hey Sis, It’s Christmas” is a lively track that is filled with cheeky lyrics and a tonne of fun, it’ll have you moving and singing without even realising. RuPaul’s Christmas album is filled with brilliant numbers, but this is certainly a stand-out, the drag queen even performed it on the RuPaul’s Drag Race Holi-Slay Spectacular.
5. David Archuleta – Christmas Every Day
This one is mighty catchy, David Archuleta may have come second on the seventh season of American Idol, behind David Cook, but this song deserves to become a classic of the future as it certainly gets stuck in one’s head. It’s a typical Christmas pop song and it’s exactly what needs to be heard all the time during this holiday season as it is filled with the festive magic that we all love.
4. Miley Cyrus & Mark Ronson – Happy Xmas (War Is Over) [feat. Sean Ono Lennon]
WOW! Miley Cyrus sure knows how to prove to the world that she can sing. On this cover of the classic track “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” originally by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Miley Cyrus is a total vocal powerhouse whilst teaming up with Mark Ronson, again having previously paired up with him for the track “Nothing Breaks Like A Heart”, and Sean Ono Lennon – who is the son of the original artists of the track. This is one fired-up team and it deserves to go down as a classic in years to come.
3. John Legend – Bring Me Love
Here’s another big artist that has released a Christmas album and this track “Bring Me Love” is certainly a stand-out song on the album due to the heartfelt energy of the song which is reminiscent of his hit track “All Of Me”, wrapped up in Christmas magic. It’s addicting and heart-hitting in every way. The lyrics can take on such an incredible meaning to people all around the world who wish they had love on Christmas, and people have really identified with the song on so many levels in so many different connotations. “Bring Me Love” by John Legend will surely become a jovial classic.
2. Jessie J – This Christmas Day
Jessie J has also released a Christmas album this year, and there’s some utter classics within that all deserve to be heard, however, this original track easily stands out because “This Christmas Day” allows Jessie J to relax and simply let her vocals do all the singing. It’s just a beautiful track that she co-wrote herself, so much so that it sounds like a cover of a classic Christmas track. The fact that she easily makes this song sound like a classic gives it this worthy placement.
1. Leah McFall – Winter Wonderland
This is far from traditional Christmas as we can go, and we’re not sorry. Leah McFall’s incredible voice makes her one of the most underrated artists in the entire world, and her take on “Winter Wonderland” is absolutely outstanding, allowing the song to take on a whole new meaning whilst still containing the story we all know and love, yet it’s more sombre and darker. This is the second Christmas song that Leah McFall has reworked, having previously covered “Silent Night” in 2016; all we need now is a full album of Christmas covers – we can only dream. Her vocals on this song are crazy, and she’s continuing to prove she should’ve won season two of The Voice UK instead of being the runner-up. Powerful, strong, haunting, and full of imagery, this cover version of “Winter Wonderland” is left unrecognisable as Leah McFall makes it her own.