1. "Christmas Trees" by Major Lazer
Mad Decent (the label that Major Lazer are signed to) have put out a Christmas album every year since 2013. And with tracks like "Turn Up Ye Merry Gentlemen", there isn't a jingle bell in sight. "Christmas Trees" is a laidback dancehall-influenced track all about lighting up Christmas trees and more.
2. "A Great Big Sled" by The Killers
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The Killers do a Christmas track most years – if you fancy seeing Brandon Flowers in a Christmas sweater then "Don't Shoot Me Santa" is for you. But I like "A Great Big Sled" best.
3. "8 Days of Christmas" by Destiny's Child
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Christmas is about many things, but as Beyoncé and Co know, it's also about presents. Plenty of presents. And who's to say those presents can't be ones that you have bought for yourself?
4. "Sleigh Ride" by the Ronettes
This track (and the next one on this list) are both from the stellar Phil Spector Christmas album – titled "A Christmas Gift For You". If you have a record player, there's currently a white vinyl re-issue which is *kisses fingertips*.
5. "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Darlene Love
The horns and sleigh bells in this will break your heart.
6. "Every Day's Like Christmas" by Kylie
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Kylie is the fairy on top of the Christmas tree, shimmery and full of both goodwill and the ache of realising another year has passed. This track is sweet as sugarplums.
7. "Wit It This Christmas" by Ariana Grande
Arianna's Christmas EP ("Christmas and Chill") is worth listening to year-round IMO. It's laid-back and super cool – perfect for listening to as you do your make-up before a Boxing Day night out.
8. "All I Want For Christmas Is New Year's Day" by Hurts
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Hurts have a flair for dramatic, and when they were given the chance to do a Christmas track – of course they went all in. There's sleigh bells! There's snow! There's mention of two festive bank holidays!
9. "That Was The Worst Christmas Ever" by Sufjan Stevens
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Sufjan Stevens has a great line in Christmas albums – the five disc Silver and Gold is a good place to start – and once even held a Christmas songwriting competition. (I entered! I did not win!) Anyway, this is one of my favourite Christmas tracks from Sufjan, but if you're looking for something more traditional, he does a gorgeous cover of "O Come O Come Emmanuel".
10. "I Was Born On Christmas Day" by Saint Etienne
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Bob Stanley from Saint Etienne was actually born on Christmas Day and everything.
11. "Fallen Snow" by Au Revoir Simone
Play this while refreshing the Met Office's homepage, crossing your fingers for frost.
12. "Christmas Wrapping" by Summer Camp
13. "Sleigh Ride" by TLC
This comes from the album "An Laface Family Christmas", which also features OutKast, Toni Braxton, and Usher. It's vibey as hell, and has Left Eye rapping about "winter wonderland". What more could you want?
14. "It's Christmas And You're Boring Me" by Slow Club
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As Francis explains: "Their whole Christmas Thanks For Nothing EP is great, but this is my personal favourite song from it. A sad acoustic lament on the realisation that the person you're spending Christmas with isn't the person for you, and about the grim inevitability of a new year's breakup. It's not sleigh bells, cheer, and a warm hug, but it's very human and very beautiful. "
15. "Run Run Rudolph" by Kelly Clarkson
If the idea of Kelly Clarkson passionately singing to a reindeer about hurrying to help Santa doesn't fill you with cheer, then I don't know what will.
16. "A Christmas Duel" by Cyndi Lauper and The Hives
This riot of a track features Cyndi and Howlin' Pelle Almqvist trying to outdo each other about who's had the crappier Christmas. Pelle opens with: "I bought no gift this year/ And I slept with your sister". Cyndi responds: "I bought no tree this year/ And I slept with your brother'. It's almost a punk rock "Fairytale of New York". A Fairytale of CBGBs?
17. "Santa Baby" by Eartha Kitt
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If Eartha Kitt can't convince Santa to leave some diamonds under the tree, then there's no hope for the rest of us.
18. "Last Christmas" by Jimmy Eat World
You never knew you needed this in your life until you heard it.
19. "Sugar Rum Cherry" by Duke Ellington
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Duke Ellington makes over "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy". Festive and cool AF.
20. "Mistletoe" by Justin Bieber
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I am HERE for Justin's 2011 album "Under The Mistletoe" and anyone who disagrees with me is just fooling themselves.
21. "The Christmas Song" by Stevie Wonder
For when you see your high school nemesis down the shops, and you look like a million dollars, and they have not washed their hair and are wearing old leggings.