It is nearly Christmas, which means many will be switching to their festive playlists in the run-up to the big day.
Yes, we are more than happy to recycle old classics from Slade, Wizzard, Mariah Carey, and The Pogues each year, but what about the tracks that fly under the radar every December?
We have put together a list of our ‘Top 20 Alternative Christmas Songs’ to help you step into Christmas this year, including plenty of noughties indie festive offerings, some new releases, and some genius musical creations all round.
So could one of these be your new festive favourite?
20) THE WOMBATS – IS THIS CHRISTMAS?
Kicking off the list is Liverpool indie trio, The Wombats. The first of several Merseyside entries in our Top 20, and 2008 release “Is This Christmas” closely followed debut album “A Guide To Love, Loss & Desperation”, capturing that early raw sound perfectly. On the track, the band question whether the festive spirit is genuine or just going through the motions, making it a relatable, alternative anthem for anyone feeling slightly disconnected from the season. Listen here.
19) COURTNEY BARNETT – BOXING DAY BLUES
We’ve all had the “Boxing Day Blues”, when you’re feeling guilty wondering how on earth you possibly consumed that amount of calories in one day, before proceeding to snack on leftover turkey sandwiches and grazing through crisps and chocolate. Not quite the lyrics from Australian singer-songwriter, Courtney Barnett, but a great track nonetheless. “Boxing Day Blues (Revisited)” saw Courtney pick up the pace ever so slightly! Listen here.
18) CIRCA WAVES – MISS CHRISTMAS
Circa Waves followed up their March 2020 album Sad Happy with a festive track, following in the footsteps of their city heroes John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The Liverpudlians set out to make a Christmas song that felt timeless, and frontman Kieran Shudall told NME “As no one’s been able to hug their family for half a year we wanted to give you this song. A warm Christmassy cuddle to tide you over till Covid gets chinned out its shoes in 2021″. Listen here.
17) THE CORAL – SHE DIED ON CHRISTMAS DAY
A new entry in 2025! The Merseyside quintet arrived this year their first ever Christmas single. It forms part of a limited edition 7” release, available to fans and collectors, entitled Christmas On Coral Island. “She Died On Christmas Day” was the first taste of what to expect from the festive EP, and it didn’t disappoint. It was followed by the title track featuring the narration of Ian Murray, also known as The Great Muriarty. Listen here.
16) SNOW PATROL – WHEN I GET HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
Now for a Christmas song that definitely flew under the radar. Snow Patrol have some mammoth hits, and if you’re a fan of the likes of ‘Run’ and ‘Chasing Cars’, you’ll enjoy “When I Get Home For Christmas”. The softer side of Christmas for sure, the band bring heartfelt warmth to the holiday season, with their signature melodic rock and a tender festive message. Its reflective lyrics and soaring instrumentation capture the emotional pull of returning home to loved ones. Listen here.
15) PHOEBE BRIDGERS – SO MUCH WINE
In 2022, Phoebe Bridgers put her excellent unique spin on Christmas with “So Much Wine”. Christmas releases were an annual tradition for the L.A. singer-songwriter, who enjoyed a remarkable breakthrough during this period. All proceeds from the track went to Los Angeles LGBTQ Center, which specialises in substance abuse and people living with HIV, making the new release that little bit more special. Listen here.
14) THE FUTUREHEADS – CHRISTMAS WAS BETTER IN THE 80’S
Sunderland noughties indie group, The Futureheads took the classic “it was better back in my day” cliche and made it all about Christmas. Apparently Christmas was better without the emergence of elves on our shelves and Mariah Carey on our December playlists. I suppose “Wonderful Christmastime”, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”, and “Fairytale of New York” were all released in this decade, so maybe they have a point? Listen here.
13) THE CRIBS – CHRISTMAS (ALL YEAR LONG)
The release of Night Network saw The Cribs returning to form in 2020, and the icing on the cake was this festive release at the end of the year. Initially only released as a limited edition flexi dic, the track finally entered the public domain last Christmas. Described as a ‘big fuzzy stomper’ by the Wakefield band, this isn’t your typical Christmas hit. However during a time when many were reminiscing about live gigs, this was the closest thing they were going to get to a Brudenell-esque Cribsmas. Listen here.
12) PAUL HEATON & JACQUI ABBOTT – CHRISTMAS (AND DAD WANTS HER BACK)
Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott treated us to a new Christmas release in 2020. The duo, formerly of The Beautiful South, performed their track live on quiz show Pointless as part of the Christmas special, which I’m sure may see a reprise this month. It’s a great song and everything we have come to expect from the pair, with their iconic, complimentary vocals now set to grace our Christmas playlists for years to come. Listen here.
11) THE KILLERS – DON’T SHOOT ME SANTA
A cult favourite in alternative Christmas playlists, this 2007 release from The Killers blends dark humour with cinematic storytelling. Frontman Brandon Flowers delivers a dramatic, tongue-in-cheek narrative that feels more like a festive crime caper than a carol. Wedged between the Sam’s Town and Day & Age cycles, it’s safe to say “Don’t Shoot Me Santa” may have been overshadowed by some of the band’s bigger hits. Listen here.
10) GLASVEGAS – A SNOWFLAKE FELL (AND IT FELT LIKE A KISS)
The next from our favourite era, as Scottish noughties indie rockers, Glasvegas released this gem from their Christmas-themed EP in December 2008. The band recently made a comeback but have a lasting legacy in the genre based on more than just this festive offering. However when it comes to alternative Christmas tracks, this must surely make every list. They followed it up four years later with another Christmas charity release in the shape of ‘No Her, No Hymn’. Listen here.
9) TOM A. SMITH – THIS CHRISTMAS TIME
The first of two entries from 2024 and it’s the wonderfully festive offering from our 2nd Sunderland entrant, Tom A Smith. Tom has achieved plenty so early in his career so it’s no surprise that a Christmas song has already been added to his ever-growing repertoire. It has all the makings of a future December classic, and you can listen to the song here.
8) THE LATHUMS – KRAMPUS
The Lathums have two number one albums to their name, and in 2021 they released their first Christmas song in “Krampus”. Receiving frequent airplay on the likes of Radio X, it was inspired by an episode of Inside No. 9, with songwriter, Alex Moore, claiming that if he turned his hand to a Christmas song, it would always lean towards the “darker side”. However, don’t let the name put you off, as sonically it is as festive and cheery as you would hope for from a Christmas hit. Listen here.
7) HURTS – ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS NEW YEAR’S DAY
Now for an “anti-Christmas” song from Manchester synth kings, Hurts. The story of just wanting to put the year behind you and move onto a fresh start in January, and I’m sure many will relate to the lyrics from Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson. It followed stellar hits, “Better Than Love”, “Wonderful Life” and “Stay”, which saw the duo team up with longtime producer Joe Cross, now of the Courteeners. Listen here.
6) JULIAN CASABLANCAS – I WISH IT WAS CHRISTMAS TODAY
The Strokes and Christmas doesn’t seem the most natural pairing, however Julian Casablancas‘ 2009 festive effort just works. Stripped-back, lo-fi, and effortlessly cool, Julian’s take on Christmas is all about anticipation rather than celebration. Its deadpan delivery and minimalist charm capture that impatient longing for the big day. So if you like Julian Casablancas and The Strokes, and have missed out on this gem, then be sure to check it out! Listen here.
5) REVEREND AND THE MAKERS – LATE NIGHT PHONE CALL
Breaking the Top 5 is our 2nd entry from 2024 courtesy of Reverend & the Makers and a man we can now call a “Christmas crooner”, Jon McClure. The Rev opened a pop-up shop in Meadowhall for fans around the release of the track, and donated proceeds of the new single to Samaritans, a charity close to his heart. Gaining viral attention for the now famous “Sweet Apple Crumble” line, “Late Night Phone Call” has been an instant hit. Listen here.
4) COURTEENERS – WINTER WONDERLAND
They were mentioned above, and now it’s the turn of Liam Fray and the Courteeners to take on Christmas. Written on Norah Jones’ piano at her home in New York, the wonderful “Winter Wonderland” saw Fray later invited to perform the track at a show curated by Lou Reed in the same city. The single saw all profits donated to Shelter – the housing and homeless charity. It also featured on Courteeners’ winter setlists, quickly becoming a hit with fans. Listen here.
3) BADLY DRAWN BOY – DONNA & BLITZEN
This Christmas release, which featured on Badly Drawn Boy‘s soundtrack album for the Hugh Grant film “About a Boy”, is a soothing festive track and remains one of his finest releases. Lyrically and vocally, Badly Drawn Boy turned out to be the perfect man for the job, and let’s hope his recent re-emergence spurs on more of the same. We interviewed the man himself recently who told us all about how the soundtrack came about – you can read it here. Listen to the song here.
2) BLOSSOMS – CHRISTMAS EVE (SOUL PURPOSE) / IT’S GOING TO BE A COLD WINTER
Two for the price of one now, as the Stockport five-piece release two Christmas singles in 2020, following on from their excellent 2019 cover of Paul McCartney’s A Wonderful Christmastime. Frontman and songwriter, Tom Ogden, known for his ability to churn out catchy hits at impressive speed, wrote Christmas Eve (Soul Purpose) accidentally, as he told Radio X his girlfriend thought a newly written track sounded festive, and thus the lyrics were transformed to match. It’s Going to Be a Cold Winter is as good, if not better, so be sure to check these out. Listen here.
1) LIAM GALLAGHER – ALL YOU’RE DREAMING OF
And our winner is the best-selling vinyl single release of 2020. When LG released this gem it was a much needed pick-me-up for fans struggling through the pandemic. With all proceeds going to Action For Children UK, this wholesome release showed the softer side to Liam Gallagher. The side we saw in the likes of Stand By Me, Rockin’ Chair, Wonderwall and more recently in For What It’s Worth. An instant classic and a contender for single of the year in 2020, this was a festive treat to the ears five years ago. Watch the winning video here.
Do you agree with our choices or are there any glaring omissions? Have your say!
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