March 28, 2024

Christmas Playlist

Dec. 21, 2014
The Hippest Tunes for Your Holiday Party

Just hear those sleigh bells ringing a jingjing-jingling tune as Santa’s making a list and checking it twice, decking the halls with boughs of holly and keeping an eye out for that mean one, Mr. Grinch.

You’re probably hearing those same two dozen Christmas songs played on endless repeat, as they do this time of year.

That’s all well and good, but if you want something cooler, we’ve got it: the best, freshest holiday tracks to add a dash to your holiday bash.

Julian Casablancas

"I Wish It Was Christmas Today"

From an impromptu lo-fi Saturday Night Live holiday skit with Jimmy Fallon, Horatio Sanz and a portable mini keyboard to a fully-produced rockin’ indie-pop fest, this one’s perfect for those who just can’t wait for Santa to arrive.

Nick Lowe

"Christmas at the Airport"

Ah, the bane of so many holiday trips! It all starts with the festive snow drifting down onto the airport runway and ends with 10 hours spent on a plastic bench. "Don’t save me any turkey/I found a burger in a bin."

Blondie

"We Three Kings"

Blondie takes a traditional carol and drags it into a basement full of spinning disco balls. The accompanying music video plops these leather-clad punk New Yorkers in the middle of a barren winter forest.

Band-Aid

"Do They Know It’s Christmas"

Bob Geldof and crew remade this track for 2014 with a bunch of new singers to assist African charities, but the original – with vocals by David Bowie, Duran Duran, Bananarama and Sting – is a retro "˜80s must-listen.

The Eels

"Christmas is Going to the Dogs"

E and his quirky bandmates would be expected to take a different approach to singing about the holiday – and they do, showing us the season specifically through a dog’s eyes who would "rather have chew toys than yule logs."

Sufjan Stevens

"Get Behind Me, Santa"

Petoskey and Interlochen native Stevens disgruntledly calls Santa out on his yearly practice of breaking into peoples’ houses. Perhaps Mr. Stevens got too much coal in his stocking once he moved to Brooklyn?

The Kinks

"Father Christmas"

Much like Blondie, The Kinks bring punk to Xmas, singing about a tired department store Santa Claus cornered by a group of poor, but savvy street urchins who demand money and jobs.

Love and Rockets

"Holiday on the Moon"

The English band takes getting out of town for the holidays to a whole new level for this one. They may complain about the fact that the moon has no beaches, but ultimately decide it’s still a good vacation spot.

Manic Street Preachers

"Ghost of Christmas"

"No Xbox and no computers/we just used our imagination/a leather football was perfection." Something tells us the Manic Street boys liked Christmas a whole lot better back in the good ole’ days.

Belle and Sebastian

"Santa Claus"

Originally recorded for a John Peel Christmas show, these Scots add a dash of dour mood – and flutes – to this garage-rock track. "I want a brand new car/a twangy guitar/what you gonna put under my Christmas tree?"

The Raveonettes

"Christmas Day"

With a wistful melody, The Raveonettes keep things simple via these pinpoint observations of scenes you might see around any city at holiday-time. The question is, do they want to stay or leave?

Fun.

"Sleigh Ride"

We couldn’t help it. Yes, we’ve looped back to the same "Sleigh Ride" where we started. But, Traverse City’s own Andrew Dost and his Grammy Award-winning band Fun. puts a whole new indie-pop spin on this one, sending that sleigh careening right through the holidays and out the other side.

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