Fairytale of New York most popular Christmas song
PRS for Music announces top 50 Christmas Songs
The organisation which represents 95,000 UK songwriters and composers today published the top 50 most played Christmas songs in the past year. Topping the chart is the much loved ‘Fairytale of New York’ by The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl, followed by Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’.
The enormous 1980s hit, ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure’s project Band Aid still proved a favourite coming a close third place. The song features a cast of iconic British songwriters from bands such as Spandau Ballet, U2, Ultravox, Genesis, Status Quo, Human League and Duran Duran.
John & Yoko’s ‘Happy Christmas (War is Over)’ released in 1971 was ranked equal seventh to Paul McCartney’s ‘Wonderful Christmas’, originally released a few years later in 1979.
More contemporary songwriters, Coldplay came 25th with ‘Christmas Lights’ and British glam rock group, The Darkness ranked 39th with their hit, ‘Christmas Time - Don't Let The Bells End’.
It’s fantastic to see so many British songwriters, new and established, consistently loved and played across our airwaves. A well crafted Christmas tune will be enjoyed for decades. It has been a great year for music in this country and Christmas is one of those times when a really good songwriter can shine.
Notes to Editors:
PRS for Music’s Top 50 Christmas Songs was compiled using data from radio plays in the UK only for the past two years from 2010 -2012.
Rank |
Title | Artist |
Release date |
Writer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Fairytale of New York |
The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl |
1987 |
Jem Finer, Shane MacGowan |
2 |
All I Want For Christmas Is You |
Mariah Carey |
1994 |
Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff |
3 |
Do They Know It's Christmas? | Band Aid |
1984 |
Bob Geldof, Midge Ure |
| 4 | Last Christmas |
Wham! |
1984 |
George Michael |
5 |
Santa Claus is Coming to Town |
Harry Reser |
1934 |
John Frederick Coots, Haven Gillespie |
6 |
Do You Hear What I Hear? |
Bing Crosby |
1962 |
Noel Regney, Gloria Shayne |
=7 |
Happy Christmas (War Is Over) |
John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir |
1971 |
John Lennon, Yoko Ono |
=7 |
Wonderful Christmastime |
Paul McCartney |
1979 |
Paul McCartney |
9 |
I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday |
Wizzard |
1973 |
Roy Wood |
10 |
Merry Xmas Everybody |
Slade |
1973 |
Noddy Holder, Jim Lea |
11 |
Merry Christmas Everyone |
Shakin' Stevens |
1985 |
Bob Heatlie |
12 |
Sleigh Ride | Leroy Anderson |
1950 |
Leroy Anderson |
13 |
Stay Another Day |
East 17 |
1994 |
Tony Mortimer |
14 |
Driving Home For Christmas |
Chris Rea |
1988 |
Chris Rea |
15 |
Rockin Around The Christmas Tree |
Brenda Lee |
1958 |
Johnny Marks |
16 |
Step Into Christmas |
Elton John |
1973 |
Elton John, Bernie Taupin |
17 |
2000 Miles |
The Pretenders |
1983 |
Chrissie Hynde |
18 |
I'm Gonna Be Warm This Winter |
Connie Francis / Gabriella Cilmi |
1962 / 2008 |
Hank Hunter, Mark Barkan |
19 |
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) |
Darlene Love |
1963 |
Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector |
20 |
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! |
Vaughn Monroe / Dean Martin / Smokey Robinson & The Miracles |
1945 / 1959 / 1963 |
Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne |
21 |
Stop The Calvary |
Jona Lewie |
1980 |
Jona Lewie |
22 |
Frosty The Snowman |
Gene Autry & The Cass Country Boys / Perry Como / Johnny Mathis / Kimberley Locke |
1950 / 1957 / 2003 / 2007 |
Walter "Jack" Rollins, Steve Nelson |
23 |
White Christmas |
Bing Crosby |
1942 |
Irving Berlin |
24 |
I Believe In Father Christmas |
Greg Lake / Toyah Wilcox / Elaine Paige |
1975 / 1982 / 1986 |
Greg Lake / Peter Sinfield |
25 |
Christmas Lights |
Coldplay |
2010 |
Guy Berryman, Johnny Buckland, Will Champion, Chris Martin |
26 |
Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) |
The Nat King Cole Trio |
1946 |
Mel Tormé, Bob Wells |
27 |
Thank God It's Christmas |
Queen |
1984 |
Brian May, Roger Taylor |
28 |
It's The Most Wonderful Time of Year |
Andy Williams |
1963 |
Edward Pola, George Wyle |
29 |
Santa Baby |
Eartha Kitt |
1953 |
Joahn Javits, Phillip Springer |
30 |
Christmas Wrapping |
The Waitresses |
1981 |
Chris Butler |
31 |
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas |
Frank Sinatra |
1957 |
Ralph Blanew, Hugh Martin |
32 |
Please Come Home For Christmas |
Charles Brown, The Eagles, Jon Bon Jovi |
1961 / 1978 / 1995 |
Charles Brown, Gene Redd |
33 |
A Spaceman Came Travelling |
Chris de Burgh |
1976 |
Chris de Burgh |
34 |
A Winter's Tale |
David Essex |
1982 |
Mike Batt / Tim Rice |
35 |
Lonely This Christmas |
MUD |
1974 |
Nicky Chinn, Mike Chapman |
36 |
Cold December Night |
Michael Bublé |
2011 |
Michael Bublé, Alan Chang, Bob Rock |
37 |
Mistletoe and Wine |
Cliff Richard |
1988 |
Jeremy Paul, Leslie Stewart, Keith Strachan |
38 |
Merry Christmas |
Bryan Adams |
2011 |
Bryan Adams |
39 |
Christmas Time - Don't Let The Bells End |
The Darkness |
2003 |
Justin Hawkins, Dan Hawkins, Frankie Poullain, Ed Graham |
40 |
Mary's Boy Child - Oh My Lord |
Boney M |
1978 |
Jester Hairston, Frank Farian, Fred Jay, Lorin |
41 |
Power of Love |
Frankie Goes to Hollywood |
1984 |
Peter Gill, Holly Johnson, Mark O'Toole |
42 |
Blue Christmas |
Elvis Presley |
1957 |
Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson |
43 |
When A Child Is Born (Soleado) |
Johnny Mathis |
1976 |
Ciro Dammiccom, Fred Jay |
44 |
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer |
Gene Autry |
1949 |
Johnny Marks |
45 |
Winter Wonderland |
Perry Como |
1934 |
Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith |
46 |
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus |
Jimmy Boyd |
1952 |
Tommie Connor |
47 |
Mary's Boy Child |
Harry Belafonte |
1957 |
Jester Hairston |
48 |
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas |
Perry Como & The Fontana Sisters |
1951 |
Meredith Wilson |
49 |
The Little Drummer Boy |
Harry Simeone Chorale |
1958 |
Harry Simeone, K. K. Davis, Henry Onorati |
50 |
We Wish You A Merry Christmas |
- |
- |
- |
About PRS for Music
PRS for Music is a world-leading music collective management organisation representing the rights of more than 165,000 talented songwriters, composers and music publishers around the globe. Headquartered in the UK, it works diligently on behalf of its members to grow and protect the value of their rights. With a focus on innovation and integrity, PRS for Music is redefining the global standard for music royalties to ensure creators are paid whenever their musical compositions and songs are streamed, downloaded, broadcast, performed and played in public. In 2022, PRS for Music collected £964m and paid out £836.2m in royalties. prsformusic.com
