I know the Mariah Carey song is hated because its overused, but its also objectively a well produced piece of pop music.
My favorite though is O Holy Night. Performed well I want to stop and listen to it. It moves me, and I dont give enough of a fuck about religion to call myself an athiest.
I know nobody will believe me but I genuinely enjoy Last Christmas by Wham. I used to hate it but it grew on me similarly to Never Gonna Give You Up.
I’m with you on both counts.
Fairytale of New York, the original by the Pogues is great and the punk rock cover by No Use For A Name is a total banger.
Carol of the Bells/Setting The Trap by John Williams https://youtu.be/L07PomkZ3s8?si=2RYhCArWzNL1QnFr
I Watch Home Alone every year.
Regardless of home alone, every version of Carol of the Bells I’ve heard is great. And it sounds like a horror movie theme so I listen to it throughout the year.
There is this version that’s played at work and I call it the human sacrifice song. When they get to that crescendo and the choir all hit the high note together, I raise both arms up as if I were holding a baby about to be sacrificed. Now my coworkers all do it too. We’ll just catch each other’s eye across the room and raise both arms at the right moment.
I’ve always thought it sounds like a horror song as well, which is why my favorite version is by the Lovecraft historical society: Carol of the old ones
Also the Trans-Siberian Orchastra version is great
Carol of the Bells
goes way too hard for a christmas song
Dragged Under - This Holiday https://youtube.com/watch?v=cgPfIhbIJU0
Also “Skank for Christmas” by Reel Big Fish
Ring The Bells - Eurobeat Union
For some reason the only real version I could find on YouTube is the first song in Zenki’s Christmas Touhou Eurobeat Mix and it’s kind of ironic because it’s the only song in that mix that is actually Christmas related.
With such lines as
If it has to be Christmas for you to be nice
You’re an asshole
If you think the season is the reason
You’re a piece of shit
And calling people spineless if they can only make a change for the better if it’s New Year’s and hints that so much of the holiday just appearances
12 days of Christmas by Bob and Doug Mckenzie
Carol of the Bells. No other Christmas song goes as hard.
This is the only video I could find outside of Spotify. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIhoC89kVVQ
I really like Chris Rea’s “Driving home for Christmas”, but have to say this version by Angelina Jordan is superb
There’s nothing objective about that opinion at all. I think Mariah Carey’s song is cynical corporate kitsch written for one reason and one reason only: to make money. That’s why I hate it.
I can tolerate some of the secular big band/swing songs, and there have been a few decent ones since then. Fiona Apple does a brilliant cover of Frosty the Snowman. Vince Guaraldi’s work for the Charlie Brown Christmas show is still wonderful.
There’s nothing objective about that opinion at all. I think Mariah Carey’s song is cynical corporate kitsch written for one reason and one reason only: to make money. That’s why I hate it.
OP said it was “well produced”. I don’t believe that is meant to imply it isn’t a soulless cash grab. Big production companies hire skillful producers to write/record/master these cheesy songs because it appeals to a larger portion of the population. Since most people prefer high quality records to something that sounds like it was recorded on a tin can in your garage.
That said, I disagree with OP’s use of the term “objectively” when referring to something like the quality of a work of art. Even if I agree with OP that it is a well-produced record.
I love the Vince Guaraldi tracks from Charlie Brown Christmas, too. But I love Christmas and Christmas music in general, so this thread isn’t for me, lol.
Let It Snow, in particular the version at the end of Die Hard.
Or the Picard version, Make It So.
Couple that I like for different reasons that I haven’t seen posted yet.
River - Joni Mitchell
Such a beautiful song(It Must’ve Been Ol’) Santa Claus - Harry Connick Jr.
Heard it once on a Christmas mix and it has nostalgic value with the fam now.In my country we have song that came from a advent calender, called “jul på Vesterbro” and its my all time favorite (link to YouTube). Note that it’s the same actor that plays every role
A Very Polish Christmas by Sabadu.
Any of the Vince Guaraldi Charlie Brown Christmas songs
