20 Underrated Christmas Songs You Need to Hear This Holiday Season

I’m the kind of crazy Christmas junkie that Hallmark has made a mint on. I still cry every time Kevin McCallister runs across the foyer floor and leaps into Catherine O’Hara’s arms, I can recite Hugh Grant’s opening monologue in Love, Actually from memory and, most importantly, I begin listening to holiday tunes before the neighbors have even taken down their Halloween decorations.

I love all the hits—from classic crooners like Bing Crosby and Elvis Presley to modern pop staples like John Legend and Meghan Trainor—but after a few hundred listens, even the most magical song becomes a bore. Not to mention that neuroscientists now say the “incessant repetition” of Christmas songs all season long can lead to cognitive fatigue and even negatively impact your mental health.

So a few years back, I began compiling the best off-the-beaten-path holiday tunes I could find. Some were unique covers of well-known songs by lesser-known artists, and others were obscure song and artist combinations I’d never heard before. I scoured Spotify, rummaged around the internet and enlisted the help of similarly festive friends. Like most Christmas songs, they weren’t all the height of music because that’s not the point of holiday tunes anyway. Their magic is meant to make you feel a certain kind of way—nostalgic, wistful, gleeful, sometimes even sad. And since it’s the season of giving, I figured I’d offer a sampling of the songs I’ve compiled for other holiday lovers out there who are sick of listening to Mariah Carey on repeat and need a refresh. Without further ado, here are some of the most underrated Christmas songs of all time, all of which should be in your rotation this holiday season.

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Audrey Assad: “Bells”

All seven tracks on Nashville-based singer-songwriter Audrey Assad’s Peace could be on this list, but “Bells” is simply unmissable. It’s a stunning rearrangement of the popular Christmas carol based on American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1863 poem “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” Written during the tumult of the American Civil War, the narrator laments that “hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, goodwill to men,” making the old hymn relevant to our current social situation. Assad’s haunting, high-pitched voice set against the modern rearrangement that builds in complexity as the song progresses is a tractor-beam that draws listeners like a siren as despair is replaced by hope. The narrator concludes, “God is not dead, nor doth he sleep” and will ultimately bring peace to this war-torn earth.

Bahamas: “Christmas Must Be Tonight”

Many fans of The Band have lamented that “Christmas Must Be Tonight” never became the holiday classic that it deserved to be, despite being featured on the soundtrack of Bill Murray’s 1988 film Scrooged!. The song was an outtake from a previous album that was included on The Band’s final studio record, Islands, and tells of Christ’s birth from the perspective of an onlooking shepherd. This version by Canadian musician Bahamas (aka Alfie Jurvanen) honors the original iteration while also altering it, combining reverberating guitar riffs with Jurvanen’s trademark creaky voice to convey a folksy, festive warmth.

Fleet Foxes: “White Winter Hymnal”

“Winter White Hymnal” by the Seattle-based indie band Fleet Foxes is basically one short verse repeated three times over roughly two minutes that’s only festive in the vaguest of ways. And yet, there’s something about the song that makes it not only reflective but addictive. Maybe it’s the sound, oddly reminiscent of the Beach Boys, which feels nostalgic even though the song was released in 2008. Or maybe it’s the springy arrangement, beginning in a simple round before building into a blend of percussion-rich instrumentation and vocal harmonies. Whatever it is, this is a track that inexplicably ends up on repeat during the holidays.

Fruit Bats: “Baby in the Hay”

Sometimes the only thing you want and need from a Christmas song is a re-telling of the familiar birth story behind it all. That’s exactly what the indie rock band Fruit Bats deliver to listeners in “Baby in the Hay.” You probably haven’t heard it, since this single track is tucked away on a holiday compilation album called You Wish, released by North Carolina-based independent label Merge Records. The song’s lyrics simply tell the traditional tale you probably know all too well, but the story is delivered with enrapturing harmonies accented by a Country-Western tinge that adds newness to nostalgia. It’s definitely worth adding to your holiday rotation.

Hush Kids: “Jingle Your Bells”

The Nashville-based alt-country duo Hush Kids say they chose their band’s name because they felt the word “hush” described the softness and tranquility of most of their songs. If true, “Jingle Your Bells” is something of a departure. It’s uptempo and ebullient, a flirtatious telling of two lovers losing themselves in mutual affection at home during Christmas. With cookies baking, they dance throughout a house in which every room is adorned with mistletoe in every room of their house. The pair alternate singing to each other as the lyrics transition from nice to naughty: “I’m gonna jingle your bells when you’re not lookin’ // Gonna deck your halls while the goose is cookin’ // Neighbors will be wishin’ for a silent night // Peeking through the window with a big flashlight.” When the song wraps, you’ll wonder how this bouncy tune has evaded becoming a highly-streamed seasonal favorite.

John Adams: “Lonely This Christmas”

Any Christmas movie junkie knows that one of the genre’s recurrent themes is longing for an absent loved one and, on the sadness scale, “Lonely This Christmas” is hard to beat. Originating from the British glam rock band Mud in 1974, the song does not merely admit the loneliness of the season; it wallows in it. Enter U.K.-based singer/songwriter John Adams, whose voice feels oddly reminiscent of Sam Smith and James Blunt, and, somehow, makes this classic even more melancholy and moving. Adam’s unique presentation is decidedly minimalist, singing in falsetto tones accompanied by nothing more than a softly-tapped piano, that force listeners to reckon with the lyrics, which manage to exude misery without becoming overwrought.

Leigh Nash: “Pretty Paper”

Leigh Nash was once the lead vocalist for the alternative Christian band Sixpence None the Richer who gained global recognition for singing hits such as “Kiss Me” and “There She Goes.” Now solo, Nash released a cover of “Pretty Paper,” inspired by the true story of a street vendor in Texas who sold paper and pencils outside of a department store at Christmastime. The song was written by Willie Nelson in 1963 and first recorded by Roy Orbison, but it’s been covered by numerous country music legends—like Glenn Campbell, Dolly Parton, Randy Travis and Kenny Chesney. Nash puts her own spin on it, opting for a playful piano arrangement as her trademark high-pitch vocals add a unique flair to the classic.

Meiko: “Merry Christmas Wherever You Are”

What is Christmas if not a time to pine for long-lost ex-lovers? Singer/songwriter Meiko’s “Merry Christmas Wherever You Are” puts words to the sense of loss and longing that so many feel: “The snow is falling and nobody is calling me to say hello / So I sit and think of the coulda woulda’s / Why’d you have to go leaving me all alone.” But this is not an uncheerful or depressing ballad by any stretch. The mid-tempo, bouncy track blends piano, percussion and background vocals that’s vaguely reminiscent of 1950s doo-wop. And the woman in Meiko’s song ultimately resists the temptation to despair, choosing to decorate her television set with Christmas lights and mustering the resolve to wish the absent former partner a “Merry Christmas.”

Over the Rhine: “Darlin’ (Christmas is Coming)”

For those who’ve just survived a particularly trying and tumultuous year, Christmas and New Year’s represent an opportunity for healing and new beginnings. That’s the sentiment beneath “Darlin’ (Christmas is Coming),” a lesser-known original song from Ohio-based band Over the Rhine. Vocalist Karin Bergquist’s distinctive quavering vocals almost channel Joni Mitchell in a tune that mixes traditional holiday imagery—such as Salvation Army bell ringers, with deeper ruminations (“Snow is falling, falling like forgiveness from the sky”)—with the power to spark and stir hope.

Passenger and Stu Larsen: “Happy Christmas, My Dear”

There are only so many ways to say “Merry Christmas,” but perhaps none feel warmer than “Happy Christmas, My Dear,” a song from English indie-folk musician Passenger (aka Mike Rosenberg) that features Australian singer/songwriter Stu Larsen. Both artists have been known to sing about wanderlust, so it’s no surprise that this track offer well-wishes to nomads, wanderers, and those who find themselves far from home: “I hope you find the right road to take // And seldom dwell upon all these mistakes // I hope you’re happy with the choices you make // Happy Christmas my dear.” The intimate arrangement with free-flowing harmonies creates a coffeehouse feel that’s both comfortable and comforting, and the sound of a crackling fire in the background doesn’t hurt either.

Phoebe Bridgers: “If We Make It Through December”

Songs like Merle Haggard’s “If We Make It Through December,” released in 1973, remind us that not every Christmas song is merry and bright. But indie-folk artist Phoebe Bridgers transforms this track into something even more somber, deconstructing Haggard’s follow-the-bouncing-ball melody into a melancholic tune more aligned with the song’s lyrics. While this track won’t make listeners rock around the Christmas tree, its explorations of hard luck, financial difficulty and gnawing loneliness offer solace to those for whom the holidays are hard or even painful or altogether avoided.

Rhys Lewis: “Christmas Eve”

British musician Rhys Lewis has put out two Christmas tracks that deserve to be on this list, “This Time of Year” and “Christmas Eve.” I decided to feature the latter because, well, it’s a more entertaining listen. The song tells the story of someone who “had a little bit too much fun on Christmas Eve” and woke up on the big day with a hangover, eyes “as red as Rudolph’s nose.” (It happens to the best of us, amiright?) Lewis’ soulful voice complements the multi-instrumental presentation of smooth saxophone, punchy trumpet and playful piano. It will make you want to stand up from your easy chair and recreate the very scenario the song subtly warns against.

Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson: “Winter Song”

Listeners of Sara Bareilles will likely be familiar with this song because the singer/songwriter’s fans track her every move like bloodhounds, but others may find “Winter Song” to be a delightful discovery. Bareilles teamed up with another celebrated singer/songwriter, Ingrid Michaelson, to produce this tune, which centers on the power of love to sustain us amid life’s chilliest and most barren seasons. The melody begins subdued but grows energetically as the duo’s voices alternate from unison to harmony, stirring hopefulness and optimism along the way. By the time the track ends with the repetition of a question—”Is love alive?”—the listener has been long convinced that it is, indeed.

Sharon Van Etten: “Silent Night”

It’s nearly impossible to make a song composed more than 200 years ago that most people have heard at least as many times sound fresh and even foreign. And yet, that’s exactly what Sharon Van Etten accomplishes on “Silent Night.” Her version of the song begins with a minimal, metronomic bassline and then layers in her multi-tracked voice and an ominous organ. The melody continues to build and the vocals grow, rousing unexpected curiosity and appreciation for a tune you’ve heard a bazillion times over. It’s quite an achievement.

Sleeping at Last: “Christmas is All Around”

I know what you’re thinking, and yes, this is a cover of the infamous song from the 2003 movie Love, Actually. In that film, a washed-up musician named Billy Mack (Bill Nighy) has recorded a Christmas cover of the 1967 hit song “Love is All Around” by the English rock band The Troggs. But Sleeping at Last (aka Ryan O’Neal) adapted the holiday version on his first Christmas album, stripping the slick, multi-instrumental arrangement down to a barebones acoustic presentation that allows O’Neal’s tender vocals to entice listeners on their own merits. Both of Sleeping at Last’s holiday records make for mandatory listening on cozy, overcast December days, but “Christmas is All Around” adds a subtle playfulness that makes it of special note.

The Decemberists: “Jesus Christ”

While Portland indie rock band The Decemberists have long been known for musical storytelling, their largely unknown Christmas tune “Jesus Christ” offers a simple but vibrant proclamation of the birth of Christ. The alternating electric guitar and piano solos keep the refrain of “Jesus Christ was born today, Jesus Christ was born” from feeling too repetitive, and the track presents instead as something of an earworm. This three-minute holiday jam feels as energetic and alive as the arriving newborn announced by its lyrics and is deserving of notice.

The O’Pears: “River”

When Toronto-based folk trio The O’Pears decided to make their sophomore album, Stay Warm, they explicitly avoided making “a commercial Christmas album” and, instead, sought to produce a mix of covers and originals—some delivered a cappella and others accompanied by light instrumentation—that “examine the many ways that the holidays can bring rest, joy, and cheer while also inspiring feelings of loss, grief, and nostalgia.” The whole album is worth a listen, but the group’s cover of fellow Canadian Joni Mitchell’s “River” is particularly noteworthy for its gentle acoustic accompaniment that allows the enrapturing harmonies to shine as bright as a tree-topper.

Y La Bamba: “Señor Santa”

In 1955, songwriter Pat Ballard rewrote the lyrics to his famous song “Mr. Sandman” for Christmas use as “Mr. Santa.” More than half a century later, Mexican-American singer-songwriter Luz Elena Mendoza and her folk pop band Y La Bamba reimagined it once more as “Señor Santa.” Mendoza’s music is marked by a dream-like inventiveness that’s rendered in a blend of Spanish and English, and this song follows suit by giving the pop classic a Latin flair. Combining classical guitar riffs with accordion, ukulele and even whistling, this song transforms into something starkly unique without sacrificing its original festive spirit. Tucked away on a (very good) compilation album titled “Holidays Rule,” this track doubtlessly deserves to be added to your Christmas rotation.

Zee Avi: “No Christmas for Me”

“No Christmas for Me” by Malaysian singer/songwriter Zee Avi is the story of a pining lover who decides she is boycotting Christmas, since her sweetheart is away from home. She rattles off the list of all the holiday traditions that have been embargoed: no eggnog, no mulled wine, no Christmas tree, and stockings as empty as her heart. You can’t help but feel sorry for this lovesick soul until—spoiler alert—her baby comes back with only two days to spare and saves Christmas for the both of them. The song combines the kind of simple storytelling and accessible emotionalism that makes holiday songs both endearing and enduring.

Zoe De La Sera: “Christmas for Cowboys”

It’s easy to understand how Zoe De La Sera’s cover of “Christmas for Cowboys” has escaped the notice of the public. There’s scant information about De La Sera online, and I couldn’t even find her official website. Regardless, this little-known artist created a stripped-down version of John Denver’s 1975 composition that manages to be beautiful by its very simplicity. The song tells the story of a cattle rancher sitting tall in the saddle on Christmas day and reflecting on the unpretentiousness of holiday celebrations in contrast to the flashy festivities common to the big city. The spacious cadence of De La Sera’s unadorned version embodies Denver’s message and contrasts starkly with the corny, schmaltzy tone of too many Christmas songs.

Listen to a playlist of these 20 songs below.

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Jonathan Merritt is an award-winning columnist, cultural commentator and author of Learning to Speak God from Scratch.