List of the best traditional Christmas songs from 20th century

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Here’s a list of enduring Christmas songs from the 20th Century, featuring both traditional carols and popular hits:
Classic Carols & Traditional Favorites
  1. “Silent Night” (Most recorded song ever, 19th-century origins but huge 20th-century presence)
  2. “Away in a Manger” (Traditional, 3rd stanza 1904)
  3. “O Holy Night” (Popularized in the 20th century)
  4. “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” (Traditional, popular 20th-century recordings)
  5. “Joy to the World” (Traditional, popular 20th-century recordings)
  6. “O Come, All Ye Faithful” (Traditional, popular 20th-century recordings)
  7. “The Twelve Days of Christmas” (Traditional, popular 20th-century versions)
  8. “What Child Is This?” (Traditional, popular 20th-century recordings) 
Mid-Century & Golden Age Hits (1940s-1960s)

9. “White Christmas” (Bing Crosby, 1942)
10. “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)” (Nat King Cole, 1946)
11. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (Judy Garland 1944, Frank Sinatra 1948)
12. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (Bing Crosby, 1943)
13. “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” (Popularized by many, incl. Gene Autry, 1934)
14. “Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)” (Gene Autry, 1947)
15. “Frosty the Snowman” (Gene Autry, 1950)
16. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (Gene Autry, 1949)
17. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (Brenda Lee, 1958)
18. “Jingle Bell Rock” (Bobby Helms, 1957)
19. “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” (Popular 1945)
20. “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” (Andy Williams, 1963)
21. “Blue Christmas” (Elvis Presley, 1957)
22. “Sleigh Ride” (The Ronettes, 1963)
23. “Winter Wonderland” (Popularized by many, 1934)
24. “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” (Jimmy Boyd, 1952)
25. “Silver Bells” (Bing Crosby, 1950)
26. “Feliz Navidad” (José Feliciano, 1970)
27. “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” (Darlene Love, 1963)
 
Late 20th Century & Pop Hits (1970s-1999)

28. “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” (John Lennon & Yoko Ono, 1971)
29. “Wonderful Christmastime” (Paul McCartney, 1979)
30. “Last Christmas” (Wham! (1984)) 

Christmas Hymns Table of Contents

Most performed Christmas songs in 2015 according to ASCAP
Rank Song Composer(s) Year Type
1 “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town“ J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie 1934 Mythical
2 “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas“ Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin 1944 Celebratory/Sentimental
3 “Winter Wonderland“ Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith 1934 Seasonal
4 “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!“ Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne 1945 Seasonal
5 “The Christmas Song“ Mel Tormé, Robert Wells 1944 Traditions
6 “Jingle Bell Rock“ Joseph Carleton Beal, James Ross Boothe 1957 Celebratory/Seasonal
7 “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year“ Edward Pola, George Wyle 1963 Seasonal/Traditions
8 “Sleigh Ride“ Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish 1948 Seasonal/Birthday
9 “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer“ Johnny Marks 1939/1949 Mythical
10 “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas“ Meredith Willson 1951 Traditions/Celebratory
11 “White Christmas“ Irving Berlin 1940 Seasonal/Sentimental
12 “A Holly Jolly Christmas“ Johnny Marks 1964/65 Traditions/Celebratory
13 “Carol of the Bells“ Peter J. Wilhousky 1936 Celebratory
14 “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree“ Johnny Marks 1958 Traditions
15 “All I Want for Christmas Is You“ Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff 1994 Sentimental
16 “Frosty the Snowman“ Steve Nelson, Walter E. Rollins 1950 Mythical
17 “Blue Christmas“ Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson 1957 Traditions
18 “(There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays“ Bob Allen, Al Stillman 1954 Traditions/Sentimental
19 “The Little Drummer Boy“ Katherine K. Davis, Henry V. Onorati, Harry Simeone 1941 Christian-based
20 “Do You Hear What I Hear?“ Gloria Shayne Baker, Noël Regney 1962 Traditions
21 “Silver Bells“ Jay Livingston, Ray Evans 1950 Traditions
22 “Baby, It’s Cold Outside“ Frank Loesser 1948 Seasonal
23 “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus“ Tommie Connor 1952 Novelty
24 “Feliz Navidad“ José Feliciano 1970 Celebratory
25 “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24“ Jon Oliva, Paul O’Neill, Robert Kinkel 1995 Historical fiction
26 “Last Christmas“ George Michael 1984 Sentimental
27 “Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)“ Gene Autry, Oakley Haldeman 1947 Mythical/Christian-based
28 “Santa Baby“ Joan Ellen Javits, Tony Springer, and Fred Ebb 1953 Novelty
29 “Happy Holiday“ Irving Berlin 1948 Celebratory
30 “Wonderful Christmastime“ Paul McCartney 1979 Celebratory