The Most Christmassy Songs & Countries on Spotify | Insights

You might have heard holiday music on the radio or in stores last month, and thought, “hmmmm, that’s a bit early.” In fact, Spotify data shows that most listeners weren’t ready for it that soon. As you can see from the data visualization below, which shows Christmas listening by country and day this year, when people get to choose their own music, they don’t get into the holiday spirit until December.

This interactive audiographic contains three sections. Directions: Click a flag in the top section to control the rest of the graphic, revealing the Christmas listening habits of each country:

Top 20 Christmas songs globally

Bringing it all together for a global view, here are the favorite Christmas tracks worldwide.

1. Mariah Carey – All I Want for Christmas Is You
2. Wham! – Last Christmas
3. Michael Bublé – It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
4. Justin Bieber – Mistletoe
5. Ariana Grande – Santa Tell Me
6. Andy Williams – It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
7. Band Aid – Do They Know It’s Christmas? (1984 Version)
8. The Pogues – Fairytale of New York (feat. Kirsty MacColl)
9. Bing Crosby – White Christmas
10. Frank Sinatra – Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
11. Michael Bublé – White Christmas (Duet With Shania Twain)
12. Bobby Helms – Jingle Bell Rock
13. Michael Bublé – All I Want For Christmas Is You
14. Elvis Presley – Blue Christmas
15. José Feliciano – Feliz Navidad
16. Michael Bublé – Holly Jolly Christmas
17. Coldplay – Christmas Lights
18. Chris Rea – Driving Home For Christmas
19. Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)
20. Michael Bublé – Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

Christmas Music by Country

Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is the most popular song in every country but two (Helgi Björnsson’s “Ef ég nenni” in Iceland and Denmark: Gulddreng’s “Guld Jul” in Denmark). So we figured it would be more interesting to find which Christmas song trends hardest there — i.e. the song most distinctive to each country.

Which countries traditionally listen to the most Christmas music? As it turns out, the Nordic home of Santa Claus himself is where festive listening reigns, while countries with more sun and no snowfall (near listen to a smaller overall share of Christmas music.

Countries are ranked by how hard Christmas music trended there last year, along with their most distinctive yuletide track:

1. Iceland: Helgi Björnsson – Ef ég nenni
2. Norway: Kurt Nilsen, The Norwegian Radio Orchestra – Himmel På Jord
3. Sweden: Adolphson & Falk – Mer jul
4. Denmark: Gulddreng – Guld Jul
5. Ireland: Picture This – This Christmas
6. Finland: Suvi Teräsniska – Hei Mummo
7. United Kingdom: Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans – Here Comes Santa Claus
8. Canada: Sarah McLachlan – Away In A Manger
9. Netherlands: Bianca Ryan – Why Couldn’t It Be Christmas Everyday?
10. Austria: Joyful Christmas All Stars – Joyful Christmas to You All
11. Liechtenstein: Detlev Jöcker – Bald ist Nikolausabend da
12. Hungary: Csondor Kata – Add Tovább – Hóban Ébred
13. Slovakia: Pavol Habera,Karel Gott,Peter Dvorsky – Svet lasku ma
14. Greece: Typaldos’ Children’s Choire – Rudolf to Elafaki
15. Germany: 257ers – Holz – Weihnachtslied
16. United States: Jim Carrey – You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch – From “Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas” Soundtrack
17. Latvia: Lauris Reiniks – Tik Balti
18. Luxembourg: Sternschnuppe – Oh Tannenbaum
19. Italy: Laura Pausini – White Christmas (with the Patrick Williams Orchestra)
20. Poland: Margaret & Siemacha – A kto wie czy za rogiem
21. Monaco: Joshua James – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
22. Czech Republic: Dětský sbor – Štědrej večer nastal
23. Lithuania: Ricky Martin, Rosie O’Donnell – Ay, Ay, Ay It’s Christmas
24. New Zealand: Stevie Nicks – Silent Night
25. Estonia: Maarja – Sulle Kes Sa Kaugel
26. Belgium: Bart Peeters – Vrolijk Kerstfeest
27. Singapore: The Graduate Singers – A TGS Christmas Medley: Joy to the World / When Blossoms Flowered ‘Mid the Snows / Mary, Did You Know? / Hark! The Herald Angels Sing / Angels We Have Heard On High
28. Hong Kong: 衛詩/Jill Vidal – Lonely Christmas
29. Switzerland: Bing Crosby – A Christmas Toast
30. Philippines: Aiza Seguerra, Carol Banawa, Juris,Yeng Constantino – Star Ng Pasko
31. Australia: Dean Martin – Silent Night
32. Malaysia: Whitney Houston – I’ll Be Home for Christmas
33. Japan: AI – ハッピークリスマス
34. Portugal: João Gilberto – Presente De Natal
35. Bulgaria: Demenzia – Let It Snow
36. Panama: El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico – La Cabeza del Lechon
37. Spain: Raya Real – La Virgen Gitana
38. Taiwan: 四葉草 – 在一起
39. Guatemala: Actitud.Fm, Celeste Nova – Se Oye Un Son En Alta Esfera
40. Dominican Republic: Conjunto Quisqueya – Trulla Navideña
41. France: Mel Tormé – The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
42. Honduras: Chino John – Aquellos Diciembres
43. Ecuador: Grupo Coral Borkis – Alégrate
44. Indonesia: Amelia Ong – Let It Snow
45. Costa Rica: Son De Tikizia – Navidad, Navidad (Jingle Bells)
46. El Salvador: Los Hermanos Flores – Mix Navideno
47. Mexico: Juanes – El Burrito De Belén
48. Colombia: Rodolfo Aicardi, Los Hispanos – Cantares de Navidad
49. Peru: Marcarmen Marín – Navidad Rock
50. Bolivia: Il Volo – Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
51. Chile: La Sonora De Tommy Rey – Un Año Más
52. Paraguay: Purahei Soul – Dos Trocitos de Madera
53. Brazil: Simone – Então É Natal (Happy X-Mas)(War Is Over)
54. Uruguay: Stefano Vettorazzi – Una navidad (versión A0)
55. Argentina: El Mato A Un Policia Motorizado – Navidad en los Santos

Age Groups

Overall, we found that older fans listen to more holiday fare than younger fans. Here’s how Christmas music taste varies by age this year, in the form of the most distinctive Christmas song to each age group globally:

• 13-17: Why Don’t We – Hey Good Lookin
• 18-24: Justin Bieber – Mistletoe
• 25-29: DMX – Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer
• 30-34: The Drifters – White Christmas
• 35-39: Elvis Presley – Blue Christmas
• 40-44: Sarah McLachlan – Wintersong
• 45-54: Band Aid – Do They Know It’s Christmas? – 1984 Version
• 55-64: Joy Williams – I’ll Be Home for Christmas
• 65+: Elvis Presley – I’ll Be Home for Christmas

The ‘Official’ Christmas Anthem of Each US State

Here’s the Christmas music each state listens to the most relative to listeners in the rest of the country. In a way, this is the Christmas song that most defines each state, like the state bird or motto.

Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, and New Mexico have the same Nat King Cole track in common vs. the rest of the country. Bill Murray and friends make a guest appearance on New York’s song. Meanwhile, Colorado, Indiana, and Texas work their names into their Christmas anthems.

As with the country list above, states are ranked by how hard Christmas music trended there last year. The top six states are all in New England:

1. Vermont: Gene Autry – Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
2. New Hampshire: Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)
3. Connecticut: Glee Cast – Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree (Glee Cast Version)
4. Rhode Island: Trans-Siberian Orchestra – Christmas Eve / Sarajevo (Instrumental)
5. Maine: Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)
6. Massachusetts: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker – Act II: Waltz of the Flowers
7. Utah: David Archuleta – Angels We Have Heard On High
8. Montana: John Debney – Christmas Medley
9. Washington: Sufjan Stevens – Lo! How A Rose E’er Blooming
10. Oregon: Sofia Talvik – When It Rains On Christmas Day
11. Idaho: Capital Lights – His Favorite Christmas Story
12. Minnesota: Amy Grant – I Need A Silent Night
13. South Carolina: Darius Rucker – What God Wants For Christmas
14. Virginia: Stillroom – Another (Lonely) Christmas Song
15. Pennsylvania: Billy Squier – Christmas Is the Time to Say “I Love You”
16. Wisconsin: Faith Hill – Little Drummer Boy
17. Hawaii: Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)
18. New Jersey: Jon Bon Jovi – Please Come Home For Christmas
19. Ohio: Baby Magic Melodies – Silent Night
20. Colorado: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – Colorado Christmas
21. Wyoming: Harry Simeone Chorale – The Little Drummer Boy – Single Version
22. Alaska: The Jackson 5 – Frosty The Snowman
23. North Carolina: Sufjan Stevens – Holy, Holy, Holy
24. Delaware: Trans-Siberian Orchestra – Christmas Eve / Sarajevo (Instrumental)
25. Maryland: The Jackson 5 – Little Drummer Boy
26. Indiana: Straight No Chaser – Indiana Christmas
27. Missouri: Home Free – I’ll Be Home for Christmas
28. New York: Phoenix, Bill Murray – Alone on Christmas Day
29. Illinois: Barenaked Ladies – Elf’s Lament
30. Tennessee: The Ghosts of Christmas Past – Stockingfeet! Reprise-Surprise
31. Michigan: Trans-Siberian Orchestra – Siberian Sleigh Ride – Instrumental
32. Kentucky: Sovereign Grace Music – Who Would Have Dreamed
33. Georgia: Carol of the Bells – Carol of the Bells – Choral
34. Louisiana: Big Freedia – Rudy, The Big Booty Reindeer
35. Nebraska: Mannheim Steamroller – Christmas Lullaby
36. Kansas: Bette Midler – Cool Yule
37. Iowa: Sarah McLachlan – What Child Is This? (Greensleeves)
38. Alabama: Casting Crowns – God Is With Us
39. Florida: Dej Loaf – All I Want for Christmas (feat. Kodak Black)
40. South Dakota: The Drifters – White Christmas – Voice
41. New Mexico: Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)
42. California: Bryan Lazar – Please Come Home for Christmas
43. North Dakota: The Drifters – White Christmas – Voice
44. Arizona: The Kiboomers – Jesus Loves Me – Music Box and Heartbeat
45. Arkansas: Andra Day – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
46. Oklahoma: Emery – (Ho Ho Hey) A Way For Santa’s Sleigh
47. West Virginia: Bing Crosby – It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
48. Mississippi: Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)
49. Texas: George Strait – When It’s Christmas Time In Texas
50. Nevada: Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)

Additional Insights

• Spotify users have created over 18 million Christmas-themed playlists.
• Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” is Spotify’s most streamed Christmas song of all time, with over 217 million global streams.
• “Last Christmas” by Wham! is the second most streamed Christmas song, followed by Michael Bublé’s “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas.”
• Bublé, however, is overwhelmingly the most popular artist in Christmas playlists, possibly due to the depth of his yule-related catalog.
• On average, women stream 40% more Christmas music than men.
• The most popular seasonal playlist on Spotify is Christmas Classics. A full collection of playlists is available in the Happy Holidays hub in Browse.

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