Instrumental Holiday Music

Last but not least we have Instrumental holiday music. I tried to get a variety of instruments from full orchestras to strings to jazz piano groups to saxophone to trombones and even a Rock style instrumental. Click the titles for a link to the Youtube playlist with the songs.

Instrumental Holiday Favorites

1. Christmas Time is Here by Vince Guaraldi Trio
2. All I Want for Christmas by Lindsey Stirling
3. Joy to the World by Dijamix Christmas Songs Acoustic Guitar Duo
4. Winter Wonderland by the Count Basie Orchestra
5. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by Jethro Tull
6. O Holy Night by Trans Siberian Orchestra
7. A DSQ Christmas: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy by Dallas String Quartet
8. Carol of the Bells by August Burns Red
9. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Brooklyn Duo
10. Jingle Bells by Sixteen Strings String Quartet
11. I’ll Be Home for Christmas by The Eddie Higgins Trio
12. White Christmas by Carl Lenthe, Joseph Alessi, et al.

More Instrumental Holiday Songs

1. Miracles by Kenny G
2. Christmas Wrapping by Vitamin String Quartet
3. Bleak and the Chill Wind by Camilli String Quartet
4. Snowfall by George Shearing Quintet
5. The Christmas Waltz by Brunswick Big Band
6. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve by Beegie Adair
7. Skating by The Copper Street Brass Quintet
8. Silver Bells (Arr. C. Dedrick) by Beaumont Brass Quintet
9. The Holly and the Ivy by The London Fox Woodwind Quintet
10. Toyland by The Motor City Brass Quartet
11. Ding Dong Merrily on High by The Dwyer Quintet
12. Good King Wenceslas by The Prague Symphony Orchestra

I hope you enjoyed these Instrumental holiday songs as well as all the other holiday playlist I created. Let me know what your favorite renditions of holiday songs are in the comments. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful holiday season.

Non-Christmas Holiday Music

Next we have Non-Christmas holiday music. Christmas is focused on as the major holiday in America but there are other December holidays that many Americans celebrate. This is a list of holiday songs recognizing and appreciating holidays other than Christmas. Click the title for the link to a Youtube playlist of the songs.

Non-Christmas Holiday Music

1. Hanukkah Blessings by Barenaked Ladies
2. Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah by Don Cooper
3. Ocho Kandalikas by Erran Baron Cohen
4. “Kwanzaa” by Lynette Washington
5. Kwanzaa by Rhonda Thomas
6. Miracle by Matisyahu
7. The Eight Loneliest Nights of the Year by The Broadway Cast of “Avenue Q”
8. Hurry Up and Light The Candles by The Macaroons
9. Cool Yule by Bette Midler
10. Long Nights (Yule Log) [Live] by Charlie & the Rays
11. Hanukkah by Beckah Shae
12. Celebrate Kwanzaa by Southern Arizona Women’s Chorus

I hope you enjoyed these holiday songs celebrating other December holidays. Let me know if I missed a holiday that you celebrate and be sure to let me know any songs written for the celebration. Thanks!

Somber Holiday Music

Here we have another list of songs that is more of a category than a genre: somber holiday songs. These are for the people who aren’t feeling cheery during the winter season for one reason or another.

Somber Holiday Songs

1. Not This Year by Aly & AJ
2. What Do the Lonely Do at Christmas by The Emotions
3. Christmas Shoes by Andrea Leclaire
4. Blue Christmas by Kelly Clarkson
5. Every Year, Every Christmas by Patti LaBelle
6. The Little Boy That Santa Forgot by Natalie Cole
7. Christmas Brings Me Down by Sparks the Rescue
8. Dear Santa by Jay Brannan
9. My December by Linkin Park
10. There Will Be No Christmas by Crown the Empire
11. Christmas Time Again by Amely
12. I Had a Heart by Real Friends

I hope you at least found solidarity in those holiday songs if you are feeling somber this year. Let me know if there’s any somber songs I forgot. Thanks.

Multicultural Holiday Music

Here we have Multicultural holiday music. This is for multilingual individuals as well as people who appreciate music sung in different languages. Included are songs in Spanish, French, Gaelic, Korean, Chinese, Italian, and German - there’s even the Hawaiian version of a holiday carol.

Multicultural Holiday Songs

1. Noche de Paz by Fifth Harmony (Spanish)
2. Arbolito de Navidad by Gloria Estefan (Spanish)
3. Oiche Chiuin by Enya (Gaelic)
4. Les cloches du hameau by Celine Dion (French)
5. Dear Santa by Girls Generation TTS (Korean)
6. Riu Riu Chiu by Sixpence None the Richer (Spanish)
7. Mele Kalikimaka by Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters (Hawaiian)
8. Miracles in December by EXO (Chinese)
9. Petit Papa Noel by Josh Groban (French)
10. Caro Gesu Bambino by Andrea Bocelli (Italian)
11. Mis Deseos/Feliz Navidad ft Thalia by Michael Buble (Spanish)
12. O Tannenbaum by Unheilig (German)

I hope you enjoyed that batch of holiday music. Let me know what languages or songs you want me to include in the future.

Adult Holiday Music

Now we have a list of holiday songs meant for the older audience. These are songs that include themes of drugs and alcohol, violence, foul language, innuendo, etc. This is not your typical holly jolly holiday music and is not meant for children by any means so listen at your own risk.

Adult Holiday Songs

1. Christmas Tree by Lady Gaga
2. Twelve Daze of Christmas by Fay McKay
3. This Christmas (I'll Burn It to the Ground) by Set It Off
4. To Heck With Ole Saint Nick by Loretta Lynn
5. Mile High Christmas by Breathe Carolina
6. Who Spiked the Eggnog by Straight No Chaser
7. Merry Christmas, Kiss My Ass by All Time Low
8. F*** Christmas by Fear
9. Maybe This Christmas by For All Those Sleeping
10. Unwrap My Package by Future Idiots
11. The Night Santa Went Crazy by Weird Al Yankovic
12. The Christmas Song by David Banner

I hope you got a kick out of those non-traditional holiday songs. Let me know what your favorite non-traditional holiday song is in the comments. Thanks everyone.

A Capella Holiday Music

Here we have A Capella holiday music. A Capella music may be experiencing a bump in popularity due to shows like the Sing Off or movies like Pitch Perfect, but it’s an old tradition. It’s not so much a genre of music as it is a way of making music but I thought it would be fun to include.

A Capella Holiday Songs

1. Opera of the Bells by Destiny’s Child
2. O Holy Night by The Braxtons
3. In the Bleak Midwinter by Groove for Thought
4. That’s Christmas to Me by Pentatonix
5. Silent Night by Priscilla Ahn
6. Joy to the World by Pitch Slapped
7. The Christmas Can-Can by Straight No Chaser
8. Doo Wop Christmas (That’s What Christmas is All About) by Kem
9. Winter Wonderland by North Shore
10. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by Committed
11. White Christmas by Home Free
12. December Song (A Capella) by Peter Hollens

I hope you enjoyed those A Capella holiday songs. Let me know if I missed any of your favorites.

Rock Holiday Music

Here we have a list of Rock holiday music. Again we just have one list because there aren’t too many holiday songs in this particular genre. Click on the title for the link to go to a Youtube playlist of all the songs.

Rock Holiday Songs

1. O Holy Night by Heart
2. Santa Baby by VersaEmerge
3. Do You Hear What I Hear by Flyleaf
4. Oi to the World by No Doubt
5. Mistress for Christmas by Halestorm
6. This is Christmas by Suzie McNeil
7. Yule Shoot Your Eye Out by Fall Out Boy
8. Wish List by Neon Trees
9. Christmas on the Road by Sleeping With Sirens
10. Thank God It’s Christmas by Queen
11. Christmas Time (Is Here Again) by The Beatles
12. When I Get Home for Christmas by Snow Patrol

I hope you enjoyed Alternative/Rock versions of some holiday songs as well as some new tunes. Let me know if I left out any of your favorite Alternative/Rock holiday songs. Thanks everyone.