The organisation which represents 95,000 UK songwriters and composers today published the top 50 most played Christmas songs in the past year.
Fairytale Of New York
Topping the chart is the much loved ‘Fairytale of New York’ by The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl, followed by Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’.
The enormous 1980s hit, ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure’s project Band Aid still proved a favourite coming a close third place. The song features a cast of iconic British songwriters from bands such as Spandau Ballet, U2, Ultravox, Genesis, Status Quo, Human League and Duran Duran.
John & Yoko’s ‘Happy Christmas (War is Over)’ released in 1971 was ranked equal seventh to Paul McCartney’s ‘Wonderful Christmas’, originally released a few years later in 1979.
More contemporary songwriters, Coldplay came 25th with ‘Christmas Lights’ and British glam rock group, The Darkness ranked 39th with their hit, ‘Christmas Time – Don’t Let The Bells End’.
PRS for Music’s Top 50 Christmas Songs was compiled using data from radio plays in the UK only for the past two years from 2010 -2012.
RANK TITLE ARTIST RELEASE DATE WRITER
1 Fairytale of New York The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl 1987 Jem Finer, Shane MacGowan
2 All I Want For Christmas Is You Mariah Carey 1994 Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff
3 Do They Know It’s Christmas? Band Aid 1984 Bob Geldof, Midge Ure
4 Last Christmas Wham! 1984 George Michael
5 Santa Claus is Coming to Town Harry Reser 1934 John Fredrick Coots, Haven Gillespie
6 Do You Hear What I Hear? Bing Crosby 1962 Noel Regney, Gloria Shayne
=7 Happy Christmas (War Is Over) John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir 1971 John Lennon, Yoko Ono
=7 Wonderful Christmastime Paul McCartney 1979 Paul McCartney
9 I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday Wizzard 1973 Roy Wood
10 Merry Xmas Everybody Slade 1973 Noddy Holder, Jim Lea
11 Merry Christmas Everyone Shakin’ Stevens 1985 Bob Heatlie
12 Sleigh Ride Leroy Anderson 1950 Leroy Anderson
13 Stay Another Day East 17 1994 Tony Mortimer
14 Driving Home For Christmas Chris Rea 1988 Chris Rea
15 Rockin Around The Christmas Tree Brenda Lee 1958 Johnny Marks
16 Step Into Christmas Elton John 1973 Elton John, Bernie Taupin
17 2000 Miles The Pretenders 1983 Chrissie Hynde
18 I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter Connie Francis / Gabriella Cilmi 1962 / 2008 Hank Hunter, Mark Barkan
19 Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) Darlene Love 1963 Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector
20 Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Vaughn Monroe / Dean Martin / Smokey Robinson & The Miracles 1945 / 1959 / 1963 Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne
21 Stop The Calvary Jona Lewie 1980 Jona Lewie
22 Frosty The Snowman Gene Autry & The Cass Country Boys / Perry Como / Johnny Mathis / Kimberley Locke 1950 / 1957 / 2003 / 2007 Walter “Jack” Rollins, Steve Nelson
23 White Christmas Bing Crosby 1942 Irving Berlin
24 I Believe In Father Christmas Greg Lake / Toyah Wilcox / Elaine Paige 1975 / 1982 / 1986 Greg Lake / Peter Sinfield
25 Christmas Lights Coldplay 2010 Guy Berryman, Johnny Buckland, Will Champion, Chris Martin
26 Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) The Nat King Cole Trio 1946 Mel Tormé, Bob Wells
27 Thank God It’s Christmas Queen 1984 Brain May, Roger Taylor
28 It’s The Most Wonderful Time of Year Andy Williams 1963 Edward Pola, George Wyle
29 Santa Baby Eartha Kitt 1953 Joahn Javits, Phillip Springer
30 Christmas Wrapping The Waitresses 1981 Chris Butler
31 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Frank Sinatra 1957 Ralph Blanew, Hugh Martin
32 Please Come Home For Christmas Charles Brown, The Eagles, Jon Bon Jovi 1961 / 1978 / 1995 Charles Brown, Gene Redd
33 A Spaceman Came Travelling Chris de Burgh 1976 Chris de Burgh
34 A Winter’s Tale David Essex 1982 Mike Batt / Tim Rice
35 Lonely This Christmas MUD 1974 Nicky Chinn, Mike Chapman
36 Cold December Night Michael Bublé 2011 Michael Bublé, Alan Chang, Bob Rock
37 Mistletoe And Wine Cliff Richard 1988 Jeremy Paul, Leslie Stewart, Keith Strachan
38 Merry Christmas Bryan Adams 2011 Bryan Adams
39 Christmas Time – Don’t Let The Bells End The Darkness 2003 Justin Hawkins, Dan Hawkins, Frankie Poullain, Ed Graham
40 Mary’s Boy Child – Oh My Lord Boney M 1978 Jester Hairston, Frank Farian, Fred Jay, Lorin
41 Power Of Love Frankie Goes to Hollywood 1984 Peter Gill, Holly Johnson, Mark O’Toole
42 Blue Christmas Elvis Presley 1957 Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson
43 When A Child Is Born (Soleado) Johnny Mathis 1976 Ciro Dammiccom, Fred Jay
44 Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer Gene Autry 1949 Johnny Marks
45 Winter Wonderland Perry Como 1934 Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith
46 I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus Jimmy Boyd 1952 Tommie Connor
47 Mary’s Boy Child Harry Belafonte 1957 Jester Hairston
48 It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas Perry Como & The Fontana Sisters 1951 Meredith Wilson
49 The Little Drummer Boy Harry Simeone Chorale 1958 Harry Simeone, K. K. Davis, Henry Onorati
50 We Wish You A Merry Christmas – –
