Christmas 2023: JUICE’s Top 10 Best Alternative Christmas Songs of All Time

By Dale B  •  20 Dec 2023 in Features

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With Christmas coming, many are dreading to hear ‘All I Want For Christmas’ blasting out of every speaker imaginable. 

Sure, there are all-time classics like ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘Santa Baby’ that are perfect for the season, and we wouldn’t mind listening to them this time of year. 

Even lesser-known Christmas songs like ‘Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays’ by N*SYNC or the Christmas-adjacent ‘White Winter Hymnal’ by Fleet Foxes are what we prefer. 

But for those who want some really out-of-left-field (and slightly less jolly) Christmas tunes, we’ve got you covered.

Here are JUICE’s top 10 alternative Christmas songs to add to your playlist:

‘Christmas Treat (I Wish It Was Christmas Today)’ by Julian Casablancas

A recurring song by comedian Horatio Sanz during his time on Saturday Night Live, this tongue-in-cheek Christmas song has been given an edge by the lead singer of The Strokes.

Julian Casablancas brings his signature growl and wail to an otherwise simplistic holiday hit. An impressive remix considering The Muppets have also covered this song. 

‘Boots’ & ‘Don’t Shoot Me Santa’ by The Killers

With their Mormon roots, the Las Vegas band The Killers have put out more than a handful of Christmas songs in their career, one that merits a deep dive into. 

For a more sombre Christmas song, their song ‘Boots’ is the way to go. While ‘Don’t Shoot Me Santa’ should be accompanied with its associated music video for maximum effect. 

‘Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)’ by The Darkness

Known for songs like ‘I Believe in A Thing Called Love’, The Darkness rose to prominence for being a throwback to ‘70s rock when they burst onto the scene in the 2000s. 

The British rockers made their own Christmas song at the height of their career, one that features mesmerising guitars and lead singer Justin Hawkin’s amazing voice. 

‘Alone on Christmas Day’ by Phoenix and Bill Murray

An odd pairing of artists at first glance, this song cover was made for Netflix’s A Very Murray Christmas special, which was directed by Sofia Coppola.

Coppola is married to the lead singer of Phoenix, so it was a no-brainer for the band to make music for this special and put their spin on a Christmas classic. 

‘The Blizzard’ by Camera Obscura

Indie pop band Camera Obscura has made a mark in the music space with the descriptive imagery and soothing melodies in their songs. 

That same energy is brought to this very lowkey Christmas song, one that captures a typical Scottish Christmas and should be listened to by more people. 

‘Frosty The Snowman’ by Cocteau Twins

Now, if you know anything about the Cocteau Twins, it’s that they are known for their usage of a made-up language in each one of their songs. 

So what happens when the group covers one of the most iconic Christmas songs of all time? A truly unique take that captures the vibes of ‘Frosty the Snowman’, unlike any other cover. 

‘Oi To The World’ by No Doubt

A punk and ska take on Christmas songs, ‘Oi To The World’ was a song by The Vandals, close friends of No Doubt. 

That said, Gwen Stefani and crew brought their signature manic energy to this punk rock song, which we recommend to be played at every Christmas party from here on out. 

‘Christmas in Hollis’ by Run-DMC

Old school hip hop has a special place in our hearts, right next to Bing Crosby’s Christmas songs perhaps. So it is only right that Run-DMC’s holiday classic gets played at this time of year. 

Out of all the songs on this list, this one will have you bust a move, especially with its copious amount of sampling of Christmas songs past. 

‘Christmas Will Break Your Heart’ by LCD Soundsystem

Admittedly a more pointedly depressing take on the typical Christmas song, but LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy brought his A-game with this song. 

With a title like ‘Christmas Will Break Your Heart’, this sad song ultimately does have a sense of hope to it all, and isn’t that what Christmas is all about?

‘So Much Wine’ by Phoebe Bridgers

Phoebe Bridgers has captured the hearts of many with songs like ‘Motion Sickness’ and ‘Kyoto’, and if you love the relatability of these songs, this is the perfect Christmas tune for you. 

‘So Much Wine’ is very much up the wheelhouse of the indie folk singer, as Bridgers sings about a less-than-stellar Christmas day that we’ve all probably had once in our lifetime.

Merry Christmas from us here at JUICE!