Top Christian Christmas Songs and Hymns
Christmas hymns have been around as long as Christmas has been celebrated (the first recorded celebration of Christmas is December 25, 336). in the beginning Christians marked the holiday by singing hymns, not carols. Hymns are more solemn, religious songs, while carols were considered dances accompanied by music. Here are songs from popular pop, rock, country, R&B, and contemporary Christian artists to help you celebrate the birth of the Saviour. NOTE: links go to Apple Music, and you'll also find a link at the bottom of the song or the album the song is on to purchase it from iTunes.
Example:
- Silent Night - Susan Boyle
- O Holy Night - Tevin Campbell
- Away In a Manger - Andy Williams
- The Little Drummer Boy - Harry Simeone Chorale
- Do You Hear What I Hear? - Bing Crosby
- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - The Sweeplings
- Hark! the Herald Angels Sing - Amy Grant
- What Child Is This? - Mormon Tabernacle Choir
- O Little Town of Bethlehem - Nat "King" Cole
- Joy to the World - Celtic Woman
- O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles) - Chris Tomlin
- Away In a Manger - St. Paul's Cathedral Choir
- The First Noel - Frank Sinatra
- We Three Kings / God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Anthem Lights
- Mary, Did You Know? - Kathy Mattea
- The Holly and the Ivy - Annie Lennox
- Behold - Phil Wickham (feat. Anne Wilson)
- Now Behold the Lamb - Kirk Franklin & The Family
- It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - Norah Jones
- Unto Us - Matthew West
- Ding Dong Merrily On High - The Chieftains, The Renaissance Singers & David Drinkel
- Go Tell It On the Mountain - Mahalia Jackson
- I Wonder As I Wander - Harry Connick, Jr.
- Mary's Boy Child - Harry Belafonte
- Sweet Little Jesus Boy - Andy Williams
- We Three Kings - Celtic Woman
- O Come, O Come Emmanuel - Casting Crowns
- I Saw Three Ships - Sting
- Who Would Imagine a King - Whitney Houston featuring The Nativity Choir from "the Preacher's Wife"
- Love Came Down At Christmas - Jars of Clay
- Ellens Gesang III (Ave Maria!), Op. 52, No. 6, D. 839, "Hymne an die Jungfrau" - Ingrid Kertesi, Laszlo Kovacs, & Camerata Budapest
- As With Gladness Men of Old - The Choir Of Tewkesbury Abbey School
- Good King Wenceslas - Loreena McKennitt
- Coventry Carol - King's College Choir, Cambridge & Sir David Willcocks
- I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day - Casting Crowns
- The Virgin Mary Had One Son - Josh Garrels
- Gabriel's Message - Jars of Clay
- He Shall Reign Forevermore - Chris Tomlin
- Born This Day - Yolanda Adams
- Good Christian Men, Rejoice - The Royal Philharmoninc Orchestra & Chorus
- I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day - Charleene Closshey
- I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day (alternate melody)- Casting Crowns
- Mary Mild - The Kingston Trio
- What Is the Crying at Jordan - The Miserable Offenders
- Still Her Little Child - Julie Hill
- Ring the Bells (feat. Meredith Andrews)- Big Daddy Weave
- Angels from the Realms of Glory - Julie Andrews
- Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus - Meredith Andrews
- The Prayer - Danny Gokey and Natalie Grant
- Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee - Carrie Underwood
- Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song) - Amy Grant
- In the Bleak Midwinter - Jamie Cullum
- The Virgin Mary Had One Son - Josh Garrels
- Good Christian Men, Rejoice - Dominican House of Studies
- While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night - Peter Holman with Psalmody and The Parley of Instruments
- The Christmas Shoes - NewSong
- His Name Shall Be - Matt Redman
- O Come Let Us Adore Him - Maverick City (feat. Jekalyn Carr)
- Come Through Long Expected Jesus - The Petersons
- The Virgin Mary Had One Son - Josh Garrels
Also check out our other Top Song lists. These have no particular ranking, they're just some of our favorite songs.