(PCM) Unless you are living under a rock somewhere, there is a fairly good chance that you have heard the infamous Mariah Carey Christmas song “All I Want For Christmas Is You”. It has been blasting repetitively on the airwaves during the holiday shopping season since it was first released in November of 1994. For years, it was named the most heard Christmas song of the season, however it has been dethroned at last!
According to recent rankings from both Paste and the PlayNetwork, a service that provides in-store music for retails stores, Carey’s famous hit has now been replaced by The Shins cover of the 1979 Paul McCartney hit song “Wonderful Christmastime”. Believe me, we are surprised as well!
PlayNetwork went on to released their Top 20 list of the most-heard Christmas songs and I am sure you will recognize a good many of them as they forever ingrained in your mind while out shopping for last minute holiday gifts. It is also worth noting that the only original Christmas song by an artist to make the list is Kelly Clarkson’s “Underneath The Tree”, the rest are all classic or classic covers of traditional holiday tunes. The full Top 20 list can be seen below:
1. Shins “Wonderful Christmastime”
2. Mariah Carey “All I Want For Christmas Is You”
3. Christina Aguilera “Christmas Time”
4. Waitresses “Christmas Wrapping”
5. Jack Johnson “Someday At Christmas”
6. Kelly Clarkson “Underneath The Tree”
7. Michael Buble “A Holly Jolly Christmas”
8. Bing Crosby “White Christmas”
9. Train “What Christmas Means To Me”
10. Ella Fitzgerald “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
11. Coldplay “Christmas Lights”
12. Jose Feliciano “Feliz Navidad”
13. Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings “White Christmas”
14. Vince Guaraldi Trio “Christmas Time Is Here”
15. Sam Smith “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
16. Pentatonix “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)”
17. Paul McCartney “Wonderful Christmastime”
18. She & Him “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”
19. Elvis Presley “Blue Christmas”
20. Darlene Love “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”