The Most Despised Christmas Songs That Elicit a Strong Love-Hate Reaction
Unleash your inner Grinch with the most despised Christmas songs From cringe-worthy classics to never-ending jingles that make your ears bleed, these tunes are sure to test your holiday spirit
"Dislike" is a powerful word, but we're all human enough to acknowledge that strongly disliking things - especially Christmas songs - can be a satisfying activity. It can even be therapeutic! (And the English language still hasn't found a more suitable word for the intense shock of unexpectedly hearing Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime.") Some Christmas songs almost seem designed to evoke dislike. Others have become so ingrained in our minds and culture that our reactions to them are involuntary, like a sleeper agent being activated by a trigger word.
Every time I hear Michael Bublés gender-adjusted version of Santa Baby, I feel like running my car into a ditch. Despite this, the talented Bublé continues to make loads of money without being affected. It just goes to show the power of art to affect us, whether we like it or not.
It's difficult to create a definitive list of hated Christmas songs, and doing so is sure to invite the rage of the few individuals who actually enjoy listening to "The Christmas Shoes." But let's give it a try anyway.
Songs people just dont like
"The Christmas Shoes"
Written and performed by NewSong in 2000, "The Christmas Shoes" is often cited as one of the most disliked Christmas songs. The song tells a sad yet heartwarming story about a little boy trying to buy a pair of shoes for his terminally ill mother as a Christmas gift, so she can look nice when she meets Jesus. The jaded singer in the song is moved to purchase the shoes and the song reflects the True Meaning of Christmas.
Like many hated things, "The Christmas Shoes" is also incredibly popular. It has even been adapted into a book and a movie featuring Rob Lowe! The song has been streamed over 12 million times on Spotify, although it's uncertain how many of those streams were due to people wanting to understand the intense dislike for this particular song. It has consistently ranked on numerous "Worst Christmas Song" lists, and now it's found its place on this one.
Paul McCartney, left, having a "Wonderful Christmastime."
GAB Archive/Redferns/Getty Images
"Wonderful Christmastime"
written and performed by Paul McCartney, 1979
A music expert is needed to explain why a cheerful synth song by a former Beatle makes people cringe. In 2021, musicologist Nate Sloan told Mental Floss that the song's lyrics and structure are "overly simple." The use of synths and bells, along with whatever else McCartney had lying around his living room, could also contribute to the unsettling effect. When it comes to Christmas music, Sloan noted that the typical sound leans towards acoustic and nostalgic instruments, while "Wonderful Christmastime" uses harsh and tinny synths that sound like they were played on garbage.
Regardless, its also widely loved, and reportedly nets McCartney a few hundred thousand dollars a year in royalties.
"Do They Know It's Christmas?" was soon parodied by a group of comedians including Nigel Planer, Graham Chapman, Bob Geldof, and others for a comedy show in April 1986, showcasing their own unique rendition of the popular single.
"Do They Know Its Christmas?"
written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, performed by Band Aid, 1984
The holiday season is a time for reflecting on gratitude, personal privilege, and even pondering whether the people in Africa, with their 1.2 billion population spread across more than 50 countries and three major latitudes, are content with their seasonal snowfall.
As one CNN staffer observed, "On paper, this sounds fantastic. George Michael, Bob Geldof, Bono, Simon Le Bon, Phil Collins, Sting, Boy Georgeall the iconic figures of the 80s coming together for a good cause. But once you move past trying to identify the celebrities in the video with their perfectly styled hair, all that remains are nine excruciating choruses of FEED the WORLDâ¦"
Songs people dont like because, surely, that is the point
In 2010, Bob Geldof bravely admitted to being responsible for two of the most cringe-worthy and short-sighted songs in history: "I am responsible for two of the worst songs in history," Geldof said in 2010. "The other is We Are the World."
"Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"
written by Randy Brooks, performed by Elmo and Patsy, 1979
The creator of the novelty Christmas song "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" was surprised that people still listened to it, even though it was originally recorded as a joke in 1979. The song gained some traction and caused controversy among radio stations and Christmas music fans. In 1985, a disgruntled DJ in Davenport, Iowa played the song 27 times in a row before being suspended.
Anonymous CNN staffer input: "This song convinced me as a child that Rudolph fully murdered the singers grandmother."
"The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Dont Be Late)"
Ross Bagdasarian wrote "The Chipmunk Song" in 1958. It is widely known that this song and any other Christmas song by Alvin and the Chipmunks could double as a wallpaper stripper. Despite this, the song won three Grammys in 1958: Best Comedy Performance, Best Children's Recording, and Best Engineered Record (non-classical).
It even received a nomination for record of the year! Back then, the technique of speeding up the tracks to create the high-pitched "chipmunk" voices may have seemed endearing. However, it is no longer charming, except perhaps to children and sadists.
Input from an anonymous CNN staff member: "Growing up with two much younger brothers, anything from the Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas album makes me want to cover my ears and run. The way they constantly played those squeaky voices in our house makes me cringe just at the thought of it."
"Santa Baby"
written by Joan Javits and Philip Springer, performed by Eartha Kitt, 1953
The 2021 YouGov survey revealed that "Santa Baby" is the most disliked Christmas song. However, blame for its poor reputation cannot solely be placed on Ms. Kitt's shoulders. While the original was criticized for its suggestive nature, the numerous covers released in the years since have only worsened its image.
Some covers, such as the one by Bublé, attempt to tone down the sexual overtones with lyrics like "I'll wait up for you, dude / Santa buddy, and hurry down the chimney tonight!" However, the 2020 covers were met with a lot of negative and puzzled reactions. (No more puzzled than Santa himself would be, though.)
John Legend and Kelly Clarkson's modern remake of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" didn't exactly put the song's controversy to rest.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
"Baby, Its Cold Outside"
Frank Loesser wrote this highly controversial Christmas song in 1994. It has garnered a lot of criticism from those who find offense in early recordings featuring Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan, Dean Martin and Marilyn Maxwell, or the seemingly endless recreations that have emerged in the decades since.
Songs people dont like because of onomatopoeia
There has been extensive discussion about whether the interaction between male and female voices constitutes as harmless flirtation or a covert exchange of messages. In the early stages of the #MeToo movement, certain radio stations even opted to refrain from playing the song. However, when John Legend and Kelly Clarkson released a version with a strong focus on consent in 2019, it did not receive widespread acclaim either. Among those who criticized it was Dean Martin's daughter, Deana Martin, who described the remake, featuring lines like "It's your body and your choice," as "completely ridiculous."
David Bowie and Bing Crosby sang a famously awkward version of "The Little Drummer Boy" on "Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas" television special in 1977.
MPTV/Reuters
"The Little Drummer Boy"
Katherine Kennicott Davis wrote the Hated Christmas Song Discourse in 1941. It often brings new knowledge and unexpected arrangements of words and names. For example, the 2011 cover of Little Drummer Boy by Justin Bieber feat. Busta Rhymes was named as one of Billboards 100 Greatest of All Time holiday songs.
Imagine sharing this with the accomplished composer Katherine Kennicott Davis, who created "The Little Drummer Boy" in 1941. The world is full of miracles. However, while it doesn't usually provoke the same strong reactions as other songs, the constant "parum-pa-pum-pum" can become irritating. The image of the tired and overwhelmed holy family, with a crying baby surrounded by animals, forced to remain composed while a child plays the drum, can also be overwhelming.
Anonymous CNN Staffer input: "There's a good reason why nativity scenes don't feature a boy with a drum."
"Dominick the Donkey"
written and performed by Lou Monte, 1960
For every individual who cannot tolerate the little song about a donkey assisting Santa in delivering gifts in Italy, there is another person ready to passionately defend it. "It's so delightful!" they exclaim. "It's so enjoyable!" There is room for all of these perspectives. It can indeed be delightful and enjoyable. It can also be something that no rational person would listen to unless they were under extreme pressure or heavily influenced by a holiday drink. Jing-a-di-jing hee haw hee haw!
Songs people dont like because so help them, if they hear it one more time â¦
George Michael of Wham! in 1985, a year before he unleashed "Last Christmas" on the world.
PA/PA Wire/PA Wire/AP
"Last Christmas"
Wham! wrote and performed this song in 1986. Not all songs that are hated are necessarily bad. Sometimes songs become hated simply because they are overplayed and people get tired of hearing them.
Whamageddon is a game and culture dedicated to avoiding the unfortunate outcome of hearing Wham!'s Christmas classic "Last Christmas." The challenge is to go as long as possible without hearing the song from the beginning of December to Christmas Eve. If you do hear it, you post about your defeat on social media. The game also includes avoiding intentionally playing the song for your friends, among other rules. There is even merchandise available for the game, with the slogan "Whamageddon: Stay safe, stay vigilant."
