Every year ahead of the Christmas season, the top spots on global music charts are dominated by carols from “legendary pop singers,” a trend that has persisted. Even global pop icons like Taylor Swift ...

As we head into December 2025, both Brenda Lee and Bobby Helms are in the Top 5 on Billboard’s Holiday 100 — for 1958’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and 1957’s “Jingle Bell Rock,” respectively.

There’s only so much you can do with a Christmas carol. They’ve been done to death, leaving any real innovation to those who dare to write new holiday hits. But the carols that have stuck around ...