When Thanksgiving passes and December begins, Christmas music makes its return to the radios. The holiday tunes may differ in artists and songs, but the cheery attitude and poppy instrumentals featured in the songs stay fairly consistent. This music can quickly grow monotonous throughout its month-long reign over radio stations, leaving many in need of a change of pace.
This playlist provides a sharp deviation from the norm, exchanging the festive, bubbly sound of Christmas for the less conventional sounds of metal, funk, rap, punk and more. If you’re tired of repetitive radio holiday music, what’s better to throw you from that loop than indie folk star Sufjan Stevens, guitar shredder Charlie Parra del Riego and R&B pop group TLC on the same playlist?
While these songs diverge from — or even completely abandon — the traditional Christmas sound, they still keep the same lyrics and certain melodic motifs that signal the oncoming celebrations.
"Joy To The World" — Sufjan Stevens
"Silent Night (feat. Beyoncé Knowles)" — Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé
"Merry Heavy Metal Christmas: The Medley (Jingle Bells / God Ye Rest Merry Gentlemen / Deck The Halls / Greensleeves / Carol Of The Bells / Joy To The World)" — Charlie Parra del Riego
"I Believe in Miracles" — Pearl Jam
"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (Metal Version)" — Leo
"Santa Claws Is Coming To Town" — Alice Cooper, John 5, Billy Sheehan, Vinny Appice
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / We Three Kings" — Barenaked Ladies, Sarah McLachlan
"What Child Is This" — Andrea Bocelli, Mary J. Blige
"We Wish You A Merry Christmas" — Weezer
"The Little Drummer Boy" — Ringo Starr
"O Come, O Come Emmanuel" — Bad Religion
"Santa Baby" — Rev Run & The Christmas All Stars, Joseph Simmons, Salt-N-Pepa, Onyx, Snoop Dogg, Diddy, Keith Murray, Mase
"We Three Kings" — Pink Martini
"Sleigh Ride" — TLC
"Blue Christmas" — Bright Eyes
"Jingle Bell Rock - Metal Version" — Jay Taylor