MUSIC
The Top 20 Saddest Christmas Songs
Gather round the Christmas tree and get ready to cry!
12.21.2020
saddest christmas songs
Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy, but sometimes you're not feeling the cheer.
Or maybe you just love sad music and want to get in the holiday spirit. Whatever your reason for listening to melancholy music, there are plenty of devastating Christmas songs to help you cozy up with a cup of spiked cider and the blues. From indie gems to old classics, are our favorites.
<h5>1. McCarthy Trenching — Christmas Song</h5><p>This song (which was later covered by Phoebe Bridgers) is simply devastating.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="51cd9736dc9b90cec81c0638e9b732c7"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hhTXgahimxs?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Christmas Song</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhTXgahimxs" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a></small>
</p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d1370a37c5cfb94f58309c25b6142cf9"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ybDdASrKDSc?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Phoebe Bridgers - Christmas Song (Official Audio)</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybDdASrKDSc" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a></small>
</p><h5>2. Julien Baker — Decorated Lawns<br></h5><p>Truly, this is sad Christian queer folk in its highest form.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="02af900a6d5d0b7a631ed82e1c57eb59"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5Kbjaa8VNd4?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Julien Baker - Decorated Lawns (REMASTERED)</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Kbjaa8VNd4" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a></small>
</p><h5>3. Brent Butler — Brooklyn Christmas Eve</h5><p>Punk Christmas never sounded so good.</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-630"> </div>
<!-- End Ezoic - In-Content 2 - under_first_paragraph --></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="29ed2c24a4db704db1043fa7f42d7b4c"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KI_M4uy9QJM?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Brooklyn Christmas Eve</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI_M4uy9QJM" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a></small>
</p><h5>4. Sufjan Stevens — Sister Winter</h5><p>Our Lonely Man of Winter has millions of options, but this apologetic and devastating song has to take the cake for Stevens' saddest holiday anthem.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9a33e4814dbedecdc227e907bb439960"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5OCdS5S20dg?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Sufjan Stevens - Sister Winter</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OCdS5S20dg" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a></small>
</p><h5>5. Elvis Presley — Blue Christmas</h5><p>Elvis's delivery is so blue, so dreary, so lugubrious, you feel like you're falling into a snowdrift of sadness just hearing him belt out the chorus.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4793d09d936c1b2784c97a774f6cc2b8"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QipqXel5G4g?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Elvis Presley - Blue Christmas (Audio)</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QipqXel5G4g" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
</small>
</p><h5>6. Wham! — Last Christmas </h5><p>"This year, to save me from tears, I'll give it to someone special" has to be one of the sickest burns ever to exist in a Christmas song.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d4d6a13feee65d521bd7d3bd2fc5753b"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E8gmARGvPlI?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Wham! - Last Christmas (Official Video)</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a></small>
</p><h5>7. Taylor Swift — Christmases When You Were Mine</h5><p>Taylor stabs you right in the heart with this saccharine song about missing an ex-lover.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c9ee7b7764049708c54685e85ec89bd7"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ewf7njAnKDU?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Taylor Swift - Christmases When You Were Mine (Lyrics)</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewf7njAnKDU" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a></small>
</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-632"> </div>
<!-- End Ezoic - In-Content 3 - under_second_paragraph --></p><h5>8. Joni Mitchell — River</h5><p>Joni Mitchell's mournful reinterpretation of "Jingle Bells" is seasonal depression distilled into sound, and it's four minutes and nine seconds of glittering, devastating brilliance.</p><p><div id="mailchimp-slot"><script>MailChimpForm()</script></div></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a312d21f51cd0280403910f823098d88"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F8MqF7xEGhs?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Joni Mitchell - River (Official Audio)</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8MqF7xEGhs" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
</small>
</p><h5>9. NewSong — The Christmas Shoes</h5><p>It's "Christmas Shoes."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="829a6d46f78d136559af6183bdb7612c"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GJcPVB-we7g?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">NewSong - The Christmas Shoes</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJcPVB-we7g" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a></small>
</p><h5>10. The Everly Brothers — Christmas Eve Can Kill You</h5><p>Wait, it can?</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8f4fe68fb71a9e3eefa984356a35abf8"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UjwSg6-QOPQ?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">EVERLY BROTHERS - Christmas Eve Can Kill You (1971)</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjwSg6-QOPQ" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a></small>
</p><h5>11. 7 O'Clock News/Silent Night — Simon and Garfunkel</h5><p>This song is just "Silent Night" placed over a recording of the news, but as we all know, the news can be hard to listen to—and hearing it played against the soft sounds of Christmas makes the reports of violence and injustice even more difficult to tune out than usual.</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-633"> </div>
<!-- End Ezoic - In-Content 4 - mid_content --></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9e785e5066bbce12be65551ab81374ca"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JkJlmYwMgRM?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">7 O'clock News / Silent Night</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkJlmYwMgRM" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a></small>
</p><h5>12. Prince — Another Lonely Christmas</h5><p><em>Another </em>lonely Christmas? How long has this been going on? Plus we all miss Prince.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3e3961340ae57d25839865c1be01e04a"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/U1yFp9P-5Wg?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Another Lonely Christmas</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1yFp9P-5Wg" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a></small>
</p><h5>13. Greensleeves </h5><p>Though it has no words, it's almost universally agreed that this song just sounds sad. That's actually because the human brain is literally wired to hear the blues in minor chords, and this song has plenty of them.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3d3259e808e4b2d7329fe0c6a5d36744"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bSjfkwvOOAM?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Greensleeves - best version</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSjfkwvOOAM" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
</small>
</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-634"> </div>
<!-- End Ezoic - In-Content 5 - mid_content --></p><h5>14. Elmo & Patsy — Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer </h5><p>Is Grandma ok??? Are Elmo & Patsy ok? Are any of us ok considering we made this into a Christmas classic?</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="de62f1221ef77ad86fb135795172350b"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MgIwLeASnkw?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Elmo & Patsy - Grandma Got Run over by a Reindeer</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgIwLeASnkw" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a></small>
</p><h5>15. The Carpenters — Merry Christmas Darling </h5><p>Everyone's favorite California dreamers got extra wistful on this dreary, exquisite number about heartbreak over the holidays.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="15ae8aba4bf5c420001e6c6bed8bd44d"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YR1ujXx2p-I?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Merry Christmas, Darling - The Carpenters</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR1ujXx2p-I" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a></small>
</p><h5>16. Tom Waits — Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis </h5><p>This song gets very real very quickly, but it does contain glimmers of hope.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0e98fc867edd965fe432881a345dcc8e"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mxVo5mjK4eg?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Tom Waits- Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis (Studio Version)</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxVo5mjK4eg" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a></small>
</p><h5>17. Marvin Gaye — I Want to Come Home For Christmas</h5><p>Possibly the saddest song ever written, according to <em><a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/world-cafe/2016/12/22/506467316/you-better-not-cry-the-sad-songs-of-christmas" target="_blank">NPR</a></em>. </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="555487c403c313cbf841a163d6a2c9e3"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cWPbZLMec60?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">I Want To Come Home For Christmas</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWPbZLMec60" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a></small>
</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-635"> </div>
<!-- End Ezoic - incontent2 - long_content --></p><h5>18. Darlene Love — Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)</h5><p>What could be sadder than this plea to a lost love?</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cf0d7c8b6ad4d37c2c3f9e6eaffeb742"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UV8x7H3DD8Y?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby please come home)</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV8x7H3DD8Y&feature=emb_title" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
</small>
</p><h5>19. Miley Cyrus — My Sad Christmas Song</h5><p>The title alone is just so sad.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ffbbe0de937e274f39b1f4e0f284868a"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0pjRwqNkuVs?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Miley Cyrus - My Sad Christmas Song</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pjRwqNkuVs" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a></small>
</p><h5>20. LCD Soundsystem — Christmas Will Break Your Heart</h5><p>So apparently if Christmas Eve doesn't kill me, then Christmas Day will break my heart, even though last Christmas, I gave you my heart but the very next day you gave it away. This year, to save me from tears, maybe I just won't celebrate Christmas... or maybe I'll start listening to happy music instead.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bb4d6a58902ed68ba25e015e2f7c98d7"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9tx3kaKggc0?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">LCD Soundsystem - Christmas Will Break Your Heart video</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tx3kaKggc0" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a></small>
</p><p><div id="ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-636"> </div>
<!-- End Ezoic - incontent22 - long_content --></p><h4></h4><p>So there you have it — the twenty saddest Christmas songs we know of. However, despite these songs, we hope you have a very merry holiday.</p>
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