The Far Out alternative Christmas playlist
Christmas time is here, and everyone knows what that means: the same ten songs playing on a loop. The festive classics by Wizzard, Slade and good old Cliff Richard will be on repeat in every public space from now until January. For those feeling a big bah humbug or simply sick of jingle bells, dive into some alternative cuts.
A hatred for the carols and cheesy Christmas hits doesn’t need to kill the festive spirit. Luckily, so many alternative artists have tried to tackle the elusive Christmas hit. From classic covers to new originals, across all genres, from jazz to punk, there is a song for every taste sitting under the musical tree.
This year alone, plenty of artists have stepped forward to save listeners from the tired classics. Ezra Collective brought their Mercury Prize-winning jazz stylings to the traditional carol ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’, delivering a cover that will keep your Grandma happy without boring the rest of the family to death.
Similarly, the new voice of the modern jazz scene, Laufey has teamed up with her childhood hero, Norah Jones, for a selection of covers. Their take on ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’ is deliciously magical. For something more left field, Hotel Lux shared a festive ode to Nigella Lawson with ‘The Carvery’.
But for those in need of something a little gloomier to offset the forced joy of the season, there are tracks for that. Self Esteem’s lyrical ode to cuffing season, burnout, and seasonal depression, ‘All I Want For Christmas Is A Work Email’, makes the Christmas song relatable again. Ellie Bleach perfectly captures the complex feelings of heading back to small hometowns on ‘Merry Christmas, Do You Ever Think Of Me?’, while Julia Jacklin turns the nativity into something altogether different as she deals with family arguments on ‘Baby Jesus Is Nobody’s Baby Now’.
Other indie and folk leaders also delivered Christmas offerings, including Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, David Keenan, Marika Hackman, CMAT, Adrianne Lenker, and even the Cocteau Twins.
Alternative doesn’t have to mean soft and sad, though. Los Bitchos bring the party on their Christmas EP, Los Chrismos. Khurangbin took on the family favourite Charlie Brown Christmas album with their cover of ‘Christmas Time Is Here’. Or step it up a notch with The Ramones raging ‘Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)’ or Julian Casablancas’ ‘I Wish It Was Christmas Today’.
Other upbeat alternative Christmas cuts come from The 1975, Tyler The Creator, Best Coast, Kurt Vile, Kacey Musgraves, Fleet Foxes and more. All put in one playlist ready to soundtrack Christmas parties, turkey dinners, present wrapping and beyond, dive into the Far Out alternative Christmas playlist.
Far Out’s alternative christmas playlist:
- Ezra Collective – ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’
- Norah Jones + Laufey – ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’
- Hotel Lux – ‘The Carvery’
- Self Esteem – ‘All I Want For Christmas Is A Work Email’
- Fleet Foxes – ‘White Winter Hymnal’
- Ramones – ‘Merry Christmas ( I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)’
- Julian Casablancas – ‘I Wish It Was Christmas Today’
- Marika Hackman – ‘Driving Under The Stars’
- Sufjan Stevens – ‘Silent Night’
- LCD Soundsystem – ‘Christmas Will Break Your Heart’
- Wolf Alice – ‘In The Bleak Midwinter’
- Rufus Wainwright + Sharon Van Etten – ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’
- Khurangbin – ‘Christmas Time Is Here’
- Phoebe Bridgers – ‘So Much Wine’
- Lucy Dacus – ‘Last Christmas’
- Julia Jacklin – ‘Baby Jesus Is Nobody’s Baby Now’
- Porridge Radio – ‘The Last Time I Saw You (O Christmas)’
- Julien Baker – ‘A Dreamer’s Holiday’
- Adrianne Lenker – ‘Snow Song’
- Bob Dylan – ‘Winterlude’
- Best Coast – ‘Little Saint Nick’
- Los Bitchos – ‘Los Chrismos’
- Kurt Vile – ‘Must Be Santa’
- Cocteau Twins – ‘Frosty The Snowman’
- David Keenan + Evanne Kilgallon – ‘Christmas’ll Ruin Me’
- Ellie Bleach – ‘Merry Christmas, Do You Ever Think Of Me?’
- CMAT + Junior Brother – ‘Uncomfortable Christmas’
- Kacey Musgraves + Lana Del Rey – ‘I’ll Be Home For Christmas’
- Sam Fender – ‘Winter Song’
- Tyler, The Creator – ‘You’re A Mean One, Mr Grinch’
- The 1975 – ‘Wintering’
- Laufey + Dodie – ‘Love To Keep Me Warm’
- Girl In Red – ‘Two Queens In A King Sized Bed’
- Quinnie – ‘Silver Bells’
- Peach Pit – Did I Make You Cry On Christmas? (Well, You Deserved It)
- Courtney Barnett – ‘Boxing Day Blues’
- Girlpuppy – ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’
- The Kinks – ‘Father Christmas’
- Molly Burch – ‘Hard Candy Christmas’
- The Big Moon – ‘Carol Of The Bells’
