18 Memorable 21st-Century Christmas Covers
Holiday music returns every year, but so do inventive reinterpretations. From tender jazz and a cappella reinventions to full-throttle metal and country twangs, contemporary artists keep reshaping the seasonal canon.
While classics remain beloved (and still chart — with Mariah Carey and Wham! among the perennial favorites), modern performers across genres have offered bold new takes on familiar carols. Below are 18 of the most compelling Christmas covers released since 2000.
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Justin Bieber — “Drummer Boy” (feat. Busta Rhymes)
Album: Under the Mistletoe · Year: 2011 · Original: The Trapp Family
Bieber pairs pop gloss with a hip-hop cameo, turning a quaint holiday number into a high-energy, modern novelty.
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Twisted Sister — “Oh Come All Ye Faithful”
Album: A Twisted Christmas · Year: 2006 · Original: Traditional
Dee Snider and his band deliver a raucous, headbanging rendition that recasts the hymn as metal theater.
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She & Him — “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”
Album: A Very She & Him Christmas · Year: 2011 · Original: Frank Loesser / Lynn Garland
Zooey Deschanel’s intimate, folk-tinged duet softens the song’s flirtatious banter into cozy, vintage charm.
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Faith Hill — “Holly Jolly Christmas”
Album: Joy to the World · Year: 2008 · Original: The Quinto Sisters / Burl Ives
Hill applies her country polish to the classic, giving the tune a warm, Nashville-ready sparkle.
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Destiny’s Child — “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
Album: 8 Days of Christmas · Year: 2001 · Original: Gene Autry
Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams wrap the holiday staple in smooth R&B harmonies and contemporary groove.
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Glee Cast — “Last Christmas”
Album: Glee, The Music: The Christmas Album · Year: 2010 · Original: Wham!
The show’s cast turns the bittersweet pop ballad into a dramatic duet, full of emotional push and pull.
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Alicia Keys — “Christmas Time Is Here”
Album: Santa Baby · Year: 2022 · Original: Vince Guaraldi
Keys transforms the mellow Peanuts standard into a sultry, late-night jazz interpretation that glows with sophistication.
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Kylie Minogue — “Santa Baby”
Album: Kylie Christmas · Year: 2015 · Original: Eartha Kitt
Kylie leans into playful glamour, offering a coquettish, disco-tinged spin on the cheeky holiday classic.
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Olivia Olson — “All I Want for Christmas Is You”
Album: Love Actually Soundtrack · Year: 2003 · Original: Mariah Carey
At just ten, Olson delivers a heartfelt, scene-stealing rendition that captures the song’s joyful urgency in miniature.
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Kacey Musgraves — “Christmas Don’t Be Late”
Album: A Very Kacey Christmas · Year: 2016 · Original: Alvin and the Chipmunks
Musgraves blends country twang with festive kitsch, complete with fiddle and a wink of retro whimsy.
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Kelly Clarkson — “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
Album: Wrapped in Red · Year: 2013 · Original: Judy Garland
Clarkson starts gently and gradually unleashes her powerhouse vocals, turning the lullaby into a soaring showcase.
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Josh Groban — “O Holy Night”
Album: Noël · Year: 2007 · Original: Traditional
Groban’s dramatic baritone renders the sacred carol with grand, cinematic intensity.
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Pentatonix — “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”
Album: A Pentatonix Christmas · Year: 2017 · Original: Traditional
The a cappella group reinvents the hymn with tight harmonies and brisk, inventive arrangements.
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Lea Michele (feat. Cynthia Erivo) — “Angels We Have Heard on High”
Album: Christmas in the City · Year: 2019 · Original: Traditional
Michele and Erivo weave theatrical warmth into the carol, culminating in a stirring key change that elevates the finale.
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Sufjan Stevens — “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”
Album: Songs for Christmas · Year: 2006 · Original: Traditional
Stevens offers a spare, folksy take that feels intimate and haunting, perfect for reflective winter evenings.
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Michael Bublé — “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas”
Album: Christmas · Year: 2011 · Original: Perry Como
Bublé’s velvety croon and polished big-band backing add a timeless, lounge-ready sheen to the holiday standard.
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Jason Kelce, Travis Kelce & The Philly Specials — “Fairytale of Philadelphia”
Album: A Philly Special Christmas Special · Year: 2023 · Original: The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl
The Kelce brothers and crew serve up a boisterous, rough-edged homage that’s equal parts affectionate and rowdy.
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John Legend — “Silver Bells”
Album: A Legendary Christmas · Year: 2018 · Original: Bob Hope & Marilyn Maxwell
Legend’s warm, jazz-inflected arrangement and big-band flourishes give this cityscape carol a luminous glow.
