According to ASCAP news this week, "This holiday season, The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), a professional membership organization of songwriters, composers and music publishers, announces the trending tinsel tunes released in the last quarter century that are captivating listeners today. Alongside the beloved traditional songs featured on the Top 25 ASCAP Holiday Songs chart, the holiday hits on the Top 10 ASCAP New Classic Holiday Songs chart are on their way to becoming modern standards. The charts, which celebrate the ASCAP songwriters behind the biggest holiday hits, reflect the number of streams and plays a song receives, including the original recording and the many covers recorded by various artists."
“'Santa Tell Me,' co-written by hitmakers Savan Kotecha and Ilya Salmanzadeh, takes the #1 spot on the Top 10 ASCAP New Classic Holiday Songs chart for the first time. Next up on the list is Kelly Clarkson’s 'Underneath the Tree,' co-written with Greg Kurstin. Both songs have become beloved holiday anthems, underscored by their additional inclusion in the ASCAP Top 25 Holiday Songs chart. This year’s seasonal canon also features hits from Jimmy Fallon, Meghan Trainor, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and more."
“There's an undeniable magic surrounding the holidays, and songwriters of every era have found ways to capture that feeling and bring it straight to our hearts,” said Paul Williams, ASCAP Chairman of the Board and President and Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe-winning songwriter.
“'Sleigh Ride' by Leroy Anderson and Mitchell Parish takes the #1 spot on The Top 25 ASCAP Holiday Songs chart for the first time since 2021. A perennial favorite, the ode to winter festivities has taken the top spot several times since the ASCAP chart debuted in 2002 – including in 2015, 2012, 2011 and 2010. No holiday chart would be complete without the iconic Mariah Carey. The single of the season, 'All I Want for Christmas Is You,' co-written with Walter Afanasieff, continues to dominate the airwaves and playlists. This year, José Feliciano’s 'Feliz Navidad' got a shiny, new cover from Latin music legend Marc Anthony, highlighting the festive standard’s enduring popularity."
"Famed holiday hitmaker Johnny Marks takes four of the top 25 spots with 'A Holly Jolly Christmas,' 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,' 'Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree' and 'Run Rudolph Run.' Originally written between 1949 and 1962, his timeless songs have been covered by countless artists including Kacey Musgraves, Jessie J, DMX, Chicago and Dan + Shay to name a few."
"Below are the top 10 most-played ASCAP New Classic Holiday Songs of 2025* and the top 25 most-played ASCAP Holiday Songs of 2025**, all written, co-written or arranged by ASCAP songwriters and composers. Each song is listed with ASCAP-licensed songwriter credits and copyright date."
Listen to the top 10 ASCAP New Classic Holiday Songs here.
Top Holiday Songs Release 2025_proofed_approved.docx
THE TOP 25 ASCAP HOLIDAY SONGS OF 2025:
- “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson and Mitchell Parish (1948)
- “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne (1945)
- “It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” by Meredith Willson (1951)
- “Jingle Bell Rock” by Joseph Carleton Beal and James Ross Boothe (1958)
- “A Holly Jolly Christmas” by Johnny Marks (1962)
- “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Johnny Marks (1958)
- “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin (1944)
- “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” by Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie (1934)
- “Winter Wonderland” by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith (1934)
- “Frosty the Snowman” by Steve Nelson and Walter E. Rollins (1950)
- “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” by Johnny Marks (1949)
- “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Edward Pola and George Wyle (1963)
- “White Christmas” by Irving Berlin (1941)
- “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey (1994)
- “The Christmas Song” by Mel Tormé and Robert Wells (1946)
- “Jingle Bells” (Frank Sinatra version), arranged by Gordon Jenkins (1958)
- “Silver Bells” by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston (1950)
- “Feliz Navidad” by José Feliciano (1970)
- “Here Comes Santa Claus (Down Santa Claus Lane)” by Gene Autry and Oakley Haldeman (1947)
- “Deck the Halls” (Nat King Cole version), arranged by Nat King Cole and Leland Gillette (1960)
- “This Christmas” by Donny Hathaway and Nadine McKinnor (1970)
- “Santa Baby” by Joan Javits, Anthony Springer and Philip Springer (1953)
- “Santa Tell Me” by Savan Kotecha and Ilya Salmanzadeh (2013)
- “Underneath the Tree” by Kelly Clarkson and Greg Kurstin (2013)
- “Run Rudolph Run” by Johnny Marks and Marvin Brodie (1958)
Listen to the top 25 ASCAP Holiday Songs here.
*Based on an analysis of ASCAP streaming and terrestrial radio data and continued ASCAP membership for songs with a copyright date after 2000
**Based on an analysis of ASCAP streaming and terrestrial radio data and continued membership in ASCAP
Pictured: Meghan Trainor
