All I want for Christmas is...an Alternative Holiday Playlist.

It’s that time of year again – and whether you’ve challenged your friends to play a few rounds of Whamageddon or you’re waiting to hear Fairytale of New York to get you in the mood, we’re all keeping an ear open for those Christmas tracks.

Alternative Christmas Music

At Imagesound we start putting together our brands' festive soundtracks in the summer and as you might expect we come across all sorts of music, old and new – some of which doesn’t make your playlists. We  thought that we’d have a bit of festive fun and share our ’12 weird and wonderful tracks of Christmas’ (mainly wonderful!) so grab a mince pie and a glass of brandy, sit back and enjoy the sleigh ( or should that be Slade) ride.

1. A real festive surprise! Who would have thought Bob Dylan had a Christmas album? The stand out track is Must Be Santa  – a cover version of a song originally released in the 60s. The polkatastic themed tune makes it a stand out on anyone’s Spotify party list.
2. Prefer something a bit more – unusual? How about Krautrockers Can’s 1976 version of Silent Night . No novelty, this has their twinkly synths and rattling tramline beat to update a Teutonic staple we all love.
3. It’s possible by now that you might be suffering festive fatigue – well The Staple Singers will remind you about what’s important at this time of year with Who Took the Merry Out of Christmas –  it’s not typical but it is wonderful.
4. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a fun fact, so dazzle your friends and with the knowledge that Jon Bon Jovi made his debut on  R2D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas  on the 1980 release Christmas in the Stars – an unashamed cash in on the infant Star Wars franchise.
5. Nothing to your taste yet? Fancy some rap to go with your wrapping? Run DMC imagined what would happen if they found Santa’s wallet in Christmas in Hollis and reminds you to be good.
6.  Not had enough of (w)rapping yet? Check out Kayne West’s Christmas in Harlem  – Santa’s upgraded to a Porsche driven sleigh and there’s the promise of that pair of Louboutins that have languished on your wish list for years.
7. What’s Christmas though without cheese and who better to fit the bill than the Weather Girls? Not content with being rained on by men they’re demanding more with Dear Santa (Bring Me A Man This Christmas) – it’s a must to accompany your Cherry B, Snowballs and Babycham.
8. If we’re lucky it’ll be snowing by now – and what better to accompany that than some fey synth pop from Swedish duo Sally Shapiro – our lead girl wonders if the boy that she met at a gig will stick around for the big day in Anorak Christmas.
9. Another cover – this one to appeal to those of us whose musical tastes veer toward post punk  – Manchester’s Mark E.Smith exhibits unusual seasonal cheer with The Fall’s Hark the Herald Angels Sing.
10. For lots of us it wouldn’t be Christmas without The Muppets and on a snowy winter night CeeLo Green gatecrashes their party and tells them that All I Need is Love. He’d better watch out because Miss Piggy gives the Weather Girls a run for their money and has her beady on that convertible Rolls.
11. If your Christmas veers toward the gothic may we suggest Cocteau Twins version of Frosty the Snowman – released on a mega rare 1997 EP called Snow.
12. Finally – we’ve saved the best for last. Donny Hathaway’s 1968 classic This Christmas was overlooked at the time but has taken off since it’s reissue in the early 1990s – it’s now the 30^th most performed Christmas track in the US according to ASCAP. Why it took so long to shine is anyone’s guess as it’ll give you those festive feels all season long.

If you think that your current music providers soundtrack is lacking give us a call and we’d be happy to have a chat – now or if you’re looking to swap in the New Year – give us a call on 01246 572990 or email on info@imagesound.com. We love to chat!

Happy Christmas and Feliz Navidad!