The 18 best Christmas songs, ranked: From Last Christmas to Fairytale of New York

Merry Christmas, one and all, it's time to break out the mince pies (as if you haven't already), pour the prosecco and put on some festive music.

Christmas songs don't always have to be merry – among the most beloved festive tunes are "2,000 Miles" by The Pretenders, which is curiously bleak, and the heartbreak of Wham!'s "Last Christmas".

Of course, there are plenty of upbeat songs on our list, too, from Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" to Mariah Carey's"All I Want for Christmas is You".

Here are some of our favourites, from Forties classics to more recent pop hits, to get your Christmas celebrations into full swing.

You can also listen to our classic Christmas playlist on Spotify:

Click through the gallery below to see the top 18 Christmas songs: