30 R&B Christmas Songs, from Motown and Stax to Mariah and Ariana

What is the best R&B Christmas song?

"This Christmas" by Donny Hathaway, released in 1970, is the R&B Christmas song most artists still cover, and Chris Brown's version became a hit of its own in 2007. "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey is the most popular of all, and "What Christmas Means to Me" by Stevie Wonder is the Motown classic.

Soul and blues Christmas classics

1. "This Christmas", Donny Hathaway (1970): warm, joyful and endlessly covered.
2. "What Christmas Means to Me", Stevie Wonder (1967): a Motown celebration.
3. "Someday at Christmas", Stevie Wonder (1967): a hopeful song about peace.
4. "Merry Christmas Baby", Charles Brown (1947): the blues Christmas original.
5. "Please Come Home for Christmas", Charles Brown (1960): later covered by the Eagles and Bon Jovi.
6. "White Christmas", Otis Redding (1968): the Bing Crosby classic, reborn as soul.
7. "Back Door Santa", Clarence Carter (1968): funky and cheeky, later sampled by Run-DMC.
8. "Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto", James Brown (1968): a funk song with a message.
9. "Silent Night", The Temptations (1970): the deep-voiced version on every R&B station.
10. "Give Love on Christmas Day", The Jackson 5 (1970): a sweet ballad about giving.
11. "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town", The Jackson 5 (1970): young Michael at full speed.
12. "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)", Darlene Love (1963): a girl-group powerhouse.
13. "The Christmas Song", Nat King Cole: the velvet-voiced standard.
14. "Gee Whiz, It's Christmas", Carla Thomas (1963): Memphis soul from Stax.
15. "Purple Snowflakes", Marvin Gaye (1964): a smooth Motown rarity.
16. "I Want to Come Home for Christmas", Marvin Gaye: recorded in 1972 and released years later.
17. "Christmas Ain't Christmas Without the One You Love", The O'Jays: a Philly soul love song.

80s and 90s R&B Christmas songs

18. "Do You Hear What I Hear?", Whitney Houston (1987): a soaring vocal.
19. "Joy to the World", Whitney Houston (1996): a gospel celebration from The Preacher's Wife.
20. "Who Would Imagine a King", Whitney Houston (1996): a gentle lullaby.
21. "All I Want for Christmas Is You", Mariah Carey (1994): the modern standard.
22. "Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)", Mariah Carey (1994): a slow jam about missing someone.
23. "Let It Snow", Boyz II Men (1993): smooth harmonies with Brian McKnight.
24. "Every Year, Every Christmas", Luther Vandross (1995): a romantic ballad.

Modern R&B Christmas songs

25. "8 Days of Christmas", Destiny's Child (2001): a fun countdown.
26. "One Wish (For Christmas)", Whitney Houston (2003): a heartfelt holiday wish.
27. "Oh Santa!", Mariah Carey (2010): later remade with Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson.
28. "Mistletoe", Justin Bieber (2011): laid-back and catchy.
29. "Snow in California", Ariana Grande (2013): a sweet R&B ballad.
30. "Santa Tell Me", Ariana Grande (2014): playful pop and R&B.

Hip-hop Christmas songs

Hip-hop has its own holiday classics: "Christmas in Hollis" by Run-DMC, built on a sample of "Back Door Santa", and "Christmas Rappin'" by Kurtis Blow, one of the first rap records ever released. Both sit well next to the soul classics on a party playlist. More 80s picks are in our 80s Christmas songs.

R&B Christmas songs for the whole family

For a gathering with kids and grandparents, "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town", "Give Love on Christmas Day", "What Christmas Means to Me" and "All I Want for Christmas Is You" please every generation at once. Save "Back Door Santa" for the grown-ups' part of the night.

An R&B Christmas party playlist

• Dinner: "The Christmas Song", "This Christmas", "Every Year, Every Christmas".
• Getting the party started: "What Christmas Means to Me", "Back Door Santa", "8 Days of Christmas".
• Dancing: "All I Want for Christmas Is You", "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town", "Oh Santa!".
• Late night: "Merry Christmas Baby", "Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)", "Silent Night".

For more dance-floor picks, see our Christmas dance songs.

Slow R&B Christmas songs for couples

For a romantic night in, "Every Year, Every Christmas", "Christmas Ain't Christmas Without the One You Love", "Let It Snow" and "Snow in California" set the mood. "Merry Christmas Baby" adds a little blues.

Gospel and soulful Christmas carols

For a soulful take on the carols, play The Temptations' "Silent Night", Whitney Houston's "Joy to the World" and "Do You Hear What I Hear?". More carols and worship songs are in our list of Christian Christmas songs.

R&B Christmas songs by decade

The 60s and 70s brought the soul classics, the 90s brought Mariah, Whitney and Boyz II Men, and the 2000s added Destiny's Child and Ariana Grande. For more from each era, see our 70s Christmas songs, 90s Christmas songs and old Christmas songs.

A soulful Christmas song about your family

A personalized Christmas song in an R&B style makes a warm gift: your family's names, this year's moments and your traditions, sung with the feel of a 70s Christmas record. See our guide to a Christmas song for the family.

For the top 100 across every style and decade, see our list of the greatest Christmas songs of all time.

How to create an R&B Christmas song

1. Choose the R&B style from 14 genres.
2. Add the names of everyone in the song.
3. Share three moments from the year and your favorite traditions.
4. Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $24.99, or $29.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Give your family a soul Christmas of its own: create a song and hear four previews for free.