37 Winter Songs for Snow Days, Cozy Nights and Kids

What are some good songs for the winter season?

The best-known winter songs that are not about Christmas are "Winter Wonderland" and "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!", which never mention the holiday at all. For a modern winter mood, "Sweater Weather" by The Neighbourhood and "Northern Attitude" by Noah Kahan and Hozier are the favorites, and "A Hazy Shade of Winter" by Simon & Garfunkel is the classic rock pick.

Classic winter songs

1. "Winter Wonderland": a walk in the snow, with no mention of Christmas.
2. "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!": staying in while the snow piles up.
3. "Sleigh Ride": the sound of sleigh bells, all winter long.
4. "A Hazy Shade of Winter", Simon & Garfunkel: time passing as the seasons turn; The Bangles covered it in the 80s.
5. "California Dreamin'", The Mamas & the Papas: wishing for warmth on a gray winter day.
6. "I Am a Rock", Simon & Garfunkel: a cold, lonely winter's day.
7. "Song for a Winter's Night", Gordon Lightfoot: missing someone by lamplight.
8. "Snowbird", Anne Murray: a gentle song about the winter bird.
9. "Winter", The Rolling Stones: a long, aching ballad.
10. "Wintertime Love", The Doors: a waltz about keeping warm together.

Rock and pop songs about winter

11. "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)", Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons: a winter night to remember.
12. "A Long December", Counting Crows: hope at the end of a hard year.
13. "Snow (Hey Oh)", Red Hot Chili Peppers: fast, bright and wintry.
14. "Winter", Tori Amos: a piano song about growing up.
15. "Walk Out to Winter", Aztec Camera: jangly 80s indie pop.
16. "Sweater Weather", The Neighbourhood: the song of cold-weather romance.
17. "Winter Song", Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson: a tender duet about love in the cold.
18. "Winter Things", Ariana Grande: a playful list of winter dates.
19. "Coldest Winter", Kanye West: grief that feels like endless cold.
20. "Winter Ahead", V and Park Hyo Shin: a jazzy modern winter ballad.

Folk, country and indie winter songs

21. "White Winter Hymnal", Fleet Foxes: layered harmonies and snow.
22. "Northern Attitude", Noah Kahan and Hozier: about the people shaped by long northern winters.
23. "January Wedding", The Avett Brothers: a sweet song about a winter wedding.
24. "Winter Bird", Aurora: haunting and beautiful.
25. "Colder Weather", Zac Brown Band: a love story stuck in the snow.
26. "Here Comes the Sun", The Beatles: the song for the end of a long, cold winter.

Instrumental winter music

27. "Winter", from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons: shivering strings and a warm fire.
28. "Winter Wind", Chopin's Étude Op. 25 No. 11: a storm on the piano.
29. "Waltz of the Snowflakes", from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker: snow falling in music.
30. "Skating", Vince Guaraldi Trio: light jazz for a frozen pond.

Winter songs for kids

31. "Frosty the Snowman": the classic snowman story.
32. "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?", from Frozen: for every snow day.
33. "Let It Go", from Frozen: the winter anthem every kid knows.
34. "Snowman", Sia: a sweet song about a snowman friend.
35. "Walking in the Air", from The Snowman: a magical flight over the snow.
36. "Five Little Snowmen": a counting song for preschool.
37. "I'm a Little Snowman": sung to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot", with actions.

For a winter party with older kids, "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice always gets a laugh.

Winter songs for a cozy night in

For a quiet evening by the fire, put on "Song for a Winter's Night", "Winter Song", "White Winter Hymnal" and Vivaldi's "Winter". Add "Wintertime Love" and "Snowbird" for something gentle and old-fashioned.

Songs for a winter wedding or anniversary

"January Wedding", "Winter Song", "Wintertime Love" and "Sweater Weather" all fit a winter wedding, an anniversary dinner or a first dance in December, January or February. For more ideas, see our slow dance songs and anniversary songs.

Winter songs for the holidays and the new year

For December parties, see our lists of old Christmas songs and Christmas dance songs. For the end of the month, "A Long December" and our New Year's Eve songs close out the year.

Music for a winter concert

School and community choirs often build a winter concert around non-holiday pieces so that every family feels included. "Winter Wonderland", "Let It Snow!", "Sleigh Ride", "Walking in the Air" and "Waltz of the Snowflakes" are easy to arrange, and "Here Comes the Sun" makes a hopeful finale. Add a song from Frozen for the youngest singers and let the older ones take "A Hazy Shade of Winter".

Songs for the end of winter

When the days get longer, "Here Comes the Sun" is the song almost everyone reaches for. "A Long December" and "California Dreamin'" carry the same feeling of waiting for warmth.

A song for a winter birthday or anniversary

Winter is full of occasions: birthdays in January, anniversaries in February, a ski trip or a snowed-in weekend. A personalized song can put the people, the place and the season into the lyrics, from the first snowfall you saw together to the cabin you rent every year.

How to create a winter song for someone

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: acoustic, pop, folk, jazz and more.
2. Add their name.
3. Share three winter memories: a snow day, a trip, a cozy night in.
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.

Warm someone up with a song about them: create a song and hear four previews for free.