A Fairytale of New York is Britons’ favourite Christmas song – Music News

New polling from YouGov has unwrapped Britain’s definitive list of festive favourites, revealing that The Pogues’ ‘Fairytale of New York’ is the nation’s most cherished Christmas song, securing the top spot with 19% of the vote among those with a preference.

Following closely behind the controversial classic is Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas,’ which captures the festive spirit for 13% of Britons. Further down the list, Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ is the favourite of 7%, while holiday staples like Slade’s ‘Merry Christmas Everybody,’ Chris Rea’s ‘Driving Home for Christmas,’ and Bing Crosby’s ‘White Christmas’ each claim the number one spot for 5% of voters.

The Carol Conundrum

When it comes to traditional hymns, ‘Silent Night’ reigns supreme. Over a quarter (28%) of those with a preferred carol choose the peaceful melody as their top yuletide hymn, establishing it as Britain’s clear favourite. ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’ is the first choice for 7%, followed by ‘Away in a Manger’ (6%), and both ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ and ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ rounding out the top five with 5% each.

Favourite Festive Films

Beyond music, the survey also identified Britain’s most-loved Christmas film. The winner is the iconic family comedy ‘Home Alone,’ which is the favourite Christmas flick for 19% of Britons.

In a result that sparks the annual debate, the arguably-yuletide classic ‘Die Hard’ follows in second place with 11% of the vote. Will Ferrell’s ‘Elf’ is the preferred movie for 9%. For those who prefer romantic holiday fare, ‘Love Actually’ and ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ each capture the hearts of 6-7% of viewers. Other cherished cinematic treats include ‘The Holiday,’ ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol,’ and other Dickens’ adaptations, all chosen by 5% of respondents.