25 festive pop songs perfect for your holiday playlist

“Wonderful Christmastime” – Kylie Minogue & MIKA

Original Christmas songs are always fun, but sometimes the covers they inspire are just as great. Paul McCartney released “Wonderful Christmastime” way back in 1979, and it became an instant classic that comes back onto the airwaves every year. The song has been covered by pretty much everyone, including Diana Ross, Hilary Duff, Demi Lovato, Kelly Rowland, Jimmy Buffett, and even Mac Demarco. Every one of those covers could land on your playlist, but I thought I would choose my personal favorite: Kylie Minogue featuring Mika.

Kylie and Mika’s version of “Wonderful Christmastime” appeared on the 2016 reissue of Kylie Christmas: Snow Queen Edition. The album also featured several holiday classics like “Winter Wonderland” and “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town” and had collaborations with performers like Iggy Pop, her sister Dannii, and James Corden. “Wonderful Christmastime” sticks pretty closely to McCartney’s original, but with a more electronic pop sound and the bubbly pop vocals of Kylie and Mika. The duo premiered the song on Mika’s Italian variety show Stasera Casa Mika in 2016.

Like the original, their cover utilizes sleigh bells to give that signature Christmas feeling, but with a more modern sound. They might be singing about having a wonderful Christmastime, but really it could be a fun song to listen to all year long. Christmas doesn’t have to be all about pianos and orchestras to make a classic!