There’s no denying that Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is a modern holiday classic, and as the years pass, its popularity only continues to grow.
Written by Carey and Walter “Baby Love” Afanasieff, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” was originally released on Carey’s 1994 holiday album, Merry Christmas. Over the past three decades, the tune has grown toward “timeless” status, making it a popular cover among younger (and older) artists.
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Ranking every single cover of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” would be a massive undertaking, so for the sake of getting you back your loved ones in a respectable amount of time, we’ve narrowed it down to 10 solid standouts (with a few honorable mentions down below). Now, starting with number one…
1. Aloe Blacc
As we’ve already been over, there are so many covers of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and most artists barely attempt to put their own fingerprint on the song. Aloe Blacc does not fall into this category. Pulling out all the tricks in his big sack of funk, Blacc reimagines and elevates the tune with some holly jolly groove, making stand far, far out from the pack.
2. Jaime Cullum
Another version of the holiday hit that feels more evolved is Jamie Cullum’s from 2018. The jazz-pop singer/songwriter/pianist delivers a jazzy interpretation of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” that you must listen to while sipping hot cocoa by a crackling fireplace.
3. Ingrid Michaelson and Leslie Odom Jr
You’d be hard-pressed to find a cover of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” that’s classier than this one. Reimagined as a duet, Ingrid Michaelson and Leslie Odom Jr. masterfully blend their voices into a heart-aching plea of love under the mistletoe.
4. Idina Menzel
It’s rare for someone to have a voice that can rival Carey’s when performing “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” but if anyone can it’s the wickedly talented Adele Dazeem… sorry, Idina Menzel. Closer to a traditional style rendition, Menzel brings power and spirit to the wintery jingle.
5. Michael Bublé
Look, you already knew Michael Bublé was gonna be here. These days, his version of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is, maybe, as frequently played as Carey’s original track, so it would be disingenuous to ignore how much of an impact his version has had on the song’s role in holiday season culture. In fact, if I were a betting man, I’d put real money down on the chance that his version is your mom’s favorite…
6. Alana Springsteen
If you’ve never heard Alana Springsteen’s version of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” then you probably haven’t had your heart broken over the holidays in the past few years. Even still, you should queue up this beautiful piano-balled version of the song.
7. Patrick Droney
You could probably call this a “neo-blues” rendition of “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” but regardless of how you choose to define it, Patrick Droney’s Michael-Bolton-for-the-new-millenium voice lends itself perfectly to the holiday tune.
8. Niko Moon Ft. Anna Moon
The second duet version of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” on this list lands at number eight on our list. A little folk, a little but jazz, the Moon’s take on the song is — as the kids might say — a bop.
9. Wade Bowen
A couple of others have gotten close, but this is easily the most country-fried rendition of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” on the list. Wade Bowen’s take favors an Americana rhythm but stays pretty true to Carey’s structure in the original tune, making a kind of Scarecrow version of the song.
10. MCR
You can’t have this list and not include My Chemical Romance‘s version of “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Is it for everyone? No… but it’s for a lot of us!
