Brits' ultimate Christmas driving songs and habits revealed
Jingle all the way home: Brits’ ultimate Christmas driving songs revealed
- The top 30 songs Britons love listening to while driving home for Christmas
- READ MORE: How to say no to Christmas party invitations without losing friends
As we’re getting closer to the big day, most Brits will be getting ready for the all important drive home to their families for Christmas.
As well as making sure all your gifts are all bought and wrapped, there’s one more important thing to prepare – your festive driving playlist.
New research by Škoda has revealed the top 30 Yuletide songs Britons love to listen to while driving home for Christmas…and the number one spot shockingly doesn’t go to Chris Rea’s iconic tune.
Last year, Driving Home for Christmas did come out on top, but this time it’s been knocked off the top spot.
Read on full for the full list of the nations top 30 songs you need to have on your holidays driving playlist.
As we’re getting closer to the big day, most Brits will be getting ready for the all important drive home to their families for Christmas (stock image)
The top festive driving tune of 2023 is Fairytale of New York by the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl.
It comes as a fitting tribute to the bands frontman, Shane MacGowan, who died last month aged 65.
The singer was battling viral encephalitis – a life-threatening condition that leads to brain swelling – and had been in and out of Dublin’s St Vincent’s Hospital for months.
He passed away peacefully with his wife Victoria Mary Clarke and family by his side.
The 1987 hit became a Christmas classic selling millions of copies worldwide, and now it’s taken the top spot, followed by Driving Home for Christmas by Chris Rea.
Last Christmas by Wham! came third in the vote of 2,000 motorists, followed by I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday by Wizzard in fourth place.
Rounding off the top five is Slade’s 1973 hit, Merry Xmas Everybody.
The resarch also revealed that more than a quarter (26%) will be driving more than 200 miles to ‘home’ this Christmas with five per cent driving for eight hours or more.
New research by Škoda has revealed the top 30 Yuletide songs Britons love to listen to while driving home for Christmas…and the number one spot shockingly doesn’t go to Chris Rea’s iconic tune
READ MORE: The cost of Christmas crisis: How cash-strapped British families are paying for £15 hog roast rolls and £12 chips to help X-mas stall owners make ‘over £80,000 in two months’
It also emerged that 54 per cent enjoy driving over the festive period with 30 per cent feeling a Yuletide playlist is ‘essential’ when making the journey home for Christmas.
Yuletide playlists were voted the third most important winter ‘travel essential’, behind a windscreen scraper and phone charger, and ahead of snacks and gloves.
Only a Scrooge-like six per cent of travellers said they never sing along to Christmas songs in the car.
In sixth and seventh place on the list are Do They Know It’s Christmas? by Band Aid and All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey.
Elton John’s Step into Christmas is eighth favourite, with Santa Claus Is Coming to Town by Bruce Springsteen and It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams also making the top ten.
Other songs on the ultimate driving playlist include Stay Another Day by East 17, White Christmas by Bing Crosby and Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano
‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ by Brenda Lee also features, as does Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by John Lennon and Yoko Ono and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town by Jackson Five
The study also found the ideal length for a Christmas playlist is 18 songs – those polled also had their say on the ingredients for a bonafide classic festive hit, with a catchy chorus (44 per cent), festive lyrics (35 per cent), and a nostalgic connection (33 per cent) considered key.
Music Psychology Lecturer at University of York, Mimi O’Neill, said: ‘Music has the ability to elicit nostalgia as it can evoke a strong connection between sound and memory.
‘When individuals interact with music, it activates neural networks connected to emotions and memory retrieval, prompting the resurgence of both memories and the feelings attached to them.
‘In particular, Christmas songs often carry sentimental associations with cherished holiday moments, contributing to a nostalgic allure.
‘The popularity of the list’s top three songs, ‘Fairytale of New York’, ‘Last Christmas’, and ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday’ as driving songs during the Christmas season are unsurprising, as they exhibit well-crafted and catchy melodies that resonate with a broad audience, providing a musically engaging experience conducive to driving.
‘Additionally, their lyrics encapsulate the essence of the holiday season, evoking emotions and themes associated with Christmas, such as love, celebration, and the festive spirit.’
THE UK’S TOP 30 CHRISTMAS DRIVING SONGS
1. Fairytale of New York by the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl
2. Driving Home for Christmas by Chris Rea
3. Last Christmas by Wham!
4. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday by Wizzard
5. Merry Xmas Everybody by Slade
6. Do They Know It’s Christmas? by Band Aid
7. All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey
8. Step into Christmas by Elton John
9. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town by Bruce Springsteen
10. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams
11. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee
12. Stay Another Day by East 17
13. White Christmas by Bing Crosby
14. Mary’s Boy Child by Boney M
15. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by John Lennon and Yoko Ono
16. It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas by Perry Como and the Fontane Sisters
17. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! by Dean Martin
18. Peace on Earth/The Little Drummer Boy by Bing Crosby and David Bowie
19. Wonderful Christmastime by Paul McCartney
20. Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano
21. Winter Wonderland by Michael Bublé
22. Lonely This Christmas by Mud
23. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Frank Sinatra
24. Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End) by The Darkness
25. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town by Jackson Five
26. Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses
27. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters
28. In Dulci Jubilo by Mike Oldfield
29. Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms
30. Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt
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