From punk and indie to hip-hop and alternative rock, these unconventional Christmas songs take a different approach to the holidays. The list highlights tracks that favor storytelling, mood and honesty over tradition.

Over the years since Charles Dickens first published A Christmas Carol in 1843, there have been hundreds of adaptations, from silent to sound and animated films to stage productions. Hundreds of people have stepped up to the plate to bring the cold and unhappy Ebenezer Scrooge to life,

The version of A Christmas Carol starring Guy Pearce and Andy Serkis is taking off on streaming, six years after it aired on the BBC.

An actor at the Dickens Museum in London is delivering dramatic performances of the classic holiday tale, just like the writer himself once did for sold-out crowds.

Drinking Christmas songs, romantic Christmas songs, rowdy Christmas songs and spiritual Christmas songs all make this list.

Ahead of a new Christmas Carol adaptation starring Johnny Depp and Daisy Ridley in 2026, it’s certainly worth watching FX’s 2019 TV iteration, which is now streamable on Hulu, and Disney+ internationally. Guy Pearce is extraordinary in his role as Ebenezer Scrooge, bringing something entirely different to the part from any of his predecessors.

Greece is steeped in fascinating holiday traditions, with its Christmas carols, or kalanda, being some of the most heartwarming customs.

To skirt the now-grating classics and AI slop, we’ve compiled a playlist of tunes spanning folk, R&B, and alt-rock, all from 2000 and onwards.