Indie Christmas Music
The album cover of the Home Alone, Too single by The Staves
December 11, 2020
As much as I love the holiday season, sometimes the music is a little too hyped for an early morning or study time. On my journey to find more relaxing Christmas music, I discovered a Spotify playlist called “Indie Christmas.”
I have been listening to this playlist religiously. I was shocked to find how much variation indie artists put into their Christmas music. The originals always interesting because they are nothing like mainstream Christmas. The indie renditions of popular Christmas music have a whole new energy and “jammability” added.
Here is my top ten list of indie Christmas that I think my fellow indie fans, or people wanting some new Christmas sounds should try:
- “Just Like Christmas”, Low
- “White Winter Hymnal”, Fleet Foxes
- “Marshmallow World”, The Regrettes
- “Someone to Spend Christmas With”, The Spook School
- “It’s Christmas”, Cody
- “Vegetarian Christmas”, Feet
- “Father Christmas”, together PANGEA
- “Home Alone, Too”, The Staves
- “Christmas Is Going To The Dogs”, Eels
- “You Won’t Love Me By Christmas”, Miniature Tigers
You can also access the original Spotify playlist at this link: Click Here!
Hazel Lloyd, a student at ERHS, believes that “indie Christmas music is for the person who wants to get into the holiday spirit without the in your face cheer most Christmas music prides itself on.”
Lloyd continues by saying, “Most of it carries the same happy message, but wrapped in a less abrasive package.”
My absolute favorite thing Lloyd said was, “indie holiday songs that aren’t merry and full of light allow people who have a strong distain for Christmas and all things cheery feel at home in music that shares their sentiment.”
While not all indie holiday is dark and moody, the ones that are really are a wonderful way for people who don’t like the holidays find community.
Hailee Hammond “sometimes feels like the radio only plays the same twelve songs, and it becomes easy to get bored. Indie artist renditions of holiday classics are always unique- they make the songs their own.”
Hammond continues with how she personally “gravitates towards this subgenre because it is often more relaxed and captures some of the more nuanced feelings around this time of year.”
Indie Christmas music is not for everyone, but I do think everyone should give it a try at least once.
