40 Best Country Christmas Songs 2021

Last year, Keith treated us to an acoustic duet version of this flirty Christmas song, featuring his wife Nicole Kidman on backup vocals.

“Baby, It’s Cold Outside” was first written in 1944, and became popular with the 1949 film Neptune’s Daughter — and ever since, it’s been a Christmas staple. Country power couple Garth and Trisha do what they do best on this track: give it a little country flair.

Cam takes on the melancholy 1943 Bing Crosby tune, adding her sweet twang to the nostalgic tune.

Recently, the legendary country singer celebrated the 60-year anniversary of her take on the classic Christmas song. “I was only 12 going on 13, so that was a biggie to me,” Brenda told Billboard of the popular song she still sings. “Everybody was dressed Christmas-sy and the lights were low … It was wonderful.”

The title track from the Pistol Annies’ new Christmas album, this is your them song if you believe that the holidays start as soon as Halloween ends.

This country Christmas song has been a hit since it was released as a single in 1982. Years later, in 2009, Australian songwriter Allan Caswell sued Sony (which also repped the band Alabama), claiming that the song shared similarities to his 1979 song “On the Inside.” Though it came with plenty of drama, it’s a song that’s remained popular to this day.

It’s all right there in the name — there’s nothing like Christmas in the country! 

Brett performed this song at his third-annual Christmas concert in Nashville in 2016. Everyone from the Beach Boys to Michael Bublé have recorded their own versions, but the OG came from the one and only Elvis Presley in 1957.

Country artist Charley Pride released his first Christmas album in 1970, it was re-released in 2013 with three additional bonus tracks.

Though plenty of country crooners have taken a swing at this one, Reba’s version is one of the best. The song, originally sung by Nat King Cole, was written by musician Mel Tormé and his writing partner Bob Wells, who reportedly wrote a song about the cold to help them endure a harsh summer day.

If the holiday food spread is the highlight of the season for you, this is the Christmas bop you didn’t know you needed.

One of the more bizarre entries into the country Christmas canon, this 1979 song is sure to inspire some laughs.

In November 2011, the trio released their cover of the song that was originally introduced by Judy Garland in the movie Meet Me In St. Louis. But in their version, they use an acoustic guitar for a fresh country feel. 

While the title might seem like a downer, this catchy tune is actually pretty hopeful!

Kellie’s 2007 version of the Christmas carol had a country spin that made it among the best covers in the song’s history. Eartha Kitt first sang it in 1953 and it went on to become a classic holiday tune. 

When Chris released his first Christmas album in 2016, and while there were new classics in there, he co-wrote “It Must Be Christmas.” The album also featured fun collabs with country crooners Alan Jackson and Brad Paisley, and legendary boy band Boyz II Men.  

Though we’ll never get over Mariah Carey’s OG version, country music lovers are obsessed with LeAnn Rimes’s 2004 cover.

Made famous by the Andrews Sisters and Perry Como, this song got some country twang thanks to Brad. It currently stands as one of his top 50 songs on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.

Countless people have covered his song, but nothing beats Bobby’s 1957 original hit. In 2016, it made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at No. 29.

Meredith Wilson initially wrote it back in 1951, but the Christmas-loving country star made it her own. 

You might be surprised that this song has a connection to the show Glee. Though it was originally recorded by Kenny, the writer of the song was Paul Overstreet. Chord Overstreet, his son and a star on the popular show, re-recorded it in 2016. 

Darius called his Christmas album a “lifelong dream,” and he co-wrote this song for it. Released in 2014, the album included covers of classic Christmas songs and a duet to “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” with Sheryl Crow. 

Billboard’s list of Hot Country Song’s includes Luke’s rendition of Chuck Berry’s song. It peaked at No. 42 at the beginning of 2009, but it certainly wasn’t the last of his many, many hits.  

We can’t imagine hearing the theme song for the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas from anyone but the inimitable country star. Interestingly, however, it was co-written by another Christmas music queen: Mariah Carey. 

The titular song on Gwen’s 2017 album featured none other than her country star husband Blake. They’re-released it in 2018 with a brand new music video, which showed a campy version of their celebrations.  

A celebration of the most delicious part of Christmas, “Christmas Cookies” was from 1999 but made it onto the charts three years later. Scotty McCreery and countless others have covered it in the past, but most think of this as George’s best Christmas song. 

One of the musical duos “hottest” songs of their career is “Merry Christmas From the Family.” The classic song was originally recorded by Robert Earl King in 1994, but the country crew made it their own in 2005.