By BBC Music Magazine

Published: Monday, 22 November 2021 at 12:00 am


Christmas carols. Without them, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas. From angel-singing, bell-ringing ebullience to deep, spiritual contemplation, nothing can match the Christmas carol in terms of creating an atmosphere – whether echoing through a vast cathedral, or sung by children in a nativity play, their power to move can be simply overwhelming.

But what are the truly great Christmas carols of all time? We reveal the top Christmas carol songs, as voted for by 50 top choral experts from around the world. Do you agree with their choices or have we missed your favourite Christmas carol?

The best Christmas carols ever

 

25. Silent Night 

‘On Christmas Eve 1818 priest Joseph Mohr turned up on the doorstep of his friend Franz Xaver Gruber and asked him to write a Christmas carol’ (read more about how the carol Silent Night was composed here…)