America's Most Popular Christmas Songs by State (2025)
We analyzed data across all 50 states to find America's favorite holiday song hits
By Wiingy Research Team
Introduction
Ever notice how the same Christmas songs seem to play everywhere during the holidays? From shops to family gatherings, certain tunes just feel like Christmas.
But here's the thing: what counts as the "perfect" holiday song actually varies a lot depending on where you live.
We wanted to find out what Americans are really listening to this holiday season, not just what's popular nationwide, but what each state loves most. The results? Surprisingly different from what you might expect.
To get the full picture, we at Wiingy analyzed Google Trends data across all 50 states during the 2025 holiday season to identify the most popular Christmas songs in each state.
We cross-referenced search interest with songs from the Billboard Holiday 100 chart, focusing on those featured in well-known Christmas movies.
Most Popular Christmas Song in Each U.S. State
What's your state's #1 Christmas song?
Every state has its own idea of what the perfect holiday tune sounds like and the results might surprise you.
Here's a state-by-state breakdown of America's favorite Christmas songs.
← Scroll table horizontally on small screens →
| State | Top Song | Artist | Movie/Featured In |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | White Christmas | The Drifters | The Santa Clause (1994) |
| Alabama | Santa Baby | Eartha Kitt | Elf (2003) |
| Arizona | Happy Xmas (War Is Over) | John Lennon & Yoko Ono | Various Documentaries & Films |
| Arkansas | Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree | Brenda Lee | Home Alone (1990) |
| California | Last Christmas | Wham! | Last Christmas (2019) |
| Colorado | It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year | Andy Williams | Elf (2003) |
| Connecticut | Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree | Brenda Lee | Home Alone (1990) |
| Delaware | Sleigh Ride | The Ronettes | Various Holiday Films |
| Florida | Merry Christmas | Ed Sheeran & Elton John | Recent Release (2021) |
| Georgia | Linus And Lucy (Peanuts Theme) | Vince Guaraldi Trio | A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) |
| Hawaii | Mele Kalikimaka | Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters | Various Holiday Films |
| Idaho | Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24) | Trans-Siberian Orchestra | Various TV Commercials & Programs |
| Illinois | Wonderful Christmastime | Paul McCartney | Various Holiday Films |
| Indiana | Santa Tell Me | Ariana Grande | Modern Classic |
| Iowa | The Christmas Song | Nat King Cole | The Christmas Chronicles (2018) |
| Kansas | Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree | Brenda Lee | Home Alone (1990) |
| Kentucky | All I Want For Christmas Is You | Mariah Carey | Love Actually (2003) |
| Louisiana | Please Come Home For Christmas | Eagles | Home Alone (1990) |
| Maine | Little Saint Nick | The Beach Boys | Various Holiday Films |
| Maryland | Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree | Brenda Lee | Home Alone (1990) |
| Massachusetts | Cozy Little Christmas | Katy Perry | Modern Release |
| Michigan | It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas | Michael Bublé | Home Alone 2 (1992) |
| Minnesota | Wonderful Christmastime | Paul McCartney | Various Holiday Films |
| Mississippi | Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) | Darlene Love | Gremlins (1984) |
| Missouri | Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree | Brenda Lee | Home Alone (1990) |
| Montana | Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree | Brenda Lee | Home Alone (1990) |
| Nebraska | Deck The Halls | Nat King Cole | Christmas with the Kranks (2004) |
| Nevada | Jingle Bell Rock | Bobby Helms | Mean Girls (2004) |
| New Hampshire | Sleigh Ride | The Ronettes | Various Holiday Films |
| New Jersey | Little Saint Nick | The Beach Boys | Various Holiday Films |
| New Mexico | Wrap Me Up | Jimmy Fallon & Meghan Trainor | Modern Release |
| New York | Do They Know It's Christmas? | Band Aid | Various Films |
| North Carolina | A Holly Jolly Christmas | Burl Ives | Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964 TV) |
| North Dakota | Blue Christmas | Elvis Presley | Various Holiday Films |
| Ohio | It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas | Johnny Mathis | Various Films |
| Oklahoma | Underneath The Tree | Kelly Clarkson | Modern Classic |
| Oregon | Last Christmas | Wham! | Last Christmas (2019) |
| Pennsylvania | Run Rudolph Run | Chuck Berry | Home Alone (1990) |
| Rhode Island | Run Rudolph Run | Chuck Berry | Home Alone (1990) |
| South Carolina | Happy Holiday / The Holiday Season | Andy Williams | Holiday Inn (1942) |
| South Dakota | Jingle Bells | Frank Sinatra | Jingle All the Way (1996) |
| Tennessee | Here Comes Santa Claus | Gene Autry | Classic Western Films |
| Texas | Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas | Frank Sinatra | Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) |
| Utah | Last Christmas | Wham! | Last Christmas (2019) |
| Vermont | Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! | Dean Martin | Die Hard (1988) |
| Virginia | It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year | Andy Williams | Elf (2003) |
| Washington | Last Christmas | Wham! | Last Christmas (2019) |
| West Virginia | White Christmas | Bing Crosby | White Christmas (1954) |
| Wisconsin | Last Christmas | Wham! | Last Christmas (2019) |
| Wyoming | Hallelujah | Pentatonix | Shrek (2001) - Cover Version |
Understanding how each state listens to Christmas music shows us more than just song choices, it reveals America's holiday habits, traditions, and preferences.
- Pre-2000 songs come out on top in 38 states (76%), proving that when it comes to Christmas music, Americans prefer their parents' playlist over their own. When it comes to the classics? Crooners like Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, and Andy Williams are still fan favorites in over a quarter of U.S. states, proving that holiday music loyalty runs generationally deep.
- Brenda Lee is officially The Queen of Christmas: Her iconic 1958 song "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" is the #1 Christmas song in 6 states (12%), showing how strongly it connects across generations.
- Wham's "Last Christmas" is a Top Pick in 5 States: Despite being released in 1984, 5 states (10%) chose it as their top Christmas song. The song's appeal hasn't faded at all; it continues to return to holiday playlists year after year.
- Mariah Carey is everywhere… even when she isn't #1: "All I Want For Christmas Is You" is the second-most searched song in 25 states, but it only reaches #1 in Kentucky. This shows how widely the song is played and loved but can't quite top the charts.
- Modern Music Struggles to Break Through: Only 4 states chose songs released after 2010: Florida (Ed Sheeran), Indiana (Ariana Grande), Massachusetts (Katy Perry), New Mexico (Jimmy Fallon & Meghan Trainor). This means 92% of states still lean toward older, familiar songs rather than newer holiday releases.
Movies With the Most Popular Christmas Songs in America
Which Christmas movie has the best soundtrack according to American listeners?
When tracing each state's top Christmas song to the movie it came from, a clear hierarchy comes into focus. A few movies appear again and again across states, while others have small but loyal followings.
← Scroll table horizontally on small screens →
| Rank | Film | States Ranking #1 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Home Alone Franchise (1990, 1992) | 10 states |
| 2 | Last Christmas (2019) | 5 states |
| 3 | Elf (2003) | 3 states |
| 4 | Mean Girls / Jingle All the Way (1996–2004) | 2 states each |
| 5 | White Christmas / Holiday Inn (1942–1954) | 2 states each |
| 6 | Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964 TV) | 1 state |
| 7 | A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) | 1 state |
Note: "States Ranking #1" indicates the number of states where a song from that film ranked as the most popular Christmas song.
The Home Alone franchise takes the top spot, with 10 states selecting songs from the 1990 and 1992 films.
It's no surprise, as a generation of Americans who grew up with the McCallister family as their holiday companions continues to cherish these songs. Those who loved the films as kids are now the ones controlling the family playlist, keeping these tracks alive every December.
However, Home Alone wasn't the only film with lasting appeal.
Last Christmas (2019) topped in 5 states, making it the only 21st-century movie to crack the top three, proof that a great soundtrack can turn even a newer film into a seasonal favorite.
Meanwhile, golden-age Hollywood hasn't been forgotten. White Christmas (1954) and Holiday Inn (1942) ranked first in 2 states, demonstrating that some classics only get better with time.
For families who gather around the TV every December, animated classics like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) and A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) still hold a special place, standing out as a favorite in one state.
Conclusion
What does America's Christmas music say about us? Perhaps more than we'd expect.
The classics remain popular not because we don't have new songs, but because Christmas is fundamentally about continuity: the same songs our parents played, the same movies we watched as children, the same melodies that signal the season has truly arrived.
However, even within that shared tradition, each state has carved out its own identity. Some stick to timeless favorites, others surprise us with unexpected picks, and a few stand completely apart. Together, they create a holiday playlist as diverse as the country itself.
And whether a state celebrates with Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" or Dean Martin's "Let It Snow", one thing is clear: there's no single "American" Christmas song. This variety is exactly what makes our holiday soundtrack special.
Methodology
We conducted an analysis using Google Trends data from the 2025 holiday season to identify America's favorite Christmas movie songs by state.
The songs were selected from the Billboard Holiday 100 chart (as of November 29, 2025), which combines data from streaming platforms, radio airplay, and digital sales.
All songs included in the analysis were verified to be featured in widely recognized Christmas films. Google Trends data was gathered from November 1 to December 2, 2025, using the "Interest by Subregion" filter.
Each song was individually searched with consistent parameters: the United States, custom date range, and state-level interest data.
The findings were then compiled and compared across all 50 states to present a comprehensive overview of regional preferences for holiday movie music.
Analysis Framework
- State-Level Identification: Each song's top-performing state was identified based on the highest search interest score.
- Regional Grouping: States were grouped into four geographic regions, Northeast, Midwest, Southwest, and West, to identify regional patterns.
- Cross-Tabulation Analysis: Revealed trends in genre preferences, artist popularity, and era prevalence by region.
- Geographic Spread Scores: Calculated to measure how broadly each song resonates across states versus being concentrated in specific areas.
Limitations: Google Trends data reflects relative search interest, not absolute search volume. A score of 100 represents peak popularity for a term in that region. This means our findings show which songs generated the most interest compared to other searches in each state. The data serves as a strong indicator of regional preferences and cultural relevance.
Wiingy Research Team
The Wiingy Research Team includes Shifa as the Lead Researcher, along with Sharanya and Suhani. Together, they focus on data-driven studies that uncover emerging trends and meaningful insights. Their collaborative research plays a key role in guiding Wiingy's innovation and strategy.
Each member brings unique expertise, curiosity, and analytical thinking to the team. Through their work, the team continues to strengthen Wiingy's research foundation and impact.
Their insights drive the development of new initiatives and inform data-backed decisions that shape Wiingy's future. By staying ahead of industry trends, they ensure Wiingy remains a leader in the evolving education landscape.
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