Beyond Mariah: Your Alternative Playlist for When You're Tired of the Same Old Christmas Songs

It's that time of year again. If the endless loop of Mariah Carey and Wham! has you reaching for the mute button, you're not alone. Holiday music fatigue is real, but thankfully, there's a world of festive tracks beyond the handful on constant rotation.

For those looking to refresh their seasonal sound, The Verge has compiled a list of 10 suggestions for a holiday playlist that are “hopefully a little less obvious.”

The list embraces a long-standing tradition of more somber holiday music, sometimes called “downer Christmas songs.” A prime example highlighted is Tom Waits' “Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis.”

This track joins the ranks of melancholic classics like The Pogues' “Fairytale of New York.” According to The Verge, the Tom Waits song is perhaps the most potent of them all, described as a holiday song “guaranteed to bring the party down.” It offers a poignant alternative to the relentless cheer of mainstream carols.

PRISM Insight: The growing demand for alternative holiday playlists signals a broader cultural shift in how we experience the festive season. It reflects a move away from prescriptive, one-size-fits-all cheer toward curating personal experiences that acknowledge a fuller spectrum of emotions—nostalgia, melancholy, and quiet reflection included. In a highly commercialized season, the personalized playlist has become a tool for reclaiming authentic emotional expression.