Music

30 versions of Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ ranked, from Justin Bieber to Glee

Dec 23
Written by Marcus Wratten

Dolly Parton, the cast of Glee, and Jimmy Fallon have all covered Mariah’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’. (Getty/Fox/Canva)

If you wish to understand the enduring legacy of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” – the song which, 30 years on, has cemented the singer as the undisputed Queen of Christmas, then look to Spotify.

Of course, consider the song’s streaming numbers: it currently has more than two billion listens, a number that will only increase year-on-year forevermore. But if you want to get a grasp of quite how much impact the track has had on the artists that have since followed in her snow-dusted footprints, you need only look to one Spotify playlist, which features 647 covers – yes, six-hundred-and-forty-seven covers – of the song.

Now, we decided not to rank them all as frankly, we’d have needed to have started back in July. So, to mark the 30th anniversary of this timeless classic, we’ve selected 30 covers to rank from very, very bad to very, very classic and original and inaugural (no spoilers here!).

There’s country covers, there’s R&B covers, there’s covers by music legends, and there’s a cover by Jimmy Fallon. It’s all here, folks! So let’s get into it.

(Oh, and if you enjoy this list, check out our 35 covers of Wham!’s “Last Christmas” ranked, too.)

30. Miranda Sings (2009)

Mariah Carey has been known for her numerous and varied feuds over the years – Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj, Eminem – but after hearing this woefully unfunny version of “All I Want For Christmas Is You”, the only feud worth Mimi’s time is one with YouTuber and famed ukulele strummer, Colleen Ballinger (AKA, lipstick-smeared former YouTube sensation Miranda Sings).

Shockingly though, this isn’t the biggest stinker in Ballinger’s discography – that accolade belongs to “The Toxic Gossip Train”.

29. Trap Remix Guys (2019)

Considering this version by the Trap Remix Guys is only 90 seconds long, there’s a troubling lack of trap remixing until approximately one minute in. Which begs the question: was this necessary?

28. Big Time Rush (2010)

There are many ways to make an “All I Want For Christmas Is You” cover version original, but taking the iconic opening celesta chimes and rearranging them out of sync is one deserving of a stocking full of coal.

This rendition from Nickelodeon boyband Big Time Rush is as artificial as the group itself, with a tinny cacophony of vocals overlaying wobbly bass and sugared beats. It would play over the speakers at a Winter Wonderland event organised by the team behind the Glasgow Willy Wonka experience.

27. Killstation (2020)

You know what, props to Killstation. When we began this venture, we knew we’d hear many different takes, genres and iterations of Mariah Carey’s festive hit, but never did we expect to hear one that could soundtrack Saw XI.

Here, the sweet opening chime sounds like a jack-in-a-box in a house in which all occupants have been slaughtered, while Killstation – real name Nolan Santana – sounds more bloodthirsty than thirsty for an eggnog. It’s over in 90 seconds though; the perfect length to overlay a holiday horror film trailer in the near future.

26. Dolly Parton and Jimmy Fallon (2020)

This strange, banjo-flecked rendition begins with Dolly Parton claiming that, out of everyone on earth, it’s The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon she’s “always” wanted to duet with the most, and ends with the “Jolene” singer calling her new music mate a “sexy boy”.

The filling to this stomach-turning sandwich of lies plays like a recorded karaoke session, but at least the country twang sets it apart from the rest.

25. Pearl, Fast Forward >> and Tazzy (2022)

Mariah Carey after six gingerbread lattes.

24. Barry Manilow (2023)

Crooner and professional Las Vegas-botherer Barry Manilow certainly doesn’t need to make any more coin than we’re sure he already has. But, if he ever does find himself in a tight spot, his Carey cover would perfectly soundtrack a scene from a festive Hallmark movie in which Chad Michael Murray and Lindsay Lohan play characters who fall madly in love after a joint social faux pax at the office Christmas party.

23. Agnes and Måns Zelmerlöw (2007)

Before she became known as a crowd-drawer at Mighty Hoopla, and even before she changed gay pre-drinks for good with the release of 2009’s “Release Me”, Agnes was the winner of Swedish Idol in 2005.

This soupy cover was released in 2007 and features her fellow Idol contestant Måns Zelmerlöw (who came fifth on the series, but went on to win Eurovision in 2015), so she can be forgiven: if she were to release a Mariah Carey Christmas cover now, we’d expect it to be baked with scathing ‘80s synths and histrionic violin strings.

22. CeeLo Green (2012)

I get the same feeling listening to CeeLo Green’s version of “All I Want For Christmas” that I imagine I’d get from eating a handful of candy canes, a box of Celebrations, five selection boxes, and a six pack of mince pies within half an hour. It’s far too sugary, far too sickly, and dare we say it, far too merry.

21. Kidz Bop Kids (2018)

The Kids Bop Kids version cuts off the opening chimes of the original entirely, which instantly sends it plummeting towards the bottom end of the list. Do these children have no respect? It’s a shame as otherwise, this ceaselessly joyful version isn’t actually that dreadful. They’ve even got the high note in near the end (though it hovers more than it soars).

20. Fifth Harmony (2014)

Released when Fifth Harmony were at the height of their post The X Factor US fame yet still kept captive by Simon Cowell’s Syco label, this insipid cover stinks of a cash grab. A fairly successful one though, considering it’s racked up an impressive 23 million streams on Spotify, and almost 100 million views on YouTube.

One bonus point for Lauren Jauregui’s gloriously lazy pronunciation of “And I…” in the second line. A second bonus point for whoever took Camila Cabello singing “fireplace” and warped it into oblivion. A third bonus point for the music video’s director, Nigel Dick, who managed to make it look like these five women were on speaking terms.

19. Lucy Spraggan (2021)

A short and slightly sweet version here from queer The X Factor alum Lucy Spraggan. She can do “All I Want For Christmas Is You”, but it remains to be seen whether Mariah Carey can do “Tea and Toast”.

18. My Chemical Romance (2005)

This would be a flawless festive song if Christmas had been created to mark the birth of Ozzy Osbourne rather than Jesus. I’ll give it to New Jersey punk rockers My Chemical Romance though: no one can say they didn’t put their own spin on it. Listening to it makes me feel like the famed meme of that confused drunk girl in the club, but I’m sure it’s someone else’s cup of Monster Energy drink.

17. Bowling For Soup (2011)

US rockers Bowling For Soup’s version is taken from their album Merry Flippin’ Christmas, and if that doesn’t scream “Teen angst!!!!”, we’re not sure what does. In all seriousness, it says something about the pervasiveness of “All I Want For Christmas Is You” that their cover isn’t the only spunky rock version around, and while My Chemical Romance have one up on the originality front (theirs came first, and has a little more grit), Bowling For Soup’s is just a little easier on the ears.

16. Trey Songs (2014)

As a collaborator of Nicki Minaj, Drake, and Gucci Mane, R&B’s triple Grammy Award nominee Trey Songs wasn’t the first artist we expected to have released an “All I Want For Christmas Is You” cover. It becomes all the more surprising when listening, as his version leans more into the festive joy of the original, rather than anything more woozy or lustful. Dare we say that the addition of the incessant background piano riff, and “Say ‘All I want!’” call-and-response middle eight make this version just a little bit camp.

15. Tori Kelly (2021)

This lo-fi, R&B-tinged version from American Grammy Award-winner Tori Kelly is pleasant, sure, but it lacks all the charisma of the original, like a Christmas tree with the lights turned off. I felt an irrepressible urge to whack it on 2x speed, as Kelly’s drawn out warble on this – though undeniably powerful and technically impressive – is just slightly grating.

14. Lady A (2020)

We were surprisingly in the mood for a fully-fledged country version of “All I Want For Christmas Is You”, and if anyone were to give it to us, it would’ve been Lady A. Sadly, their cover isn’t quite twangy enough – it’s oddly more flamenco than fiddle in the bridge – but it’s still a solid job.

13. She & Him (2016)

Indie folk band She & Him, made up of New Girl‘s Zooey Deschanel and Him, bring the saxophone on their version, for which we are very grateful. 30 covers of “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and there’s barely been a note of festive saxophone? Where is the Christmas spirit? Where is the justice?

12. Jermaine Dupri and Lil’ Bow Wow (2001)

The So So Def Remix of Mariah’s OG hit deserves a little credit for managing to reimagine the song entirely, despite her still being its most prominent feature. This hip-hop version doesn’t quite have the festive sparkle of the original, and I can’t imagine it takes pride of place atop many people’s Christmas playlists, but any version featuring Mimi’s rich vocals deserves a few points.

11. Michael Bublé (2012)

Something about crooner Michael Bublé will always feel very The X Factor UK circa 2009, and so it feels apt that his version of “All I Want For Christmas Is You” sounds remarkably like a middling X Factor winner’s single.

The change up of “What more can I do?” to “Girl, what can I do?” in a song that is typically genderless is both pointless and a little annoying – did Christmas really need an extra little sprinkling of heterosexuality? Is Mary and Joseph not enough? A pleasant voice though.

10. Aloe Blacc (2019)

Aloe Blacc’s version arrived in 2019 on a record entitled Christmas Funk, which honestly says all there is to say about it. It’s funky! Real funky. I’m probably not going to add it to the Christmas Day playlist, but I appreciate the funk!

9. Karmin (2016)

Karmin, former American pop duo and creators of sublime pop bop “Brokenhearted”, come in strong with this airy multigenre effort. Gone are bells and jingles, and in are tight trap-pop beats, a dusting of doo-wop, and the nonchalant coos of lead singer Amy Renee Noonan. Karmin’s sparse version isn’t wrapped in tinsel and fairylights, but in what is a very crowded market of Mariah Carey covers, maybe that’s a good thing.

8. Idina Menzel (2014)

Idina Menzel’s version is what would happen if the cast of Theater Camp downed a vat of black coffee and decided to stage a Christmas musical about the impending closure of a beloved town jazz club. It’s boisterous, 90-minutes long, and a bit overwhelming, but you can’t help but tap and swing along.

7. Jamie Cullum (2018)

I spent the majority of my childhood and early teen years thinking jazz singer Jamie Cullum was the same person as Amy Winehouse’s ex-husband, Blake Fielder-Civil. That has no bearing on Cullum’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” cover – which is the perfect soundtrack to a mid December glass of red at Ronnie Scott’s – but I thought it was worth mentioning.

6. Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey (2011)

A “Baby”-era Justin Bieber lends his distinctly boyish vocals to this Mariah remix, which is dubbed in the title as being the “SuperFestive!” version. It’s a patently untrue statement, as there is nothing so aggressively Grinch-like as thinking “I fancy listening to Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’” and then whacking on the Bieber edition. BUT, that said, at least the original is in there – and for that, it’s hard to rank it lower than this.

5. Leslie Odom Jr and Ingrid Michaelson (2021)

Leslie Odom Jr and Ingrid Michaelson’s mellifluous voices go together like sponge, fruit, custard and whipped cream on this genuinely touching rendition. With lilting violin strings and cotton-soft piano, it risked becoming too twee. Yet, as their vocals flicker like candlelights on Christmas eve, we’re left believing that yes, all they truly want for Christmas this year is us.

4. Gabrielle Aplin and Hannah Grace (2019)

Singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin has already graduated from the school of Making Great Christmas Covers with a 1st class degree. Hers is the exquisite voice behind the 2012 John Lewis ad version of Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s “The Power of Love”, which topped the UK charts, launched Aplin’s career, and has helped the John Lewis advert tradition endure (for better or worse) for the past 15 plus years.

Aplin’s version of “All I Want For Christmas Is You” with Welsh singer Hannah Grace isn’t nearly as soul-stirring as her Frankie tribute, but it’s indisputably beautiful. A bit boring, yes, but beautiful.

3. The Cheetah Girls (2005)

Listening to The Cheetah Girls’ cover, I’m hit by a (small) twinge of sadness: it’s a shame that the band, made up of Raven-Symoné, Adrienne Bailon-Houghton, Sabrina Bryan and Kiely Williams, weren’t able to escape their association with the eponymous, early aughts Disney Channel musical film that gave them their fame.

Their sultry cover, complete with flamenco licks and the very camp addition of a “Baby, baby, you know I love you so, baby baby” refrain, is as warm and velvety as a Baileys hot choc. That said, it’s hard to take a band seriously when their debut record is a festive covers album entitled A Cheetahlicious Christmas.

2. Glee Cast (2011)

Amber Riley proving here why she was, is, and always will be the superior Glee cast member. It’s peppy but not irritatingly so, her vocals are crisp and powerful, and the instrumental strikes a nice balance between paying homage to the original, and providing a new take. For all of Glee‘s faults, this isn’t one of them. Ryan Murphy, maybe you ate this one little thing.