The very best and worst of the Christmas pop songs

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Yes, it's time to defrost those Christmas playlists and warm up those vocal cords. Here's the good, the bad and the ugly of Christmas pop. Merry Christmas ya filthy animals.

The worst Christmas pop songs

Christmas Tree – Lady Gaga

Call me Simon Cowell, but it only took 15 seconds for me to decide that this song was a definite no-no. To be honest, I didn't actually make it to the end, but lyrics such as "light me up, put me on top, let's falalalalalalalala", Gaga has taken sexualising Christmas to new extremes.

Have a Cheeky Christmas – The Cheeky Girls

After having read the title, my initial expectations were not, as you can imagine, sky high. Let's just say my low expectations were met.

Don't Shoot Me Santa – The Killers

Possibly one of, if not the most, sombre Christmas songs I've ever heard. Way to suck the fun out of Christmas, Brandon.

The best Christmas pop songs

Cold December Night – Micheal Bublé

Surprisingly, this is Bublé's only original song on his world-renowned Christmas Album. His rich Canadian tone, as smooth as hot chocolate, is enough to make anyone feel warm and fuzzy this Christmas.

Christmas Lights – Coldplay

This song is rather underrated as far as Christmas pop songs go, but it's as essential to your Christmas playlist as gravy is to turkey. It's a very delicate, chilled take on a Christmas pop song. You go Glen Coco.

Santa Tell Me – Ariana Grande

Currently being overshadowed by the hype of her "thank u, next" video, this song is giving me all of the Christmas feels and has been on repeat in my flat for over a week.

Naughty but nice

One More Sleep – Leona Lewis

Although this probably isn't the first Christmas song that comes to mind, this former X Factor star has come out with an absolute belter.

Mistletoe – Justin Bieber

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year when you can play this tune all day, every day. I've got to hand it to Biebs, he smashed it here. It's the gift that keeps on giving. Don't even try to convince me otherwise.

Shake up Christmas – Train

What. A. Tune. If you're walking round thinking that Train are a one hit wonder then I've got news for you; this song will smash your Terry's chocolate orange. If you don't know, get to know.

The worst Christmas covers

Drummer Boy – Justin Bieber

It's hard to believe that this is even on the same album as Mistletoe. How can it go from so right to so wrong in the space of just five songs? As if JB took a Christmas hymn and put a beat drop on it. Rumpapum-done.

Santa Baby – Micheal Bublé

Micheal, baby. Stop changing all the words to this song. So wrong. No, but seriously, Santa is not your buddy, your pally or your poppy. You may be the king of Christmas, but not even you are on nickname terms with the big man. Sleigh in your lane, Bublé.

Christmas (Baby, please come home) – Smash Mouth

Nothing quite makes me turn into the Grinch like this cover. There's only one genre that works for these guys; Shrek. Bah Humbug.

Ps. even though it wasn't released as a single, the cover Slaves made of "Last Christmas" for the Radio 1 Live Lounge is definitely worth a mention. I'm going to put it out there, this isn't just the worst Christmas cover I've ever heard, but the worst cover I've ever heard. 0/10.