Christmastime is just around the corner and with it comes Christmas movies, cookies, and of course, music. It’s safe to say, even with the wide variety of Christmas music, some of the most loved hits are the classics. Though Christmas music has stayed the same for the past few decades, there are always some great modern artists trying to put their own twists on beloved Christmas songs. This is a list of the best classic Christmas songs, covered by the best modern day artists.

“Silver Bells” – John Legend

Just this year singer John Legend, in his newest Christmas release, “A Legendary Christmas,” did a cover of the popular jazz singer Dean Martin’s song “Silver Bells.” Like all of the covers of these songs, Legend puts his own twist on this classic to create a new and wonderful Christmas tune.

While the Dean Martin version is very slow and calm, Legend’s version is much more upbeat and has a much different rhythm. While this style sounds very different than the original version, John Legend’s cheerful version of “Silver Bells” surprisingly rivals the older version by applying a new beat.

“O Holy Night” – Weezer

While Christmas music has the reputation for being laid back and smooth, Weezer, the rock band out of the late ’90s and early 2000’s, wanted to challenge that reputation. In their Christmas album “Christmas With Weezer,” which debuted in 2008, the band made the religious Christmas song “O Holy Night” a rock song, defying expectations with another genre twist to a Christmas classic.

Instead of using classical instruments and sounds that normally go with the song, Weezer sticks with their own rock style. By combining heavy guitar and drums to a previously acoustic driven song, Weezer puts an amazing spin on an already beloved classic.

“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” – Aloe Blacc

It’s hard not to think of Christmas without thinking of the Bing Crosby single “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” While it may seem hard to cover such an iconic song and achieve a result that compares to the original, the R&B singer Aloe Blacc does just that and does it spectacularly.

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While many of Blacc’s songs are pure R&B, he scraps all of it in this cover for a style that’s brand new to him. Using just an acoustic guitar instead of electronic beats, Blacc’s cover of this well-known song highlights his guitar abilities and vocal talent. While Weezer and John Legend looked to bring their own genres of music to their Christmas covers, Blacc changed the way he made music to produce his own holiday tune.

“It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” – Noah Cyrus

Another one of the most popular Christmas songs, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” is as loved as it is covered. With the most popular version being sung by Andy Williams, the song has also been covered by scores of other Christmas singers, including Perry Como, Nat King Cole, Michael Buble. However, when rising star Noah Cyrus decided to cover the song, the originality of her single changed the song fundamentally. While the original version is very upbeat and happy, Cyrus’s version is much slower. When trying to warm up on a cold night, it’s the perfect thing to listen to.

In this single, Cyrus takes a break from her usual electronic background and drops it for a much more mellow, laid back, finger-picked guitar, not dissimilar from Aloe Blacc’s approach. With the sheer talent of Cyrus’s vocals, she is able to create a softer, slower version of the song.

“White Christmas” – George Ezra

George Ezra, an acoustic-pop singer-songwriter, has been a star since the release of his single “Budapest.” With only two albums in three years, not many expected Ezra to drop a new single. However, with the release of the Christmas Spotify single sessions, released at the end of November, Ezra covered the Bing Crosby Christmas classic “White Christmas.”

Much of Ezra’s Music is centered around either acoustic guitar or piano, and he continues this style in his cover. Unlike Ezra’s other work, where he sings in a very rich deep voice, he sings with a much brighter, happier voice in his Christmas cover. Combining the vocals of Ezra with soft piano and trumpets, George Ezra’s cover of the well-known song is definitely one that makes the cut this Christmas season.

As it gets closer and close to Christmas, it’s a perfect time to take a break from our fast-paced lives with time with family, a nice fire and warm Christmas music. While many of us stick to the classic Christmas tunes, the covers of the timeless classics on this list are definitely worth a listen this holiday season.