your favorite 'sad' or unconventional christmas music

[freaksaint]

i know a lot of people (me included) have mixed feelings about the holidays, so over the last decade or so i've been collecting songs, usually modern ones, that express the same sentiment about christmastime/the holidays. when almost every christmas song is tooth-achingly sweet, it's nice to have a break and be a bit more realistic from time to time. i'll list some of my favorites here, but i'd love to hear yours as well!

one of my favorite bands of all time, saintseneca (please check them out if you love indie folk like me!), has a tradition of releasing a holiday/christmas themed song every year. here's a few of them:

another great band, from indian lakes, put out this song when i was a very hormonal depressed teenager and it was so incredibly cathartic to hear - i'm still so thankful they released it.

[wygolvillage]

I really like the goth/ethereal record label Projekt's Christmas compilation albums (Excelsis vol. 1 and 2). All the covers feel really dark in a cozy and warm way... If that makes sense. There are a ton of bands I like on the comps as well and it always gets me in the wintery mood.

[Salty]

I loved that second track!! So good. I also love Christmas music, but mostly the stuff that isn't played in your local department store over and over again. As someone who worked in retail for a long time, it mostly drives me insane now.   

I feel like if you like indie folk you would definitely like the Magnetic Fields' Christmas song. It's called "Everything is One Big Christmas Tree". It's silly. Also, "You Won't Love Me By Christmas" from Miniature Tigers is in a similar vein. Very late '00s folk revival, Iron & Wine kinda stuff. Hope you like em!

[freaksaint]

I loved that second track!! So good. I also love Christmas music, but mostly the stuff that isn't played in I feel like if you like indie folk you would definitely like the Magnetic Fields' Christmas song. It's called "Everything is One Big Christmas Tree". It's silly. Also, "You Won't Love Me By Christmas" from Miniature Tigers is in a similar vein. Very late '00s folk revival, Iron & Wine kinda stuff. Hope you like em!

yes!! i love the magnetic fields sm. i've heard of miniature tigers but haven't listened so i'll check them out today. thanks for the recs! you have great taste 

[Salty]

yes!! i love the magnetic fields sm. i've heard of miniature tigers but haven't listened so i'll check them out today. thanks for the recs! you have great taste 

Hell yeah, hope you enjoy. Same to you!    I love Miniature Tigers. Most of their stuff is more stereotypical '10s indie rock but still really good. If you're more into '60s-influenced stuff, I would highly recommend their frontman Charles Brand's solo album, "Monsoons". Really great wall of sound-type stuff, makes ya cry and think Brian Wilson penned it.

[freaksaint]

Hell yeah, hope you enjoy. Same to you!    I love Miniature Tigers. Most of their stuff is more stereotypical '10s indie rock but still really good. If you're more into '60s-influenced stuff, I would highly recommend their frontman Charles Brand's solo album, "Monsoons". Really great wall of sound-type stuff, makes ya cry and think Brian Wilson penned it.

WOAH, this is an amazing recommendation. i'm always looking for more 60s inspired stuff and this sounds perfect 

[night-at-the-musian]

I have two choices for when it comes to unconventional holiday tunage: Aurora Borealis by Lemon Demon (animated by Byona), which is only one song off the album I Am Become Christmas. It's a super fun beat about falling in love at Christmastime whilst the apocalypse descends.

The other is Christmas at the End of Time by unlimited cotton, which is the only holiday album to really take me back to my childhood, with the old sampling and Caretaker-style dissolving of memory. It really captures that fuzzy feeling that one gets in the night with all the lights twinkling in the dark; or the faint memory of being at a relative's house for a holiday party that you barely remember, save for the smell of sugar and the way the light reflected off the chintzy wrapping paper.

[Darmodej]

[Ved]

Probably not what you meant but, uh... definitely unconventional!

[MrsMoe]

One of my favorite Christmas songs is 7 O'clock News by Simon and Garfunkle. It's a regular cover of Silent Night for the most part, but it's elevated a LOT by having a disturbing news report from the radio. Phoebe Bridgers even did her own version of it.

[inbtwn]

okay. how the heck has this banger of a track not been posted in here yet?! for shame :V

LCD Soundsystem - Christmas Will Break Your Heart

[glitchlynx]

There's quite a few interesting vaporwave Christmas projects out there, trying to capture nostalgia for shopping at the mall during Christmas time or staying up late watching Christmas movies. Here's one that's focused on the latter :

FANTASY☆DELUXE CHRISTMAS EVE HOLIDAY SPECIAL by FANTASY☆DELUXE

Vaporwave is a genre that often sits between sad, nostalgic, and cozy, with a little bit of a critique of consumerism sprinkled on top, so it only makes sense that there would be Christmas vaporwave.

I also really like the Christmas releases from an EDM label called Monstercat... this is probably not at all the vibe you are looking for, but I'll mention it anyway. I think my favorite Christmas song from them is Deck the Halls (It's Time to Die). Its a Christmas song about a robot invasion. I simply have to mention it.

Monstercat - Holiday Hits by FWLR