"White Christmas" is actually the best-selling physical single of all time, according to the Guinness Book of World Records? Just counting Crosby's version, the song has sold over 50 million copies worldwide. Including other artists' covers, there are over 100 million copies.

Dan Fogelberg's "Same Old Lang Syne" has been contested as being either a Christmas song (based on the lyrics) or a New Year's song (based on the title). However, it actually peaked in popularity in late February 1981.

The top Christmas song every year since 1958

3 of 9

Best Bets For Christmas (1963-1973)

As Christmas music was becoming a genre of its own, Billboard transitioned away from listing Christmas singles on its traditional Hot 100 list. Instead, the "Best Bets For Christmas" list was put out. Until 1973, no Christmas songs were listed on the Hot 100, making Best Bets the best source for information about what songs were hot in the 1960s.

1963: Andy Williams, "White Christmas," 1963 [Best Bets #1, 5 weeks]

Did you know...

While Andy Williams is known for his holiday hit "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," his record company insisted on his cover of "White Christmas" being the album's single.

1964: Harry Simeone Chorale, "Little Drummer Boy," 1958 [Best Bets #1, 3 weeks]

1965: Harry Simeone Chorale, "Little Drummer Boy," 1958 [Best Bets #1, 3 weeks]

1966: Harry Simeone Chorale, "Little Drummer Boy," 1958 [Best Bets #1, 3 weeks]

1967: The Royal Guardsmen, "Snoopy's Christmas," 1967 [Best Bets #1, 5 weeks]

1968: Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, "The Christmas Song," 1968 [Best Bets #1, 3 weeks]

1969: Bobby Helms, "Jingle Bell Rock, 1957 [Best Bets #1, 2 weeks]

1970: Jackson 5, "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," 1970 [Best Bets #1, 1 week]
The Carpenters, "Merry Christmas, Darling," 1970 [Best Bets #1, 1 week]

Did you know...

The song "Feliz Navidad" actually came out in 1970. "Feliz Navidad" is one of the most-downloaded and most-aired Christmas songs of all time, but it only came to prominence in 1998. For its first 20+ years, it remained a fairly niche track.

1971: Jackson 5, "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" / "Christmas Won't Be the Same This Year," 1970 [Best Bets #1, 1 week]
The Carpenters, "Merry Christmas, Darling," 1970 [Best Bets #1, 1 week]

1972: The Singing Dogs, "Jingle Bells," 1955 [Best Bets #1, 1 week]
Charles Brown, "Please Come Home for Christmas," 1960 [Best Bets #1, 1 week]
Nat King Cole, "The Christmas Song," 1961 [Best Bets #1, 1 week]

1973: The Carpenters, "Merry Christmas, Darling," 1970 [Best Bets #1, 1 week]
Elton John, "Step into Christmas," 1973 [Best Bets #1, 1 week]
Elvis Presley, "Blue Christmas," 1964 [Best Bets #1, 1 week]

Home/Trivia