Cashing In Through The Snow – Which hitmakers pockets are jingling all day in December?

As ‘The Most Wonderful Time of The Year’ fast approaches, echoes of ‘All I Want For Christmas’ and ‘Last Christmas’ can be heard across the UK once more. The nation begins to feel that yuletide glee as Christmas spirit fills in the air. Adding to the festivities is the recent launch of Heart Extra Xmas radio station, dedicated to 24/7 Christmas Hits. With the Christmas classics playing day in day out across the globe, exactly how much are the artists cashing in on many of these one-season wonders?

1. Merry Xmas Everybody – Slade (1973) Royalties

Snapping up the top spot for Christmas earners is Slade’s, Merry Christmas Everybody. The soundtrack to many a childhood Christmas, not many can deny throwing their arms around a stranger on Christmas eve to kick their knees up to this Christmas hit. Even the Grinch couldn’t stop himself cracking a smile to the lyrics of this one. Finally, the chart-topper reportedly brings in an estimated £1 million a year in royalties. Now that is a Merry Christmas for everybody involved in this track.

2. All I Want For Christmas – Mariah Carey (1994) Royalties

The pop sensation, Mariah Carey, represents the epitome of Christmas for many people. All I want for Christmas is the second top-earning Christmas song. Mariah Carey’s Merriest Christmas featured on Netflix in 2015 and the songstress even becoming the face of Walkers crisps this season. It is hard to find a Christmas party across the globe that won’t end in a kiss under the mistletoe with All I want for Christmas setting the mood. The huge hit reportedly earns an estimate of £400,000 per year in royalties. All I want for Christmas produces one of the highest volumes of Christmas song royalties. This diva is going nowhere as she continues to dominate the festive season year on year.

3. Fairytale of New York – The Pogues (1987) Royalties

It isn’t really Christmas until you’ve stood in a packed pub in a Christmas jumper and shouted along to Fairytale of New York. According to Entertainment IE, the festive favourite reportedly earns The Pogues, Shane McGowan over a gobsmacking £386,000 per year in royalties. Not bad for a track that wasn’t even meant to be a Christmas song.

4. White Christmas – Bing Crosby (1942) Royalties

The stunning classic, White Christmas, was first released in 1942. Over 60 years on, it is reported the timeless Christmas hit still earns an estimated £328,00 a year in royalties.



5. Last Christmas – Wham (1984) Royalties

Wham’s famous, Last Christmas, first released in 1984, has embedded itself in everyone’s Christmas playlist worldwide. 2019 even see’s the release of Christmas film, Last Christmas; Titled after the track and featuring the music of the late George Michael. The winter wonder was beaten to the top spot by Band Aid’s, Do They Know it’s Christmas in 1984, but that hasn’t stopped it becoming a firm festive favourite. The track reportedly earns an estimated £300,000 a year in royalties.



6. Wonderful Christmas Time – Paul McCartney (1979) Royalties

Beatle’s frontman Paul McCartney brought us this top tapper in (1979) and it has since become a festive favourite amongst Christmas revellers. Music channels and radio stations across the UK feature this hit repeatedly, and no one can deny singing along to the ‘ding dongs’ to get them in the Christmas spirit. The track earns Sir Paul an estimated, massive £260,000 a year, so we are sure Maccer will have a Wonderful Christmas time forevermore.



7. Driving Home for Christmas – Chris Rea (1986) Royalties

Any journey back to the family home is sure to feature Driving Home For Christmas blasting from the car radio. The track first released in (1986) earns over an estimated £200,000 a year in royalties. Furthermore, a source reported in the week before Christmas in 2018, that the track had already raked in £209,892 for the Christmas crooner’s track. I’m sure that makes for a jolly drive home for Christmas.



8. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day – Wizzard (1973) Royalties

Christmas anthem, I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day makes an estimated £180,000 a year in royalties, according to the Daily Mail. However, singer Roy Wood claims this not to be the case. Roy said to Radio 4 in 2014 that he had expected the Christmas banger to be his pension. Unfortunately, this has not been the case. He said ‘I thought originally that was going to be my pension, but no… I was speaking to my daughter about it – she is more of an age group that knows about that kind of thing – and she said with a song as prominent as that, there are too many ways to get it free.’ Well, whatever the case, we appreciate you Roy and we really do wish it could be Christmas every day.



9. Merry Christmas Everyone – Shakin’ Stevens (1985) Royalties

Another festive favourite, sure to fill the dance floor, is Merry Christmas Everyone by Shakin’ Stevens. The track that opened up Christmas Day in 2008’s Gavin and Stacey’s Christmas Special, this classic earns an estimated £189,970.49 of royalties each year.



10. Mistletoe – Justin Bieber (2011) Royalties

A guilty pleasure for many, Mistletoe by Justin Bieber is one of the few successful contemporary Christmas hits, which has become popular amongst many Spotify playlists in the last few years. In 2017 the Christmas hit was the 4th most streamed song over Christmas. Whilst unable to find the exact royalties for this banger, it’s download success speaks for itself in cementing this as a true Christmas chart-topper.

