The days are shorter, the nights are colder and the trees are bare. Inside, fireplaces are crackling to shield loved ones from the chilly air. When winter makes its way back around, sunny days can sometimes feel like distant, made-up memories.
While the gloom can lead to long hours inside as you avoid muddy snow and frostbitten fingers, those languid evenings can transform into quite the cozy affair, given the right soundtrack. That’s why Billboard has put together a list of 26 essential tracks for your wintertime listening pleasure.
We know December marks the beginning of celebrations for “the most wonderful time of the year.” But a good winter playlist goes beyond Christmas trees and jingling bells. The mix should be one you’d listen to all season long — weeks and months after unwrapping your final gift. So no, you won’t find Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” nor any of your holiday favorites below (for that, you can check out Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Holiday 100 list based on our charts).
Keep reading to discover tunes consistent with the mood shift that — for many of us — rolls in with the cold front. The increased time spent with our own thoughts brings on a brooding self-reflection that can feel as comforting as it can feel overwhelming. Artists from Taylor Swift to Bob Dylan to The Weeknd have captured that feeling, crafting riveting wintery melodies ideal for introspection, whether you’re curled up with your favorite blanket or venturing out into the snow.
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The Neighbourhood, “Sweater Weather”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Since its release in 2012, there’s been no better way to ring in winter than with The Neighbourhood’s highest-charting hit (No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100). The percussion and electric guitar-driven track is exactly what you need to stay warm through the cold (along with your favorite sweater, of course). Listen here.
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Taylor Swift, “’tis the damn season”
There’s something nostalgic about winter, and Taylor Swift’s “’tis the damn season” captures that feeling perfectly. She quotes Robert Frost as she considers a romantic rekindling while home for the holidays: “The road not taken looks real good now.” Listen here.
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Foo Fighters, “February Stars”
Foo Fighters’ slow-building “February Stars” is reminiscent of the first snowfall of the season. It begins soft and somber, before arriving at its rumbling peak with Dave Grohl’s final rendition of the chorus. Listen here.
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Bob Dylan, “Winterlude”
“Winterlude” is a foolproof backtrack for a snowy day in with the one you love. “The snow is so cold, but our love can be bold,” Bob Dylan croons in his sweet little serenade. Listen here.
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Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko, “Stay”
Sure, Rihanna’s 2013 Hot 100 hit (No. 3) with Mikky Ekko isn’t necessarily a wintertime tune. But the piano-driven duet is the kind of emotional ballad that evokes a sense of yearning on a chilly winter night. Listen here.
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Fleet Foxes, “Winter White Hymnal”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo With church choir-like harmonies and the rattle of a tambourine keeping the beat, “White Winter Hymnal” is as eerie as it is beautiful. Fleet Foxes’ debut single makes us think of snow-covered winding roads, making it a must-add to any winter roadtrip playlist. Listen here.
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Billie Holiday, “Solitude”
Winter is arguably the loneliest season of the year. But despite “Solitude’s” mournful lyrics, Billie Holiday’s timeless tune somehow works to help us feel less alone, especially during the colder months. Listen here.
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The Head and the Heart, “Winter Song”
Fingerstyle guitar and delicate harmonies drive The Head and the Heart’s soothing “Winter Song.” The vocalists take turns melodically longing for better and brighter days. Listen here.
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Bangles, “Hazy Shade of Winter”
What better way to rock out this winter than with Bangles’ rendition of Simon & Garfunkel’s “A Hazy Shade of Winter”? With soaring harmonies and a riotous guitar riff, the track even outshone the original, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Listen here.
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Idina Menzel, “Let It Go”
When you’re ready to brave the brisk outdoors, there’s no better hype-up track than this earworm of a Disney tune from 2013’s Frozen. Because, of course, “the cold never bothered me anyway.” Listen here.
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Zac Brown Band, “Colder Weather”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo “Colder Weather” details how the season can be detrimental for a romance. “You’re a lover, I’m a runner,” Zac Brown woefully croons from the perspective of a truck driver who can’t get home to his partner. Listen here.
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Ella Fitzgerald, “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm”
Dozens of artists have put their own spin on “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm” since Irving Berlin first published the song in 1937. But Ella Fitzgerald’s inviting rendition with Paul Weston & His Orchestra is one that will continue keeping us warm for decades to come. Listen here.
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Cordae, “Wintertime”
Cordae fuses jazz with rap on this introspective track. With chill-hop bars and a gentle hook, his debut album’s opener is an inspiring mix of reflective and hopeful for a snowy day in. Listen here.
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Lana Del Rey, “How to Disappear”
Feeling like breezy days and barren trees, “How to Disappear” is like the wintertime version of “Summertime Sadness.” In reflecting on lovers who’ve come and gone, Lana Del Rey is hopeful she’ll find peace and closure on this beautifully melancholy Norman F—ing Rockwell! track. Listen here.
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Billy Joel, “Vienna”
If you’ve come to realize you’re putting too much pressure on yourself, Billy Joel’s “Vienna” serves as a comforting wake-up call. Immediately, the Piano Man reminds us to live in the moment: “Slow down, you crazy child.” Listen here.
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Annie Lennox, “Cold”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Annie Lennox chronicles a relationship where she loves hard but receives little in return in her chilling 1992 single. The hurt she feels from the damaged relationship permeates through her earthy vocals: “Winter has frozen us/ Let love take hold of us.” Listen here.
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Genesis, “Snowbound”
Genesis reach for the heavens in their wistful wintertime tune. While the true meaning of the song is up for interpretation, Phil Collins’ delicate vocals shimmer atop its ethereal production. Listen here.
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Gwen Stefani, “Early Winter”
In her 2008 break-up ballad, Gwen Stefani uses seasons as a metaphor for different phases of a relationship. As an “early winter” approaches, so does the end for her and her partner. Listen here.
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The Decemberists, “January Hymn”
The Decemberists shared an ode to Januarys past in their 2011 folk song. Although its lyrics seem to detail a failed relationship, the track features a playful fingerstyle guitar that can’t help but make you smile. Listen here.
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Khalid, “Winter”
Heartbreaking lyrics are juxtaposed against an irresistible groove in Khalid’s cold-weathered American Teen track. Whether you want to dance by the firelight or drown in your sorrows, “Winter” has got your back. Listen here.
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Sixpence None the Richer, “Kiss Me”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo “Kiss Me” is a song for any season. But, this list needed at least one true love song — and its wistful production alongside dreamy lyrics make it the perfect light-hearted tune for winter. Listen here.
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Neil Young, “Winterlong”
If you can’t stop thinking about a love that never was, hit play on Neil Young’s “Winterlong.” “I waited for you winterlong/ You seem to be where I belong,” he sings longingly in his self-written ballad released in 1977. Listen here.
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Vanilla Ice, “Ice Ice Baby”
A good chunk of the songs on this list are melancholy numbers about nostalgia and self-reflection. But when you’re over the cold weather blues and just want to party, we recommend you “collaborate and listen” to Vanilla Ice’s chart-topping Hot 100 single. Listen here.
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The Weeknd, “Snowchild”
In “Snowchild,” The Weeknd reflects on his vices and the pressure he put on himself during his rise to fame. Featuring beaming bass and potent lyrics, the After Hours track is sure to have you in your feelings on those cold winter nights. Listen here.
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Coldplay, “Sparks”
As Chris Martin’s trademark vocals soar amidst the somber strums of a guitar, there remains something bittersweet about Coldplay’s “Sparks.” The lyrics cut deep — but they also serve as a reminder that broken hearts heal. Listen here.
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Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson, “Winter Song”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson repeatedly ask a heartbreaking question in their 2008 team-up. “Is love alive?” the singer-songwriters wonder, painting a dreary picture of the chilliest season. Listen here.
