Macklemore’s eighth career single and the fourth single from their debut studio album, The Heist (2012) was a sleeper hit… peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100… sold over 7 million copies in the US alone… reached number one in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, France, Denmark, Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand… the video has garnered more than 1.1 billion views on YouTube… in 2014, the single won two Grammy Awards for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song.
Such ironic fame for poverty demands demeaning from Meet the Bullens with “Thrift Shop Christmas Parody.” And also from, erm, Tamworth rapper Cracklemore (John Sutherland) in “Christmas (Thrift Shop Parody).”
Swedish metal band Ghost provided fans with a free streaming of ‘Year Zero’ if they promoted the band on Facebook, by endorsing its frontman to be elected the next Pope of the Catholic Church. The 10″ vinyl version of the single includes the B-side ‘Orez Raey,’ which as the title suggests is the A-side played backwards.
This satanic song subs Santa for Satan with “Hail Santa” by Wagoner Bros.
The hit from New Zealand singer Lorde from her debut extended play album was later included on her debut studio album… her debut single… made it atop the record charts of many countries including Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom… in the US, the single spent nine weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 (making Lorde the first New Zealand solo act to top the Hot 100, as well as the youngest artist to achieve a number-one single since 1987… as of November 2014, the single has sold 10 million copies worldwide… listed as one of the best songs of 2013 by publications including Rolling Stone, Time and Spin… won numerous awards, including the Grammy Award for Song of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance and the APRA Silver Scroll Award… regarded to be an anthem for the “Millennial” generation.
Aubrey Howell gets holy harmony with her cuzzes for “Christmas in the Air.” It’s like a real song with someone else’s music.
The Kalatharas address “Elves” as a mixed bag–i think they’re being a bit racist.
Cassie Becker posts a pretty clever “‘Royals’ Christmas Parody” about an exhaustive Xmas list. Santa, you’ve been served.
Baily Crooms also amps up the talent part of her “‘Royals’ Parody of a Parody” (?) about seasonal shallowness.
BP Productions has a time out of their “White Christmas” musical production to slap together this parody about performing their show. Whining, but they’ve worked hard to earn the right.
Lindsey Cardinale & Heather Lannan play it like Garfunkle and Oates with their poorly recorded “Spoiled.” Hee, hee, hee.
Lori Mae Hernandez introduces an ‘impersonator’ to share her “‘Royals’ Christmas Version.” Spoiler: she gets Vans.
Passenger had international success with this… according to Billboard it was #1 in Mexico, Norway, New Zealand, Sweden, USA, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Venezuela, Czech Republic, Austria, UK, Switzerland… sold over 1 million digital copies in the UK… over 4 million in the US… nominated for the Brit Award for British Single of the Year… won the British Academy’s Ivor Novello Award for Most Performed Work.
Duncan G and Brian play it smooth with “The Candles Glow.” What a pretty scene!
Mumford and Sons’ album Babel debuted at number one in the UK selling 159,000 copies… the fastest selling album of 2012… debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 600,000 copies… spent a total of 15 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Alternative Albums chart… made it the fourth best-selling album in the US in 2012… the eleventh best-selling album of 2013 with 1,096,000 copies sold for the year. The original song was somewhere tucked in tight on this album.
Joel Kopischke gets bluesy about present presentation with “Hopeless Wrapper.” His humor has integrity.
Bruno Mar’s first single off his second album charted inside the top ten in over twenty countries, including the United States… fourth number one single on the Billboard Hot 100, holding the spot for six consecutive weeks… topping the Canadian Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks… certified six-tuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)… used at his Super Bowl XLVIII halftime show set list… won several awards and received three Grammy nominations.
Brian Fitzy plays on the pain with his “Left Out at Christmas.”
The debut single by Chief Keef featured Lil Reese… peaked at #73 on the Billboard Hot 100… #20 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart… #15 on the Rap Songs chart… the video for went viral with over 28 million views on YouTube, before being taken down for use of the ‘N’ word.
Mr. Grind figures “I Don’t Like Christmas” compares to the list of thug life no-nos.
LMFAO’s second studio album, Sorry for Party Rocking provided their third single… went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100… remained there for two weeks… second number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, making them the first duo to have two successive number-one singles since Outkast… also reached number one in Australia, Canada and New Zealand… charted within the top ten in nearly every country in which it charted.
Key of Awesome don’t downplay the allure of Kris Kringle when they get him to admit “Santa and I Know It.”
Hip house sensation LMFAO’s big hit featured British singer Lauren Bennett and American music producer GoonRock… first single from their second album… went to number one in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States… also reached the top five in Finland, Italy, Norway, Poland and Sweden… and of course the best-selling single of all time in Australia… worldwide, it was the third best-selling digital single of 2011 with sales of 9.7 million copies… and the third best-selling digital song in US history… over 1.4 billion views on the Youtube.
Serious Youtuber Brian Havig goes the distance with his “Jingle Bell Rock Anthem.” Santa Claus is in the house tonight! And he’s here to show you, despite the cool reception at times, electronic hip hop will make any party a good time.
This entry by American band Maroon 5 featuring recording artist Christina Aguilera was the fourth and final single from the group’s third studio album… was well received by music critics… went to top the charts in over 18 countries… in the United States it became the band’s second (and Aguilera’s fifth) number-one single… is among the best-selling singles of all time… (also made Aguilera the second female artist to score a number-one hit in the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s which in turn made her the fourth female to score number-one singles in three different decades)(if you’re counting)… was the ninth-best-selling digital single of 2011 with sales of 7 million copies… ranks as one of the eight best-selling digital singles of all time with sales of over 15 million copies.
