Mariah Carey’s Christmas single, All I Want For Christmas Is You has come a long way from its origins in 1993. It’s one of the biggest-selling Christmas singles of all time, and many, many artists have recorded their own versions of it. I’ve linked to five eleven noteworthy versions below.
Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey, All I Want For Christmas Is You. The Biebs recorded All I Want For Christmas Is You (Superfestive!) for the Canadian pop star’s Christmas CD, Under the Mistletoe. What’s particularly noteworthy about this version is that it’s the fourth version of the song with a video, and the one in which Carey is wearing the least clothing. (Following this trend, we can expect the 2025 version of All I Want For Christmas Is You to feature an almost-60-year-old Carey wearing next to nothing.
Newsboys’ All I Want For Christmas Is You. Michael Tait’s distinctive vocal puts catchy na na na’s over a relatively rockified arrangement of All I Want For Christmas Is You. It’s a pretty cool pop cover, although I can imagine how cool it’d be in the hands of ex-Newsboys lead vocalist Peter Furler. Now that would’ve been terrific.
Michael Buble’s All I Want For Christmas Is You. Michael Buble’s Christmas offering includes a ballad version of All I Want For Christmas Is You, and this one is a home run. The remarkably rich arrangement and Buble’s heartfelt vocal add a different dimension to the song, making it ache with longing and, in my opinion, adding a whole new flavor to All I Want For Christmas Is You. Probably my favorite version of the song.
Lady Antebellum’s All I Want For Christmas Is You. Another ballad version, this one from Grammy Award-winning country trio Lady Antebellum. Not at all a bad version, but I’m still leaning towards Buble’s as the definitive ballad version, despite the fact that Lady Antebellum had a one-year head start on Buble’s.
The Cast of “Glee”‘s All I Want For Christmas Is You. Fox television show Glee weighs in on All I Want For Christmas Is You, with diva Mercedes (Amber Riley) doing her thang and getting it done atop a festive rearrangement of the song that departs from the usual straightforward piano lines and happy hand claps. Y’all been churched!
The Puppini Sisters’ All I Want For Christmas Is You. I first heard of the Puppini Sisters due to their featured outing on Buble’s Christmas CD; their Andrews Sisters-like harmonies on Jingle Bells made that track one of the most enjoyable on the Buble album. Imagine my surprise to find out they have their own version of the Carey chestnut! I love the throwback to the classic 50s sound of the Andrews Sisters, and that brass section is HAWT.
Big Time Rush’s All I Want For Christmas Is You. The popular boy band’s spin on All I Want For Christmas Is You features a guest vocal as well from Miranda Cosgrove (of Disney’s iCarly). It’s a pretty straightforward version, pleasant pop delivered pleasantly by pleasant vocals.
Miley Cyrus’s All I Want For Christmas Is You. The country influence of Cyrus’ father, Billy Ray Cyrus, comes through loud and clear on this live recording from one of the younger Cyrus’ many concerts, and she certain holds her own against all the other versions to which I’ve linked thus far.
Michelle Gordon’s All I Want For Christmas Is You. Reggae singer Michelle Gordon’s version is actually a very good take. Gordon’s voice is surprisingly strong, and I really think you should give it a shot… or nine!
My Chemical Romance’s All I Want For Christmas Is You. Punk is definitely not dead, especially with this rocking version from punk band My Chemical Romance. It’s waaay too loud for my taste, but I can see why many people would like this version. It’s actually rather fun!
SNSD’s Tiffany’s All I Want For Christmas Is You. Even KPop artists weigh in on it, with Girls’ Generation’s Tiffany performing the song live on a Korean radio show. Um…
What do you think? Whose version do you like best? Did I miss out on a great All I Want For Christmas Is You version from someone else?
