Purple Glow's 2020 Holiday Bops | Playlist

As this garbage fire of a year comes to a close, our winter celebrations may look different, but nothing can knock our holiday spirit.

The Purple Glow team presents to you a holiday playlist full of classic covers that capture the warmth of the season, and non-conventional hits for a non-conventional year. In no particular order, here are our top holiday bops.

1. Winter Waves by Molly Annelle

The familiar sound of sleigh bells punctuate the 80’s style synth waves of this contemporary hit, reminiscent of Wham!’s “Last Christmas.” Annelle’s modern indie-girl vocals carry the pop-track and will make you long to dance with your friends at a holiday party. This year we’ll have to settle for dancing alone, but she’s still a welcome addition to your holiday Zoom playlist.

2. Hard Candy Christmas by Ralph

The pop queen of Toronto delivers with her cover of the Dolly Parton classic. The arrangement is rich with strings that preserve the warmth and nostalgia of the original, while Ralph’s soulful voice provides a fresh twist to the song. The holiday breakup anthem matches the melancholy flavour of this holiday season, but the artist whispering “I’ll be fine” at the end of the song is oddly comforting. Highly recommend. 

3. Steal Your Heart by Command Sisters

For those of you who aren’t feeling very merry this holiday season, this sister duo have you covered with a bombastic holiday anthem. The ominous opening chords of this song make you feel like you’re entering a looming winter castle. From the start, Command Sisters want you to know this is not your typical Christmas track. With a similar vibe to Bishop Briggs’ hit “River”, Command Sisters goes bold, abandoning Hallmark sweetness for seduction, and it’s everything. 

4. No Holly Jolly by Michelle Treacy

Treacy’s earthy vocals paired with a stripped-back, acoustic arrangement, make for a  Christmas tune that feels like coming home, despite its melancholy lyrics. Trading in her usual dance-pop sound for a more folky approach, this one is perfect for cozying up by the fire. Fans of Brandi Carlile, this one’s for you.

5. Winter Love by Fionn

You will be humming this song through your holiday festivities, guaranteed. The twin singers sing in impeccable harmony and have created the kind of song that should score a tree-decorating montage. There’s not a lot to love about 2020, but this cheery bop is a definite exception. 

6. The Christmas Song by Melanie Fiona

It’s not Christmas until I hear “chestnuts roasting on an open fire” and while Nat King Cole’s original and Michael Bublé’s iconic cover are excellent choices, Fiona’s intimate rendition is my personal favourite. The singer’s award-winning R&B vocals are the star of the track, with a relaxed guitar accompaniment that opens into a dream-like soundscape. The arrangement is magic, and the song is a Christmas morning essential.

7. Mittens by Carly Rae Jepsen

This list would not be complete without mention of Canada’s pop darling. Jepsen’s latest holiday single, “It’s Not Christmas Until Somebody Cries” is a playful, comedic edition to your holiday playlist, but it’s all about this 2011 release for me. Something about Jepsen’s waifish rasp asking for “your strongest pair of mittens, please” is the kind of wholesomeness I would like to score my holiday season. 

9. Song for a Winter’s Night by Goodnight, Sunrise

Let the anthematic rhythm of Goodnight, Sunrise transport you to an outdoor winter concert. Remember those? The alternative band has a traditional, raucous sound with inspiration from 80s synth and rock, and the conventional rock instruments powering the chorus simulates the atmosphere of live music. With no holiday parties nor New Year’s soirées on the docket, “Song for a Winter’s Night” is an event in a song. 

8. Kissin in the Cold by JP Saxe and Julia Michaels

Toronto-native, JP Saxe co-wrote “If the World Was Ending” with songstress, Julia Michaels, which unintentionally became the defining song of 2020, and the duo is back with a sentimental love ballad. This sweet tune is rife with holiday sappiness, but Saxe and Michaels deliver depth in the truth of their lyrics. “Time goes by and dreams are left for later, I can’t stop the seasons, but there’s one thing that I know, we’ll still be kissin in the cold.” This one will have you calling up all the loved ones you’re missing this season.

10. This Holiday Season by Molly Johnson

Johnson is not only one of the greatest voices to come out of Canada, but the voice behind the perfect holiday single. Released this past November, Johnson just gets it. Her iconic jazz vocals crooning, “times have been so hard” offer instant validation for the hardships of this year while giving you full permission to embrace the magic of the holiday season. A true modern classic for the young and the old.

It’s been a long year, but we’ve made it this far. That’s worth celebrating, and the Purple Glow team hopes you can find festivity in our holiday playlist.

Want more? Listen along with us with the full playlist here: