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8 ‘Must Play’ Christmas Songs For Your Live Band

If you’ve booked a live band for your work Christmas party this year then there is certainly no shortage of amazing festive material for the musicians to perform.

With so many great songs to choose from we decided to ask the bands on Encore for their recommendations on which songs are guaranteed to have your colleagues singing along in full voice!

All I Want For Christmas Is You (Mariah Carey)

Lauren Barrow from Cherry Valentine BandI love doing this tune at Christmas! Such a diva song and I get to belt it out and act have fun pretending to be a fabulous diva while watching the crowd doing the same thing. It’s always surprising how many macho men you see in the crowd getting proper into this one. Such a great song”

Fairytale Of New York (The Pogeus)

Conor Mackenzie from Revolverlites“We love to throw this in as a cheeky extra after playing our Encore. It’s always nice to get someone from the audience on stage to sing the female part too!”

I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday (Wizzard)

Phil Short from The Headliners: “During the festive season it genuinely IS Christmas every day, if you’re in a band, so there’s a wonderful tongue-in-cheek, autobiographical twist to this song! Seriously, though, it’s our job to make it feel like Christmas for each individual gig, and we’re more than happy to do it!”

Rockin Robin (Jackson 5)

Craig Elliot from The Modern Vintage Swing Band: “A truly infectious Christmas song that always gets people to their feet. We love playing things that other bands tend to forget about and this is a true gem.”

Merry Christmas Everybody (Slade)

Lauren Barrow from Cherry Valentine Band: “This song is a must at xmas! ITS CHRISTMASSSSS! I love doing that part and getting everyone to shout it! So much fun to play”

Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

Zac Whitaker from Kid At The Back: “We started playing this one a few years ago and it tends to get people singing the ‘War Is Over if you want it’ part in a kind of ‘get your lighters out’ fashion (iPhone lights in more recent years). It’s probably our favourite Xmas song and has the best message!”

Jingle Bell Rock by Daryl Hall & John Oats

Morgan Green from The Innovators: “The song is simple a classic with that iconic guitar line at the beginning. It’s a Christmas function essential.”

Last Christmas (Wham!)

Phil Short from The Headliners: “This song has become a true classic and obviously more poignant the last couple of years. It’s a great song to put mid-set and watch people singing to each other in such a heartfelt* (*drunken) way!”

Conclusion

Have your live band include these songs in their set lists and you’ll be guaranteed to have colleagues singing and dancing at your epic work Christmas party!

If you don’t have a live band but would like to find one then create an enquiry at encoremusicians.com to receive instant quotes from incredible functions bands available for your date.

Joel Vincent

Our Sales & Partnerships Lead, Joel, plays guitar and is obsessed with 90s R&B.

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