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›New research by Škoda reveals the top 30 Yuletide songs to listen to while driving home for Christmas…and it isn’t Chris Rea’s ‘Driving Home for Christmas’
›Top tunes on the list come from Wizzard, East 17, Wham!, Bruce Springsteen and more
›The all-electric Škoda Enyaq features a Focus Mode, which blocks music from travelling to the back seat, helpful for those who have already had enough of festive tunes
Milton Keynes, 13 December 2023 – The ultimate Christmas driving song has been revealed – and it’s NOT ‘Driving Home for Christmas’! Chris Rea’s 1986 hit was beaten to the top spot by the late Shane MacGowan with The Pogue’s 1988 single ‘Fairytale of New York’ – performed with Kirsty MacColl.
The vote by 2,000 motorists put ‘Last Christmas’ by Wham! in third spot, followed by ‘I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday’ by Wizzard.
‘Do they Know it’s Christmas?’ by Band Aid, ‘It’s Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas’ by Perry Como and The Fontane Sisters also made the top 30 list.
Other festive favourites to make Christmas drives wheely enjoyable include ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ by Mariah Carey, and ‘In Dulci Jubilo’ by Mike Oldfield.
The study was commissioned by Škoda to highlight the range-topping Canton sound system in the all-electric Enyaq, which can mute music for back seat passengers – a relief for the 27 per cent who complained about in-car carolling.
More than a quarter (26 %) will be driving more than 200 miles to ‘home’ this Christmas with five per cent driving for eight hours or more.
Despite Bing Crosby’s ‘White Christmas’ appearing at number 13 on the list of top seasonal driving tracks, only 31 per cent have experienced snowfall on a Yuletide journey.
It also emerged 54 per cent enjoy driving over the festive period with 30 per cent feeling a Yuletide playlist is ‘essential’ when driving home for Christmas. It was voted the third most important winter ‘travel essential’, behind a windscreen scraper and phone charger, and ahead of snacks and gloves. Only a Scrooge-like six per cent of travellers said they never sing along to Christmas songs in the car – a tricky situation to navigate.
Other songs on the ultimate driving playlist – which could be said to have the traits of a perfect Christmas track – include ‘Step into Christmas’ by Elton John, and ‘Let it Snow’ by Dean Martin.
‘Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree’ by Brenda Lee also features, as does ‘Stay Another Day’ by East 17 and ‘Christmas Wrapping’ by The Waitresses. The study also found the ideal length for a Christmas playlist is 18 songs.
Those polled had their say on the ingredients for a bonafide classic festive hit, with a catchy chorus (44 per cent), festive lyrics (35 per cent), and a nostalgic connection (33 per cent) considered key.
Music Psychology Lecturer at University of York, Mimi O’Neill,said: “Music has the ability to elicit nostalgia as it can evoke a strong connection between sound and memory. When individuals interact with music, it activates neural networks connected to emotions and memory retrieval, prompting the resurgence of both memories and the feelings attached to them. In particular, Christmas songs often carry sentimental associations with cherished holiday moments, contributing to a nostalgic allure.
“The popularity of the list’s top three songs, “Fairytale of New York”, “Last Christmas”, and “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday” as driving songs during the Christmas season are unsurprising, as they exhibit well-crafted and catchy melodies that resonate with a broad audience, providing a musically engaging experience conducive to driving. Additionally, their lyrics encapsulate the essence of the holiday season, evoking emotions and themes associated with Christmas, such as love, celebration, and the festive spirit.”
The study, carried out via OnePoll, also identified the essentials when driving home for Christmas, including sensible but non-festive things like a windscreen scraper and a phone charger, as well as mince pies, Christmas sandwiches, and a festive themed car air freshener.
