Gene is the only entertainer honored with all five stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
ASCAP Unwraps 2025 New Classic Holiday Top 10 with Hits from Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Jimmy Fallon, Meghan Trainor and More
Updated December 11, 2025
Gene Autry is a member of ASCAP as a songwriter, and up until his music publishing catalogs were sold to Warner Chappell in 2019, he was also a music publisher. ASCAP annually writes about the popularity of holiday songs during the Christmas season that are written, performed, or published by their members. For 2025, ASCAP has two lists, the first is The Top 10 ASCAP New Classic Holiday Songs of 2025 and the second is The Top 25 ASCAP Holiday Songs of 2025. While he is not on the first list, Gene Autry is on the second list with songs that he was the first to record and popularize. It is worth noting these Christmas Classics have stood the test of time with "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)" debuting 78 years ago, "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" 76 years ago, and "Frosty the Snowman" 75 years ago!
We've noted all the songs performed by Gene Autry – released on record or sung on his Melody Ranch Radio Show – with a star on the 25 most-played ASCAP Holiday Songs of 2025 list. You can listen to them on our special Gene Autry Official YouTube Channel Christmas Songs Playlist here
ASCAP New Classic Holiday Songs Chart Features
Contemporary Hits From the Last Quarter Century
Seasonal Standards Still Shine Bright as “Sleigh Ride”
Takes #1 on Top 25 ASCAP Holiday Songs Chart
NEW YORK, Dec. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This holiday season, The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), a professional membership organization of songwriters, composers and music publishers, announces the trending tinsel tunes released in the last quarter century that are captivating listeners today. Alongside the beloved traditional songs featured on the Top 25 ASCAP Holiday Songs chart, the holiday hits on the Top 10 ASCAP New Classic Holiday Songs chart are on their way to becoming modern standards. The charts, which celebrate the ASCAP songwriters behind the biggest holiday hits, reflect the number of streams and plays a song receives, including the original recording and the many covers recorded by various artists.
"Santa Tell Me," co-written by hitmakers Savan Kotecha and Ilya Salmanzadeh, takes the #1 spot on the Top 10 ASCAP New Classic Holiday Songs chart for the first time. Next up on the list is Kelly Clarkson's "Underneath the Tree," co-written with Greg Kurstin. Both songs have become beloved holiday anthems, underscored by their additional inclusion in the ASCAP Top 25 Holiday Songs chart. This year's seasonal canon also features hits from Jimmy Fallon, Meghan Trainor, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and more.
"There's an undeniable magic surrounding the holidays, and songwriters of every era have found ways to capture that feeling and bring it straight to our hearts," said Paul Williams, ASCAP Chairman of the Board and President and Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe-winning songwriter.
"Sleigh Ride" by Leroy Anderson and Mitchell Parish takes the #1 spot on The Top 25 ASCAP Holiday Songs chart for the first time since 2021. A perennial favorite, the ode to winter festivities has taken the top spot several times since the ASCAP chart debuted in 2002 – including in 2015, 2012, 2011 and 2010. No holiday chart would be complete without the iconic Mariah Carey. The single of the season, "All I Want for Christmas Is You," co-written with Walter Afanasieff, continues to dominate the airwaves and playlists. This year, José Feliciano's "Feliz Navidad" got a shiny, new cover from Latin music legend Marc Anthony, highlighting the festive standard's enduring popularity.
Famed holiday hitmaker Johnny Marks takes four of the top 25 spots with "A Holly Jolly Christmas," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and "Run Rudolph Run." Originally written between 1949 and 1962, his timeless songs have been covered by countless artists including Kacey Musgraves, Jessie J, DMX, Chicago and Dan + Shay to name a few.
Below are the top 10 most-played ASCAP New Classic Holiday Songs of 2025* and the top 25 most-played ASCAP Holiday Songs of 2025**, all written, co-written or arranged by ASCAP songwriters and composers. Each song is listed with ASCAP-licensed songwriter credits and copyright date.
The Top 10 ASCAP New Classic Holiday Songs of 2026:
Listen to the top 10 ASCAP New Classic Holiday Songs here: https://go.ascap.com/3KS4KZ1
THE TOP 25 ASCAP HOLIDAY SONGS OF 2025:
Listen to the top 25 ASCAP Holiday Songs here: https://go.ascap.com/4oN3tjX
*Based on an analysis of ASCAP streaming and terrestrial radio data and continued ASCAP membership for songs with a copyright date after 2000
**Based on an analysis of ASCAP streaming and terrestrial radio data and continued membership in ASCAP
About ASCAP
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is a membership association of more than 1.1 million songwriters, composers and music publishers, and represents some of the world's most talented music creators. Founded and governed by songwriters, composers and publishers, it returns nearly 90 cents of every dollar collected to its members as royalties and has the lowest overhead rate of any U.S. PRO. ASCAP licenses a repertory of over 20 million musical works to hundreds of thousands of businesses that use music, including streaming services, cable television, radio and satellite radio and brick and mortar businesses such as retail stores, hotels, clubs, restaurants and bars. ASCAP collects the licensing fees and identifies, matches, processes and pays royalties to its members for trillions of performances every year. The ASCAP blanket license offers an efficient solution for businesses to legally perform ASCAP music while respecting the right of songwriters and composers to be paid fairly. ASCAP puts music creators first, advocating for their rights and the value of music on Capitol Hill, driving innovation that moves the industry forward, building community and providing the resources and support that creators need to succeed in their careers. LLearn more and stay in touch at www.ascap.com, on X and Instagram @ASCAP and on Facebook.
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