Pogues top poll of favourite Christmas songs

Pogues hit 'Fairytale of New York' – which has repeatedly missed out on the number one spot – is the all-time Christmas favourite, a survey showed today.

The track made it to number two in 1987 after being held off by Pet Shop Boys hit 'Always On My Mind' and has never managed to top that position after returning to the charts on six more occasions.

But a poll of musicians for musicradar.com found the track was the top choice of festive number one, beating other popular hits such as Slade’s 'Merry Xmas Everybody'.

Runner-up in the list was John Lennon, Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono Band’s hit 'Happy Xmas (War Is Over)'.

Slade’s track – a shopping centre sound system favourite in the weeks before Christmas – was ranked third.

More than 1,200 musicians cast their votes in the poll, whose top ten did not feature any song from the last 15 years. The most recent is 1994’s 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' by Mariah Carey.

The site’s editor-in-chief Mike Goldsmith, said: “In the 22 years since 'Fairytale of New York' was released it has never made number one. This is the song that really should be Christmas number one in 2009, one that musicians believe deserves more credit.

“It’s technically superb and it’s a classic you can’t help sing along with and raise a glass to. There’s a fine art to creating a perfect Christmas tune we all love.”

Figures released by the Official Charts Company today showed the biggest-selling Christmas hit of the decade is the 2004 re-recording of Band Aid’s 'Do They Know It’s Christmas', while The Darkness’s 'Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End)' was second.

The Pogues’ track, which also features Kirsty MacColl, is the third biggest seller.

1. 'Fairytale Of New York' – The Pogues

2. 'Happy Xmas (War Is Over)' – John & Yoko

3. 'Merry Xmas Everybody' – Slade

4. 'White Christmas' – Bing Crosby

5. 'I Believe in Father Christmas' – Greg Lake

6. 'Last Christmas' – Wham!

7. 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' – Mariah Carey

8. 'Do They Know It’s Christmas?' – Band Aid

9. 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday' – Wizzard

10. 'Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)' – Darlene Love