Pentatonix‘s official genre is a cappella, but a close unofficial second is Christmas music. The five-member group has put out three Christmas records since 2012 — PTXmas, That’s Christmas To Me and A Pentatonix Christmas — all of which have become staples on the Holiday Albums chart, each of them sitting in the top 10 currently with last year’s A Pentatonix Christmas topping the list.
Christmas classics such as “Little Drummer Boy,” “Hallelujah” or “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” have been covered countless times over the decades, but Pentatonix separates from the pack with mesmerizing vocal harmonies that can give you chills or feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Here are 10 of Pentatonix’s best Christmas songs.
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“That’s Christmas To Me” (2014)
This one is a Pentatonix original track but possesses all of the elements you’d associate with a Christmas song — references to fires burning bright, children playing, snow and “joy of family.” The accompanying video puts the sentiment over the top with flashback footage of Pentatonix members on Christmas morning as kids.
“Joy To The World” (2015)
The group’s cover of “Joy To The World” finds them beatboxing and singing to an empty church. Pentatonix puts a more upbeat spin on a song that is traditionally sung pretty even keel.
“Little Drummer Boy” (2013)
This cover is some of Pentatonix’s finest work, as shown by the over 145 million YouTube views. Their vocal “pa-rum pum pum” doesn’t make us miss an actual drum at all.
“This Christmas” (2014)
It sounds as if Pentatonix drizzled Donny Hathaway‘s “This Christmas” with hot syrup — slowing it down necessarily without the original instrumentals. That said, the tempo in the chorus doesn’t suffer.
“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” (2016)
In the video, all five members are dressed in black and staring into the camera as they calmly start to sing. But to start, only four of them are singing. Kevin Olusola stands off to the left with a smile on his face until about 30 seconds in, he switches the song up with his signature beatboxing.
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (2015)
Olusola’s beatboxing is immediately heard in this cover, with his group members voices gradually filling in the pockets.
“Carol of the Bells” (2012)
As the group — original member Avi Kaplan still in tact — stand surrounding by trees with different colored leaves in autumn, their voices transport you into Christmas-mode.
“Silent Night” (2014)
Pentatonix’s rendition of “Silent Night” makes you want them to continue being anything but silent for the rest of forever.
“Hallelujah”
In their most viewed upload to date at 230-plus million views, while walking across a deserted plain, Pentatonix delivers an unforgettable version of “Hellelujah.” It’s calm in delivery but fierce in resonance.
“Mary, Did You Know?” (2014)
The group stands in cavernous setting, each holding lit candles and trading off verses.