These Are Colorado’s Favorite Christmas Carols For 2017, As Selected By Our Listeners

By David Rutherford
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<p>(Image: CPR/Becky Clark)</p>
Photo: Carol Countdown feature image 2015

This year’s winner is an upset that’s happened only twice before: "Carol of the Bells" takes top honors this year, unseating the traditional favorite, "O Holy Night" -- which drops by just a few votes to No. 2.

Two carols make the jump into the Top 10 this year that weren’t there last year. "Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming" surged to No. 5, and sliding into ninth place from No. 17 last year is "Still, Still, Still."

Also of note this year are three selections that have never before been a part of Colorado’s 50 favorite carols. "Boar’s Head Carol," "Ave Maria" and "Personent Hodie" all squeaked into the Carol Countdown, elbowing out venerable favorites like "Go Tell It on the Mountain" and "Do You Hear What I Hear?"

We’re so pleased this year to bring you a mostly-Colorado Countdown, since many of the performances you’ll hear in the countdown were recorded in the CPR Performance Studio by Colorado artists.

Check the schedule below for when the Carol Countdown airs throughout the holidays, and scroll down for a list of the 50 carols we'll feature.

  • Wednesday, Dec. 13 at 1 p.m.
  • Saturday, Dec. 16 at 8 a.m.
  • Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 9 a.m.
  • Friday, Dec. 22 at 3 p.m.
  • Christmas Eve, Sunday, Dec. 24 at 7 p.m. on CPR News
  • Christmas Day, Monday, Dec. 25 at noon

Tune in often and enjoy Colorado’s 50 favorite carols! Merry Christmas!

For more seasonal music from CPR Classical, check out our 2017 holiday programming schedule.

TITLE2017 RANKING20162015201420132012201120102009
Carol of the Bells1212212313
O Holy Night212112111
Silent Night3445431528
O Come, O Come Emmanuel43333488 
Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming512765117182
In the Bleak Midwinter681371483165
O Come All Ye Faithful7559979610
Joy To The World861111819 369
Still, Still, Still917148191319283
Angels We Have Heard On High109610716341943
What Child is This?111310466646
Coventry Carol121923121629107 
Little Drummer Boy13161613121412 14
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing147815115202322
Holly & the Ivy151191918913157
Once in Royal David's City162618161515594
Wexford Carol172120143036 24 
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen18151218102114530
White Christmas191422171331 27 
Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella201825201925172612
The First Noel21101924222828 26
We Three Kings22242126172044 16
Good King Wenceslas23201721241241236
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear242215232017311119
The Christmas Song2527282923224522 
I'll Be Home for Christmas262527222127   
O Little Town of Bethlehem272924252510 1418
Away in a Manger282329282718  20
Deck the Halls292830302832 2525
Ding Dong Merrily on High3030262729242233 
Noel Nouvelet31 4047422627  
Gesu Bambino3232313245  3713
For Unto Us a Child is Born3339  48 32  
Riu, Riu, Chiu34 49 373021  
Boar's Head Carol35        
Masters in this Hall36445046     
Hallelujah Chorus3741 40473911  
Here We Come a Wassailing38    34   
Gabriel's Message39 4334     
Gaudette40   43    
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day41      39 
Huron Carol42343233363730 31
The Friendly Beasts4340    29  
Fum, Fum, Fum4450    43  
Ave Maria (Bach/Gounod)45        
Personent Hodie46        
Patapan4745 5044 37  
I Wonder as I Wander4831 363935331032
Mary Did You Know493538      
I Saw Three Ships504339    1323
Walking in the Air         
Go Tell It on the Mountain 3336 33 4032 
Of the Father's love begotten 3635494623  27
Silver Bells 3741443538412940
Do You Hear What I Hear? 38453132333917 
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day 42  41  30 
Sleigh Ride 46  31    
What Sweeter Music 473337   4415
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas 4834 40  46 
He is born, the Divine Christ Child 49       
L'enfance du Christ: Shepherd's Farewell  37     34
Jesus Christ the Apple Tree  42   2643 
The Donkey and the Dove  44484947   
Sussex Carol  46  42 -29
Sans Day Carol (arr. by John Rutter)  47     38
Break Forth O Beautious Heavenly Light  48   47  
I wish you Christmas   35    41
Twelve Days of Christmas   38  16  
Angels from the Realms of Glory   39   38 
Il est né le divin enfant   41  2420 
In dulci jubilo   42     
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring   43 4525 21
Mary's Boy Child   45 4048 28
Wassail Song    34 38 17
Let All Mortal Flesh    38    
Christmas Time is Here    5048   
A Child is Born in Bethlehem     46   
Allon, gay bergeres        37
Amahl & the Night Visitors        44
Bethlehem Down       50 
Candlelight Carol      23  
Candlelight Carol       41 
D'ou viens tu Bergere?        47
Good Christian Men Rejoice       31 
Hacia Belen va un borrico        42
Hodie        35
Hush-a-bye, Little Jesus     49   
Infant Holy, Infant Lowly      3634 
Jolly Old St. Nicholas       42 
Joseph dearest      42  
Lute-Book Lullaby       49 
Magnum Mysterium      50  
My Dancing Day      35  
Myn Lyking      4640 
O Tannenbaum     41 35 
See amid the winter's snow        45
Shepherd's Pipe        48
Sicilian Bagpiper's Carol       47 
Star Carol     4318  
Sweet Little Jesus Boy        33
Tambourine Noel     5049  
The Holy City       48 
The Lamb        49
This Endris Night        24
Up on the Housetop     44   
We Wish You a Merry Christmas       45 
What Cheer?        50
Whence Is That Goodly Fragrance?        39
Winter Wonderland       21 
Zu Bethlehem geboren        46

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