It's not Christmas without the music. For many people, hearing that first Christmas song is the sign that the festivities can begin. Whether you prefer the modern Christmas hits, or the timeless caroling classics, there's something for everyone.
So, to get yourself in the mood, you need to download one of these Christmas music apps. Some of the apps let you choose a song, while others feature a plethora of different radio stations to choose from. And best of all? They're all free.
Without further ado, here are the best Christmas music and radio apps for Android.
1. Christmas Songs (by Mobiloids)
Christmas Songs has a decent selection of classic Christmas tunes for you to enjoy, like Away in a Manger, Silent Night, and We Three Kings. Each song plays with full music, vocals, and a slideshow of fitting full-screen festive images.
The nice thing about this app is that the lyrics display in time to the song, so you can sing along in karaoke if you desire. Children especially will enjoy it thanks to the simplicity of the app; it's one of the best Christmas apps for kids.
Plus, with the premium version (which removes ads), you can tap a button to set one of the songs as your ringtone. You'll never want to answer your calls.
Download: Christmas Songs for Android (Free, premium version available)
2. Christmas Songs (by Dream_Studio)
Don't be confused. This app does have the same name as the one before it, but it's different. It includes Christmas classics like Frosty the Snowman, O Christmas Tree, and Jingle Bells.
Simply choose the song you want and it plays immediately. While you can leave it at that, this app does a lot more. You can set a timer for how long to play the songs for, which is ideal if you want to fall asleep to the music—or perhaps use it to time your festive cooking!
You can also bring up the lyrics to sing along, and set a song as your ringtone, alarm tone, or notification noise with a single tap. Plus, if you like the imagery that accompanies each track, you can set that as your device's wallpaper.
Download: Christmas Songs for Android (Free)
3. Christmas Radio and Podcasts
If you can't decide what Christmas songs you want to play, you should give this app a try. Rather than picking a song, you choose an entire radio station that will stream endless festive hits.
There are over 125 stations to browse, all broadcasting from around the world, with genres like rock, jazz, and country available. Simply scroll through the list of stations, find one that takes your fancy, and tap it. Wait a moment for it to buffer and the Christmas tunes will begin. The current track will scroll along the bottom.
While there are some spoken word radio stations to choose from, this app has a separate section dedicated solely to Christmas podcasts. However, these direct you outside the app to Google Podcasts (which is one of the best apps to listen to podcasts.)
Download: Christmas Radio and Podcasts on Android (Free, premium version available)
4. Christmas Radio
Another decent radio app is the suitably named Christmas Radio. It features a great range of different internet radio stations to enjoy, separated into handy categories. Whether you want classic Christmas music, smooth tunes, or perhaps a country Christmas, you'll find it here.
While the selection of stations is great, especially because they tend to play music beyond what you usually hear, be aware the app's interface is basic. The currently playing song scrolls across the top, which is handy, but you can't do anything beyond playing and stopping the music.
Download: Christmas Radio for Android (Free)
5. Christmas Songs Greatest Hits
For when you can't decide what you want to hear, Christmas Songs Greatest Hits is perfect. The app splits into a series of playlists, like Classic Christmas Songs and Kids Christmas Songs, each packed full of hundreds of songs from across the years.
You can play the songs in order or put the playlist on shuffle. Of course, you could find these songs on your music streaming service of choice, be it Spotify or Apple Music, but there's something convenient about having an app entirely dedicated to these Christmas songs.
Can't find a song you think should be on the app? There's a button to email the developer and suggest which songs should get added.
Download: Christmas Songs Greatest Hits for Android (Free)
6. Radio Santa Claus
If you want an endless stream of Christmas bangers, look no further than Radio Santa Claus. This free internet radio app broadcasts Christmas music 24/7, so you never need to go without. If you want to go to bed listening to the radio, there's a sleep mode you can enable for it to automatically shutdown after a set time.
The station plays a wonderful mix of the old and new, originals and covers—plus the occasional song from The Muppets, so what's not to like? It'll keep playing as you do other things on your phone, even if you switch to another app entirely, and you can choose between the standard and HD stream (the former is helpful if you need to conserve data.)
In what seems like a rarity nowadays, there are absolutely no adverts. Not within the app itself, nor between the songs (except the occasional Radio Santa Claus stinger.) You can also stream the station from the Radio Santa Claus website.
Download: Radio Santa Claus for Android (Free)
Plan Your Christmas With the Perfect Music
It's up to you when you start playing Christmas music. Some people like to wait until December. Others can't hold back and put them on as soon as the weather starts to change. Whatever your preference, all of these free Christmas music and radio apps will make perfect choices.
They also make for excellent background accompaniment for planning a stress-free holiday season. Writing cards, researching recipes, or doing online shopping? Whatever the circumstance, pop on some Christmas music to keep your spirits jolly.