Playlist: Alternative Christmas songs

You are most certainly not alone. Which is why we’ve put together this alternative yuletide playlist. To help you (and us) get those festive feels without any weariness, we’ve stepped away from the traditional Christmas canon, and made up a new mixtape. The kind of festive collection that says ‘actually Bob, snowfall is a pretty common occurrence on Mounts Kenya and Kilimanjaro at this time of year’; and ‘yeah, much as we enjoy the festivities we reckon it would be pretty stressful if this really was every day’.

So, here for your enjoyment are a selection of lesser heard Christmas tracks, from bands yet to become as ubiquitous at this time of year as fake snow and awkward family gatherings. Among them you’ll find up and coming artists we’ve welcomed to the Southbank Centre in recent years – such as Pi Ja Ma, and Dream Nails – plus acts that we’ve hosted at Meltdown, including Low, Laura Marling, Badly Drawn Boy, Kristen Hersh and Chrissie Hynde.

The perfect soundtrack to help you have a wonderful Christmastime, without having to listen to ‘Wonderful Christmastime’. Again.