Playlists
21 Best Songs About Winter
Chill out and relax with these beautiful winter-themed songs.

The best songs about winter explore the coldest season of the year and how it affects our mood, and how many people feel the need to spend more time with their loved ones.
It’s a subject that has preoccupied singers and songwriters of all genres, from classic crooners from the 1950s to modern-day pop icons releasing chart-topping hits.
In this playlist, we’ve brought you a complete guide to the best songs exploring the darkest and coldest seasons of the year to bring some warmth into your life.
Table of Contents
The 21 Best Songs About Winter
We’ve scoured the music archives to find the greatest songs about the winter season from an eclectic selection of singers and bands around the world.
If you’re a fan of rock and metal or prefer to listen to vocal harmonies, there are plenty of classic and contemporary songs here to help light your winter fire.
Without further ado, here’s our playlist of the 21 best songs about winter:
21. “The Hounds Of Winter” – Sting
Sting released the song “The Hounds of Winter” in 1996, another classic winter song from one of the most iconic rock stars of all time.
In this song, Sting uses the winter season to provide imagery for his emotions and depression when dealing with a lost love.
One of the most celebrated singers of his generation, Sting won an astounding 17 Grammy Awards, along with 45 nominations.
20. “Winter Things” – Ariana Grande
On a lighter note, Ariana Grande’s song “Winter Things” takes a fun and vibrant look at the cold weather with a warmth to the lyrics.
Grande uses this song to sing about the fun times she has with her lover during winter by skating on ice and generally having fun.
Ariana Grande switched to another weather-based song with “Rain on Me,” one of the best songs about rain, which she performed with Lady Gaga.
19. “Valley Winter Song” – Fountains of Wayne
Fountains of Wayne released the song “Valley Winter Song” as part of their popular 2003 album Welcome Interstate Managers.
In this song, the lyrics explore the experiences of a girl who is struggling to cope with the winter season while waiting for brighter days.
It’s another example of a winter tune that captures the feeling that everyone has during a cold winter and the longing for spring to arrive.
18. “Winter In My Heart” – The Avett Brothers
“Winter in My Heart” by the Avett Brothers explores the colder weather of winter and uses it as a metaphor for the singer’s cold heart.
“There’s nothing warm in there at all, I miss the summer and the spring,” the lyrics sing, continuing, “The floating yellow leaves of fall.”
The Avett Brothers released the song “Winter in My Heart” in 2012, and it was featured on their album The Carpenter.
17. “My Love Is Winter” – The Smashing Pumpkins
Winter as a metaphor for love is also the theme of the Smashing Pumpkins’ song “My Love Is Winter.”
It’s a much more upbeat song about winter that is perfect to listen to if you’re looking for music to help warm you up in winter weather.
While the song is primarily about love, there are plenty of winter-themed references here, making it an ideal choice for anyone’s playlist of winter songs.
16. “White Winter Hymnal” – Fleet Foxes
Released in 2008, “White Winter Hymnal” by Fleet Foxes is a downbeat and melancholic song about winter that has been covered many times.
The original has the feel of classic winter songs from many years ago, with beautiful harmonies throughout the vocals.
Among the many great cover versions of this song is the a capella group Pentatonix, which, for our money, certainly deserves your attention.
15. “Winter Winds” – Mumford & Sons
Mumford and Sons take the tried and trusted approach to their winter song by using the season as a metaphor for love and romance.
“Winter Winds” is a song that explores the possibility of love during winter and how the cold weather can bring lovers closer together.
Released on the Mumford and Sons album Sigh No More, “Winter Winds” is another great love song to enjoy while dealing with cold weather blues.
14. “A Long December” – Counting Crows
Counting Crows released their song “A Long December” in 1996, featuring it on their hit album Recovering the Satellites.
In it, the lyrics explore the challenges of living through the winter season and the hopes of better prospects once the warm weather returns.
It’s one of the more optimistic songs about winter you can listen to and a reminder that most challenges in life can be overcome with time.
13. “Aspenglow” – John Denver
Folksie country music singer John Denver wrote many great songs at the peak of his career, with “Aspenglow,” another classic track from his discography.
“See the sunlight through the pines warmth of winter wine,” Denver sings in this gorgeous song, “Dream of softly falling snow.”
John Denver is perhaps best known for one of the best songs about flying, “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” which was also released by Peter, Paul, and Mary.
12. “Winter Song” – Chris Rea
Few songs capture the essence of winter and the arrival of sweater weather quite as perfectly as Chris Rea did in his song “Winter Song.”
With a composition that reflects the kind of winter sounds we hear during this season, it’s another romantic song that will make you yearn for your lover.
Chris Rea released this excellent song in 1991, and it cemented his reputation as one of the best singer-songwriters of moving and touching music.
11. “While I Shovel The Snow” – The Walkmen
The Walkmen picked up plenty of new fans following the release of their song “While I Shovel the Snow” in 2010.
Featuring the band’s unique and memorable musical style, “While I Shovel the Snow” encapsulates the feeling of a cold New York winter.
The Walkmen released the song “While I Shovel the Snow” in 2010 and featured the track on their album Lisbon.
10. “Wintertime” – Norah Jones
Winter signals tough times for many people around the world, with an especially cold winter increasing rates of depression and other mental health problems.
This is the core of “Wintertime” by Norah Jones, which features a narrator explaining how they’re fine during summer and spring but fall apart when the cold arrives.
It’s another great song about winter that also explores how our loved ones can help us overcome these dark thoughts and make it through to springtime.
9. “If We Make It Through December” – Merle Haggard
Just as Norah Jones contemplated the challenges of making it to spring, so too does Merle Haggard explore similar themes in his excellent music.
“If We Make It Through December” is a great song for anyone who struggles to make it through the cold winter months and handle their emotions.
Merle Haggard released “If We Make It Through December” in 1973, and it remains a country music classic among fans to this day.
8. “Trapped Under Ice” – Metallica
Let’s move to the opposite end of the musical spectrum, from country to the fast-paced metal of the iconic band Metallica.
Their powerful song “Trapped Under Ice” uses the cold of winter as a metaphor for being trapped in a situation you can’t escape, no matter how hard you try.
It’s an essential tune for anyone’s winter playlist who wants something with plenty of energy to help warm them up on a cold day.
7. “Coldest Winter” – Kanye West
Kanye West cast his attention to the past in the song “Coldest Winter,” which is a loose remake of the Tears for Fears song “Memories Fade.”
As we’ve all come to expect from Kanye West, this song is an emotionally charged song exploring ice-cold feelings of loss and grief.
With dozens of hits in his discography, Kanye West’s music includes some of the best songs of all time, including “Gold Digger” featuring Jamie Foxx.
6. “Snow (Hey Oh)” – Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Red Hot Chili Peppers turned the temperature down for their song “Snow (Hey Oh),” which is all about making a fresh start.
There’s a general wintery vibe running throughout the song, making it a great song for anyone who wants to reflect on their fondest winter memories.
The song “Snow (Hey Oh)” was included on their album Stadium Arcadium, which was released in 2008 to critical and commercial acclaim.
5. “Colder Weather” – Zac Brown Band
The Zac Brown Band’s contribution to this playlist of the best songs about winter is “Cold Weather,” which is another classic country song on the subject.
The lyrics deliver something of a winter’s tale for the listener, with the singer exploring the excuses as to why he can’t be with his partner and likening the conundrum to the cold winter season.
It’s a beautiful, if somewhat sad, song that exemplifies the talents of the Zac Brown Band and their ability to produce truly moving music.
4. “Wintertime Love” – The Doors
Released in 1968, “Wintertime Love” by the Doors is another powerful song that encourages people to seek warmth by spending time with their loved ones.
One of the great winter-themed songs of the era, it’s a song that makes the listener want to keep their lover warm until spring arrives.
The Doors wrote and produced a number of hit songs over the course of their career, including two Billboard Hot 100 charts number one hits, including “Light My Fire.”
3. “Winter Song” – Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson
“Winter Song” by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson, which dives into the various winter emotions we all experience, features a gorgeous animated music video.
Together, the singers explore winter depression during the freezing cold months as well as how people isolate themselves during the cold season.
While it’s a sad song, there’s plenty to recommend it, from the gorgeous vocals to the instrumentation, which has a pleasant winter sound to it.
2. “Forever Winter” – Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift has written and performed plenty of holiday music over the years, with “Forever Winter” another addition to her impressive holiday song discography.
In this song, she uses the season and lyrics to sing about the regret she feels because of how she acted one December and her desire to make things right.
Taylor Swift, who has earned her reputation as one of the most iconic pop singers of her time, released one of the best karaoke songs, the 2008 country-pop classic “Love Story.”
1. “Let It Go” – Idina Menzel
We’re wrapping up this playlist of the best music to listen to during snowy weather with “Let It Go” by Idina Menzel.
This catchy and memorable song was featured in the blockbuster hit Disney movie Frozen, and it picked up a Grammy as well as an Oscar for “Best Original Song.”
As with many Disney songs, “Let It Go” is an uplifting song that encourages people to view life with a positive mindset and put on a happy face when dealing with the wintertime blues.
Summary
So that’s a wrap on this eclectic and diverse playlist exploring many of the best songs about winter you can listen to, covering a broad range of musical styles.
Whether you’re looking for something to set you up for early winter or a winter ballad that fosters images of pure white snow, there’s a great song for you here.
These songs prove that great music about winter doesn’t have to be the same old Christmas carols, and they can be found in all styles of singers and bands to bring some warmth into your life.