New research released this week has peeled back the wrapping paper on Spotify streaming revenues, revealing exactly which artists are making millions from holiday hits and which acts rely almost entirely on the festive season to pay the bills. According to the data, glam rockers Wizzard top the table for “Christmas reliance,” with a staggering 97% of their total Spotify streams coming from holiday music.
While Wizzard relies most heavily on the season, it is crooner Michael Bublé who takes the crown as the biggest overall financial winner. The study indicates Bublé has generated approximately £11.8 million from festive streams alone, cementing his status as the modern “King of Christmas.” He is followed closely by Mariah Carey, whose seasonal catalogue has raked in more than £8 million, and Ariana Grande in third place with £5.8 million.
The analysis, conducted by SEO agency Dark Horse, examined artists whose songs have consistently appeared in the UK’s Christmas Top 40 over the last 25 years. The findings for Wizzard are particularly striking; the band, best known for I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday, has a lifetime total of 197 million streams on Spotify. Of these, 97% are Christmas-related. Based on an estimated payout of £2.25 per 1,000 streams, the band has earned roughly £428,861 of their total £444,102 Spotify revenue purely from their festive output.
Jona Lewie, famous for Stop the Cavalry, occupies the second spot on the “reliance” list. Despite having only five songs available on Spotify, two of which are festive, he has accumulated 117 million streams. A massive 104 million of those are Christmas tracks, meaning 89% of his platform revenue—approximately £234,000—arrives courtesy of the holiday season. In contrast, his non-festive tracks have generated only £29,000.
Top 10 Most Christmas-Reliant Artists
- Wizzard: 97% of streams are Christmas
- Jona Lewie: 89% of streams are Christmas
- Andy Williams: 76% of streams are Christmas
- Shakin’ Stevens: 75% of streams are Christmas
- Brenda Lee: 72% of streams are Christmas
- Slade: 55% of streams are Christmas
- Chris Rea: 53% of streams are Christmas
- Wham: 52% of streams are Christmas
- The Pogues: 48% of streams are Christmas
- East 17: 48% of streams are Christmas
When shifting the focus from percentage reliance to raw cold cash, the major global superstars dominate. Although Michael Bublé is the highest festive earner, only 12% of his catalogue is holiday-themed, and these songs account for 45% of his total streams. Similarly, Mariah Carey draws 29% of her total streams from Christmas hits, earning over £8 million, while her wider discography pulls in a further £27.5 million. Ariana Grande sits in third; despite Christmas music making up just 4% of her total streams, that small slice is still worth a massive £5.8 million.
Top 10 Biggest Christmas Earners
- Michael Bublé: £11,768,963
- Mariah Carey: £8,019,004
- Ariana Grande: £5,784,654
- Wham: £4,576,938
- Justin Bieber: £3,679,058
- Brenda Lee: £3,583,242
- Kelly Clarkson: £3,510,355
- Andy Williams: £3,500,624
- John Lennon: £1,618,428
- Elton John: £1,583,219
The study also highlighted a trend of artists cashing in through covers rather than original songwriting. Andy Williams, who relies on Christmas for 76% of his streams, has covered 11 different holiday classics including Silent Night and White Christmas. Justin Bieber and Brenda Lee follow closely with nine covers each, while Bublé also features nine covers in his lucrative repertoire.
Commenting on the figures, Libby Mayfield, Head of Marketing for Dark Horse, noted the sheer scale of the industry. “When you look at the numbers, Christmas isn’t just a season, it’s a business model,” she said. “For some artists, one festive hit isn’t just a chart success, it’s the backbone of their entire streaming income. For others, a few Christmas covers can boost their revenue by millions.”
The data used for this study was sourced from Official Charts and Kworb.net, with streaming figures current as of 28 November 2025. The methodology assumed a Spotify payout rate of roughly £2.25 per 1,000 streams to calculate the estimated revenue figures.
