Kelly Clarkson became a household name in 2002 as the first-ever American Idol winner and never looked back. With a Texas-sized voice that effortlessly mixes pop, rock, soul, and country grit, she has sold over 75 million records, grabbed three Grammys, and currently hosts her own Emmy-winning daytime talk show. Her 2013 holiday album Wrapped in Red is her best-selling non-greatest-hits record, powered almost entirely by one original song that refuses to age.

Twelve years after its release, “Underneath the Tree” remains the only post-2000 original Christmas song to truly join the untouchable classics. It opens with sleigh bells that actually groove instead of gimmick, then slams into a four-on-the-floor beat and a wall of gospel-style backing vocals that sound like money. Greg Kurstin’s production is pure sugar-rush opulence, yet it never collapses into cheese because Kelly’s vocal is the real present. She belts, she riffs, she sells every line about finally having someone to kiss under the lights with pure, infectious joy.

The song’s global stats at the end of 2025 tell the story better than any critic ever could.

  • It has surpassed 1.2 billion Spotify streams worldwide.
  • It is the most-streamed 21st-century holiday song in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, and Norway.
  • It re-enters the Billboard Hot 100 every December (peaking at #12 so far) and has spent more weeks on the UK Singles Chart than any original Christmas track except Mariah’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
  • In 2024 alone it topped the official charts in Ireland, Latvia, and Lithuania during the holiday week.

Lyrically, it’s simple and perfect: presents are great, but the only gift that matters is you standing next to me under the tree. That universal sentiment, paired with a chorus built for stadium singalongs, is why radio stations from Los Angeles to London still play it multiple times an hour every December.

Final Thoughts

Mariah Carey will always wear the crown, but Kelly Clarkson earned the spot right beside her. “Underneath the Tree” is the rare modern Christmas song that doesn’t feel trendy or dated. It just feels like Christmas. Crank it loud, pour the eggnog, and thank Kelly for giving us a new classic that still sounds like it dropped yesterday. 🎄

Are you adding Kelly Clarkson to your Christmas playlist this year? Stay tuned to MusicOnTheRox.com for all your music news and reviews.