The Christmas season is the only time of year I hear from some musical artists. It is the only time where music from the 1940s and 50s get wide airplay. There are plenty of Christmas songs from more recent decades that are one-hit Christmas wonders. This is the time of year to gather with family and old friends that we might not see very often and I’ve started to think of these singers as annual holiday visitors.

Here is my list of the 15 artists that I only hear at Christmas:

Bing Crosby: Der Bingle’s “White Christmas” from 1942 is still far and away the best selling single of all time and it doesn’t seem like anything will ever catch it.

Elvis Presley: At least 8 albums of Christmas songs performed by Elvis have been released so far and there are a lot of great tunes in there but “Blue Christmas” is the one that I hear the most.

The Waitresses: “Christmas Wrapping” really holds up. Released in 1981, it still captures one of the most overlooked features of the Christmas season: romance.

Run-D.M.C.: “Christmas in Hollis” also captures something precious and rare: the miracle that Christmas brings to the parts of the city that seems resistant to joy on every other day of the year.

Mel Torme: My mom turned 93 this year, so will be excluded for the first time since infancy from that simple phrase that only reaches kids from one to 92. She should blame Bob Wells, who wrote the lyrics, but it’s the Velvet Fog himself who wrote the music and sang this song originally.

Nat King Cole: I have to confess that I do hear Nathanial Adams Cole at other times of the year (Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer anyone?) but only in the privacy of my earbuds. At Christmas I hear his unmistakable voice everywhere.

Mariah Carey: Is “All I Want For Christmas Is You” the greatest Christmas song? According to Time Out (and many others) it most definitively is. I won’t object.

Wham!: Nothing against George Michael or Andrew Ridgeley but I was never a big fan of their music. Except for “Last Christmas.” This is another song that seemed like it might wind up chained to its era that has transcended it.

Phil Spector: Would Christmas even exist without “A Christmas Gift For You by Phil Spector”? It’s hard to imagine the holidays without Darlene Love and Ronnie Spector.

Jose Feliciano: There are only two songs by Jose that I have heard may times. His cover of The Doors’ “Light My Fire” is wonderful but his “Feliz Navidad” is his undeniable classic.

Brenda Lee: “Rocking Around The Christmas Tree” hit number one this year for the first time. The only song to reach that height so long after it’s original release. At 78, she broke a record held by Louis Armstrong since 1964 for the oldest person to top the charts. If that’s not staying power, I don’t know what is.

Eartha Kitt: Her acting talents are as well known as her singing but her best known venture into music has to be her version of “Santa Baby.” It has been performed by many great artists over the years but nobody has topped her 1953 version.

Bobby Helms: The 1950s was a good time for original Christmas songs and “Jingle Bell Rock” is a prime example. Rock was ready for the mainstream in 1957 and it hasn’t left the stream since.

Vince Guaraldi Trio: “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is inimitable. The genius of Charles Schultz bleeds through every frame of it but it would not be the same without the incredible musical contributions of Vince Guaraldi and his band.

Andy Williams: Between “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “Happy Holidays/The Holiday Season” you can’t escape this dude during the yuletide season. Don’t forget to hang up your sock.