Justin Hawkins, the leader of The Darkness, a not so dark rock band of the 2000s, has been re-establishing himself as a voice within music through his Youtube channel in recent times. There, he provides interesting takes on subjects as varied as the new Beatles documentary, Get Back, directed by Peter Jackson, and the new icons of the pop world. Many people in the UK will remember The Darkness because of their smash hit “I Believe in a Thing Called Love,” which came out in 2002. Yet, they also made their mark in the annals of great Christmas songs through “Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End).
With their mix of pop and glam rock, The Darkness managed to squeeze in guitar solos and a rock and roll spirit at a time when the cache of the genre was on the wain. Hawkins was the perfect musician to do this: accessible, fun and a serious songwriter, he carved out a new space in an industry that was looking elsewhere. He became a legend as a result and fans still flock to his Christmas track every time the holiday season rolls around, especially in the UK.
The comments on the official video are testament to its longevity: “Funniest and most rocking Christmas song of all time. Timeless lads. Mission accomplished” and “This is the best Christmas song ever. And I’m not just saying that. I genuinely believe this to be the best Christmas song ever.” Another fan echoed this sentiment, writing: “Probably the most underrated Christmas song, brigns a new style of a Christmas song while maintaining traditional features.”
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