Christmas movies usually sound the same. You get the same sleigh bells, the same Bing Crosby crooning about snow, and the same twinkly piano tracks that make you feel like you're trapped in a department store elevator. Then there is the soundtrack from Bad Moms Christmas. It’s messy. It is loud. Honestly, it feels exactly like what a stressed-out mom actually wants to hear when she’s hiding in the pantry with a bottle of wine.
The 2017 sequel to Bad Moms didn't just double down on the raunchy humor; it leaned hard into a musical identity that felt aggressive, modern, and surprisingly nostalgic all at once. Starring Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and Kathryn Hahn, the film follows three under-appreciated mothers whose own moms (played by legends Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines, and Susan Sarandon) show up to ruin—or maybe save—the holidays. The music had to bridge that generational gap while keeping the "bad mom" energy alive.
The High-Energy Logic of Christopher Lennertz
Most people don't think about a composer when they’re watching a comedy about suburban moms getting drunk at the mall. But Christopher Lennertz, the guy behind the score, had a specific vision. He’s worked on everything from The Boys to Supernatural, so he knows how to handle chaos. For this movie, the music wasn't just background noise. It was a character.
Take the opening sequence. It sets the tone immediately. We aren't getting "Silent Night." Instead, we get a percussive, driving energy that signals we are in for a frantic ride. The soundtrack from Bad Moms Christmas is basically a sonic representation of a nervous breakdown disguised as a party. It uses a mix of traditional orchestral elements and heavy pop beats. Lennertz intentionally kept the tempo high because the movie is a race against time—specifically, the time until Christmas morning.
It Isn't All Jingle Bells and Whimsy
If you look at the tracklist, it’s a weird, beautiful mix. You have Gwen Stefani’s "You Make It Feel Like Christmas" and Sia’s "Santa's Coming For Us." These are modern hits that feel "produced" and shiny. But then the movie pivots. Suddenly, you’re listening to "Be Your Santa Claus" by Charles Bradley. That’s soulful. It’s gritty. It adds a layer of actual emotion to a movie that, on the surface, is about a male stripper contest.
The inclusion of Bradley is a masterstroke. His voice carries this weight of lived experience. It grounds the movie. When the characters are fighting with their mothers—those deep, painful, "you never loved me the right way" kind of fights—the music stops being a joke. It becomes a bridge.
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A lot of Christmas movies play it safe. They use public domain songs because they're cheap and recognizable. This film did the opposite. It spent the budget on licensing tracks that feel like they belong on a real person's Spotify Wrapped. You hear "What Christmas Means to Me" and it feels fresh because of the context. It’s being played while women are literally reclaiming their sanity.
The Mall Scene and the Power of Pop
Let’s talk about the mall sequence. It’s the centerpiece of the movie. The moms go to the mall, get hammered on food court samples, and wreak havoc. The music here is everything. It’s fast. It’s loud. It makes you want to join them.
The soundtrack from Bad Moms Christmas thrives in these moments of rebellion. When "Run Run Rudolph" kicks in, it’s not the standard version you’ve heard a thousand times at your aunt's house. It feels like a getaway song. Like a heist. Because in a way, these moms are stealing their lives back from the expectations of the holiday season.
There’s a specific nuance to how the songs are edited into the film. They don't just fade out; they punch out. The music supervisors—Julia Michels and Julianne Jordan—are titans in the industry. They worked on Pitch Perfect and A Star Is Born. They know that a comedy is only as funny as its rhythm. If the beat drops at the wrong time, the joke dies. In A Bad Moms Christmas, the beats land perfectly with the physical comedy.
Why the Soundtrack From Bad Moms Christmas Hits Different
Most holiday albums are designed to be played while you wrap gifts. They’re meant to be soothing. This one is designed to be played while you're driving too fast to the grocery store because you forgot the heavy cream.
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It’s the "bad" part of the title that really matters. The music reflects a rejection of the "Perfect Christmas" myth. Think about the song "Be Your Santa Claus" again. It’s not about a magical fat man coming down the chimney. It’s about human connection. It’s about being there for someone in a messy, real way.
The soundtrack also features "Dreadlock Holiday" by 10cc, which feels totally out of place for a Christmas movie until you see the context. It’s that irreverence that makes it work. The movie knows it's a bit ridiculous. The music leans into that absurdity. It says, "Yeah, we’re playing a reggae-inflected pop song in the middle of December. What of it?"
The Subtle Influence of the "Moms" Themselves
The three grandmothers—Baranski, Hines, and Sarandon—bring a different musical era into the fold. Their presence allows for a bit of disco and classic rock sensibility to bleed through. This creates a fascinating tension. The younger moms represent the pop/modern R&B sound, while the grandmothers represent the polished, sometimes overbearing classics.
This isn't just a collection of songs. It's a dialogue between generations. When you listen to the soundtrack from Bad Moms Christmas, you’re hearing the sound of family friction. You hear the desire to be cool mixed with the reality of being a parent. It’s a delicate balance that most comedies fail to strike. They usually just dump a bunch of Top 40 hits and call it a day. Here, the songs feel curated to fit the specific neuroses of the characters.
Realism in the Rhythms
Honestly, the best part of the music is that it doesn't try to be "classy." It’s unpretentious. It’s got "Candy Cane Lane" by Sia, which is basically a sugar rush in song form. It’s got "Jingle Bells" but it’s the version that makes you want to dance, not the one that makes you want to nap.
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There’s a lot of talk in the film industry about "needle drops." A good needle drop can define a movie. Think of Guardians of the Galaxy. While this isn't a sci-fi epic, it uses the same logic. It uses familiar songs to trigger an emotional response that the dialogue might not reach on its own. When a character is feeling overwhelmed, the music swells in a way that feels sympathetic. When they’re winning, the bass kicks in.
Technical Details You Might Have Missed
The soundtrack was released by WaterTower Music, which is Warner Bros.' in-house label. They didn't just put out a digital album; they made sure the score and the licensed tracks felt like a cohesive unit. That is harder than it looks. Usually, a score (the instrumental stuff) and the soundtrack (the pop songs) feel like two different worlds. Lennertz made sure his score used the same instruments and "vibe" as the pop songs so the transition from a scene to a montage was seamless.
The tracklist includes:
- "You Make It Feel Like Christmas" – Gwen Stefani ft. Blake Shelton
- "Santa's Coming For Us" – Sia
- "Be Your Santa Claus" – Charles Bradley
- "Run Run Rudolph" – Kelly Clarkson
- "What Christmas Means to Me" – Fantasia
- "Candy Cane Lane" – Sia
- "Joy to the World" – Pentatonix
This isn't a definitive list of every single background noise, but these are the pillars. The inclusion of Pentatonix is a nod to the "traditional" while keeping it modern with a cappella arrangements. It’s a smart way to satisfy the people who want "real" carols without making the movie feel dated.
Actionable Steps for Your Holiday Playlist
If you’re tired of the same old "Wonderful Christmastime" (which, let’s be honest, is a polarizing song anyway), you can actually learn something from how this movie was put together. You don't have to stick to one genre.
- Mix your eras. Don't be afraid to put a 1960s soul track next to a 2017 pop hit. The contrast keeps the energy from stagnating.
- Focus on tempo. If you want to keep the "Bad Moms" energy at your own party, look for tracks with a BPM (beats per minute) over 120.
- Embrace the weird. Songs like "Dreadlock Holiday" shouldn't work at Christmas, but they do because they provide a "sonic break" from the bells and whistles.
- Use the score. Don't sleep on the actual composed music by Christopher Lennertz. If you can find the expanded score, there are some great instrumental transitions that work perfectly for background noise that isn't distracting.
The real takeaway here is that the soundtrack from Bad Moms Christmas succeeded because it didn't try to be a "Christmas album." It tried to be a "Bad Moms" album that happened to take place in December. That distinction is why people still look it up years later. It captures a feeling of festive rebellion that is much more relatable than a silent, snowy night.
To recreate this vibe, start by ditching the standard "Holiday Classics" radio stations. Look for "Soul Christmas" or "Indie Holiday" playlists. The goal is to find music that sounds like a human being chose it, not an algorithm. Look for tracks that have a bit of grit, a bit of bass, and a whole lot of attitude. That is the essence of being a "Bad Mom," and it's the secret sauce of this particular soundtrack.