As we approach the festive singing season, new research from consumer genetics company 23andMe has revealed that 38% of Londoners are too embarrassed to sing publicly other than at Christmas, and 54% believe they simply cannot sing. However, there may be an excuse for out of tune renditions, as their inability to sing could be blamed on their genetics – according to 23andMe 37% of Brits are unlikely to be able to match a musical pitch.

Blaming their DNA, one in ten Londoners (10%) believe bad singing runs in the family. This may explain why they are shy when it comes to a jingle, with 29% admitting they avoid singing in public at all costs.

However, regardless of their natural (or unnatural) abilities, there are songs that Londoners can’t help but sing along to during the festive season. Fairytale of New York (17%) was voted as their favourite festive song to sing, followed All I Want for Christmas is You (16%) and Silent Night (14%). Whereas, Santa Baby (9%), Stop the Calvary (8%) and the Little Drummer Boy (8%) are the songs they enjoy singing the least.

However, vocal coach and singing expert Julie Miles has revealed that it’s not always the songs you would expect that are technically the hardest to sing. For those who have a limited vocal range and have difficulty singing with accurate pitch, it’s best to avoid songs featuring multiple harmonies like Fairytale of New York.

Those with a lower range will impress with songs such as Driving Home For Christmas, Stop the Cavalry and Mistletoe & Wine. And songs such as White Christmas are a safe bet for all, due to them having a smaller number of notes to pitch, repeated melodies throughout and easy flowing tempos to follow.

Talent or not, Christmas wouldn’t be the same without a singalong. However, there are certainly members of the family you’d rather keep quiet. Mum’s are seen by Londoners as the worst festive vocalists (11%), followed by brothers (11%) and dads (9%). However, despite the mediocre melodies, over half of Londoners who celebrate (57%) admit that Christmas wouldn’t be the same without a singalong.

Alisa Lehman, Senior Product Scientist at 23andMe comments: “When our favourite Christmas classics begin blasting out of the radio, our brains process the opening notes, and we begin to sing along. It may seem simple, however, matching the musical pitch is actually quite complicated as our brain needs to continually try to identify changes in the pitch and try to adjust the vocal muscles to match when needed.

“23andMe found 529 genetic markers associated with the natural ability to match pitch – unfortunately, a large percentage of Brits had results at these markers which push them towards the side of not being able to match a musical pitch, meaning they’ve been genetically short-changed when it comes to singing like an angel!

“However, we know that people love a singsong at Christmas time so people shouldn’t feel disheartened – the ability to match musical pitch may also depend on things other than genetics. Early exposure to music, as well as training, may bring out the best of someone’s natural ability to carry a tune.”

Julie Miles, Vocal Coach and Singing Expert comments: “No matter the quality of your voice, singing is a great way to release endorphins associated with feelings of pleasure – a perfect pass time for this time of year!

“Luckily for most, many Christmas songs are written in a way that makes them easy to sing along to, which makes them popular festive anthems for everyone to enjoy. Tracks of this kind tend to follow a similar pattern including a smaller vocal range, fewer notes, repetition and an easy tempo. The harder tracks, such as All I Want For Christmas, usually feature high notes, power notes (notes held for a sustained period) and fluctuating tempos that can make it tricky to control breath and vocal chords.”
The most difficult Christmas belters, according to expert Julie Miles:

Fairytale of New York – The Pogues
All I Want for Christmas – Mariah Carey
Do They Know it’s Christmas – Band Aid
Last Christmas – Wham
Step Into Christmas – Elton John
Merry Christmas Everyone – Slade
Wish it Could Be Christmas Everyday – Wizzard
O Holy Night – Martina McBride
Wonderful Christmas Time – Paul McCartney
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Michael Bublé

The easiest Christmas songs to sing, according to expert Julie Miles:

Happy Christmas (War is Over)
White Christmas
Winter Wonderland
Santa Baby
Silent Night
Stop The Cavalry – Jona Louie
Mistletoe & Wine – Cliff
Driving Home For Christmas – Chris Rea
12 Days Of Christmas
Let It Snow – Dean Martin

Londoners favourite songs to sing

Fairytale of New York (17%)
All I Want for Christmas is You (16%)
Silent Night (14%)
Last Christmas (12%)
I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday (12%)

Londoners least favourite songs to sing

Santa Baby (9%)
Stop the Calvary (8%)
Little Drummer Boy (8%)
Jingle Bells (6%)
Driving Home for Christmas (6%)

Visit 23andMe.co.uk to learn more about how your genes can impact your ability to match a musical pitch, as well as your ancestry, health, and more.