10. JJ72 - Snow (2000)

Holy crap Mark Geary, you need to calm down or you'll pull something. You wanted snow, now you have it. Happy now? Of course you're not. 

9. Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby (1990) 

The bequiffed Detroit rapper, real name, Robert Van Winkle (why does that make us lol?) was romatically linked to Madonna, but ultimately was married to hip-hop. They divorced acrimoniously and hip-hop got the house and pimped-out car. This humungous party stormer hit the charts in 1990, having originally been a B-side. The ATL team can still recite every single lyric. And do the running dance thing. For shame.

8. The Amazing Pilots - The Price of Winter (2005)

While 'All My Wasted Days' was the pick of the NI ex-pats' 2004 album 'Hello My Captor', but special mention must go to this fine slice of indie goodness. You can find various Pilots on stage with Duke Special these days, and also pursuing solo interests but we think we're long overdue a reformation. And by that we do not mean a radical schism in the church that lead to the foundation of Protestantism, we just want some more pretty songs please.

7. Husker Du - Ice Cold Ice (1994)

Jolly chuckle-merchants Husker Du knew a thing or two about ice, coming from the rather nippy city of Minneapolis. Over the course of seven explosive albums, the hardcore three-piece explored every aspect of being young and alienated in Reagan's America, but saved the best for last on this track for their final album 'Warehouse: Songs and Stories', where they dropped the bomb and told us that "ice" is quite literally as cold as "ice". After this revelation, where else was there to go?

6. The Cocteau Twins - Iceblink Luck (1990) 

With a bass line that hums through the air like a chilly winter tingle, the Cocteau Twins provide the playful side to winter with a song that's the aural equivalent of making snow angels. Play this to anyone complaining about the weather, and it's a scientifically proven fact that within 14 seconds of the song's beginning, they'll be outside, playing in the snow and living in a Winter Wonderland.

5. Three Tales - A Cast of Hawks (2008) 

Local gently rockers Three Tales have us shivering thinking of lead singer Ben McAuley being transformed into a iccle bitsy mouse lost in the snow. Watch your step folks, Ben might be out there amongst the white somewhere...

4. Laura Veirs - Through December (2005)

From her album "Triumphs & Travails of Orphan Mae", this song seems to be about the death of a bird (?) 'Red' caused by the cruel, harsh winter. And it's sad. Very sad. But Laura gets over it cause she's got her guitar to get her through winter. Hard luck Red...

3. The Cure - Cold (1982) 

If ever a band suited frozen winter gloom, it's the Cure. With his baggy sweaters and unruly mop of hair, Robert Smith actually seems to have developed a Winter coat all of his own making, just to make it through those particularly chilly days (or nights, more accurately). In 1982, the band unleashed their ode to the lower end of the thermometer with 'Cold', a song that is as far away from future hit single 'Hot Hot Hot' as it is far to get.

2. Madonna - Frozen (1998) 

The whole Ray of Light album was something of a triumph for Madge, being the ultimate credible pop record of the 90's. Produced by dance guru William Orbit, the record sounded, looked and indeed sold like few before in the days when people actually paid real money for music which came on shiny plastic orbs called 'Compacted Discettes'. The video for this won countless awards and launched an ill-advised craze for henna tattoos, with some mean-spirited commentators now arguing that the imagery of Ms. Ciccone assuming canine form was strangely prescient.

1. Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal (2008) 

It seems that Fleet Foxes entire musical canon is based around pastoral imagery, all ethereal romps through hay drenched in reverb. This of course is very nice but sometimes draws a strange compulsion to listen to loud drum and bass directly afterwards. Still, little birds putting their heads under their wee wings to endure the cruel blast of a harsh winter... awww. This is the finest track, in our humble opinion, on what is one of the best albums over the past few years. So don your finest tweeds and keep it country. 

ATL recommends that while you listen to all of these tunes while wearing long johns. Especially when dancing to Vanilla Ice.