What's New In 2019?
the best and brightest new Christmas releases
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The holidays are just around the corner, so let's get this party started! Every year I compile this list of new Christmas music releases, including reissues, new albums, a handful of singles, and my Top 10. Be aware, this is a curated list of the year's best and/or most notable Christmas music - which is to say, it's hardly an exhaustive list. Most especially, I no longer focus on new music except for "legacy artists" who've been making music for a while - this year, for example, Los Lobos. So, be sure to visit my festive friends like Mistletunes, Christmas Underground, and Christmas A-Go-Go.
What am I missing, fellow Christmas fanatics? Drop me a line... Of course, happy holidays, and follow me over at the Facebook!
Randy Anthony
Hip Christmas Top 10 Albums
I don't buy vinyl (sorry, that ship sailed long ago), and I don't listen to new music. So, I won't be hearing otherwise attractive albums by Josh Rouse and Ana Gasteyer or great new collections from Dualtone and Merge Records. And, of course, I pay no heed whatsoever to high profile releases by artists like Robbie Williams and Idina Menzel. Nevertheless, I persisted, and here's my top ten in alphabetical order by artist.
Leroy Anderson / The Complete Christmas Collection
I don't listen to a lot of true easy listening music, but I've always found the lively art of Leroy Anderson to be a cut above the somnolent sounds of most artists associated with the
genre. Real Gone Music's Complete Christmas Collection collects Anderson's 1955 mono album Christmas Carols and his 1959 stereo re-recording of it called Christmas Festival, plus mono and stereo versions of his greatest hit, "Sleigh Ride." In the same vein, Real Gone is also releasing Stanley Black's Christmas Holiday For Romance and Eugene Ormandy's Complete Columbia Christmas Albums, plus Great Songs Of Christmas, drawn mostly from the Goodyear compilations of the same name.
Chet Atkins / Complete RCA Victor & Columbia Christmas Recordings
You don't get reissues this perfect very often.
Real Gone Music and Second Disc Records have compiled nearly every holiday track that legendary guitarist and producer Chet Atkins every waxed. That includes his great album Christmas With Chet Atkins (1961), his not-so-great album East Tennessee Christmas (1983), and all sorts of rarities - many new to CD - and the remastering is tremendous, as well. Real Gone is also reissuing country crooner Jim Reeves' 12 Songs Of Christmas (1963), which I find rather tame - but they love it in England and South Africa, where Reeves is deeply revered.
Jagger Holly / It's Christmas Somewhere
This album came out of left field - for me, at least. I'd never heard of the group, and they've only been recording since 2016. But, once you dig past their whimsical facade - they are "named" after their lead singer, and the other members are called Lennon Lee Roth and Ringo Moon - you'll find that Jagger Holly is really a pop punk super group, albeit one from Ohio, and the members have been recording in various bands (Johnie, Spastic Hearts, Radds) since 2002. It's Christmas Somewhere, meanwhile, is packed with fast, loud, tuneful, mostly original songs falling somewhere between the Ramones and Teenage Fanclub. The CD was released by Outloud! Records and the digital by Monster Zero, but is widely available elsewhere.
Ramsey Lewis Trio / More Sounds of Christmas
Nearly all Christmas music buffs are familiar with Ramsey Lewis' 1961 album, Sound of Christmas. It's an understated jazz classic, so saying that More Sounds of Christmas (1964) is just more of the same is a complement, not an insult. The thing is, More Sounds of Christmas has only ever been available on CD in Japan - for about 10 minutes, 20 years ago. So, this reissue is long overdue - and sounds fabulous, by the way. In other jazz news, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra is releasing Big Band Holidays II, which includes a previously unreleased 2015 Aretha Franklin performance.
Los Lobos / Llego Navidad
In roughly 40 years, Los Lobos have recorded but two rather inconsequential holiday tracks. Now, they've gone and waxed a whole Christmas album, and the results will be good news or bad news, depending on why you like the band. Personally, I'm most fond of the hard-driving band that recorded "Don't Worry Baby," and the critics love the ambitious band that makes albums like The Neighborhood. But, Los Lobos started out playing traditional Mexican music, and they've returned to that deep well often. And, that's what Llego Navidad is. Nearly all the songs are sung in Spanish, and most are in traditional and/or regional Latin styles. It's the album Los Lobos wanted to make, and they made it well. If I had been born in a different time or place - or to different parents - I'm sure I'd like it more.
Sam Phillips / Cold Dark Nights
After starting her career as a contemporary Christian singer, Sam Phillips made a hard left into
post-modern art pop, recording great albums like Martinis & Bikinis (1994) and The Indescribable Wow (2002). She never lost her moral center, though, and over the years she's drifted towards a quieter, more acoustic sound. Those two elements served her well when she recorded Cold Dark Night (2009), a digital EP highlighted by her original song "It Doesn't Feel Like Christmas." This year, she's expanded the album to 10 tracks and "reimagined" several of the old ones, and updated the title to Cold Dark Nights. Among the new songs are a wonderfully understated cover of Darlene Love's "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" and a new composition, "A Place For Peace."
various artists / Kool Kat Kristmas Volume 3
Power pop labels have a way of disappearing (RIP Not Lame, Big Deal, and Berserkley). New Jersey-based Kool Kat Musik has quietly endured for many years, and their third holiday compilation is much like the previous two - fine, original jangle by artists not terribly well known outside the skinny tie community. And, like the first two volumes, sales of the album benefit a good cause - in this case, the American Cancer Society. The CD is offered direct from Kool Kat Musik or through Amazon, while the download - including one extra track - is available at Futureman Records. By the way, the cover art is based on an obscure RCA Victor album, Merry Christmas Sing Along by the John McCarthy Chorale (1962), which was only sold through the RCA Record Club.
various artists / Seasonal Favorites Vol. 5
Double Crown Records has been promising a fifth volume of their Seasonal Favorites series since last year and, as I write this, my copy is in the mail. I have no qualms, however, about placing it in my Top 10 before I've even heard it. Based on the previous four volumes of totally sick surf, garage, rockabilly, and, instrumental awesomeness, it's gonna be epic! Seasonal Favorites Vol. 5 is only available on CD direct from Double Crown - no download, streaming, or vinyl.
various artists / Punk Rock Christmas 2
Founded in 1992, Cleopatra Records became the K-Tel or LaserLight of alternative rock, signing lots of bands past their prime and compiling cheaply packaged collections spotlighting subgenres like goth, punk, and industrial rock. Over the years, they expanded their scope (prog, metal, dance) but stayed pretty much in the rock arena - all the while never developing much in the way of quality control. One of Cleopatra's first holiday releases - An All-Star Salute To Christmas - was monumentally awful but, true to form, contained some hidden gems. They've steadily improved over the years, releasing a series of mostly original Christmas compilations spotlighting blues, psychedelic rock, southern rock, psychobilly, riot grrl, hip hop, and punk - all with their flaws, but each delivering some impressive performances. This year's Punk Rock Christmas 2 continues the tradition, with incremental improvements, and features some big names from punk's first wave (Vibrators, Members) and thereafter (Reagan Youth, M.D.C, Down By Law). Cleopatra also gives us A Prog Rock Christmas this year, which is much less to my taste.
various artists / Yulesville! 33 Rockin' Rollin' Christmas Blasters For The Cool Season
Germany's Bear Family Records put out Big City Christmas in 2016 and, apparently, kicked off a tradition. They followed it with Christmas On The Countryside (2017) and Have Yourself A Swingin' Little Christmas (2018). This year we get Yulesville, packed with 33 tracks from the halcyon days of rock 'n' roll. Unlike the previous releases, most of the songs are not mined from other Bear Family releases, and I suspect that the label is playing the "public domain" game - publishing music no longer under copyright without paying royalties. The packaging and annotation is up to Bear Family's usual high standards, but the sound quality is spotty. Further, only a few of the tracks will be new to experienced collectors, though neophytes will find many wonders to behold. Other notable public domain collections this year include Merry Luxmas: It's Christmas In Crampsville, Blink Before Christmas, Let's Make Every Day A Christmas Day, and Twelve Rockin' Days Of Christmas.
Hip Christmas Top 10 Singles
After a slow start, 2019 shaped up to be a pretty rich singles season. You'll find my favorites below (alphabetical by artist), and I was near as impressed by tracks by Blackball Bandits, Jenny Owen Youngs, Regrettes, Lisa Mychols, and Jack Blackman. I'm also chuffed about EP's by Letters To Cleo, The Krayolas, The Twang-O-Matics, and Puss 'n' Boots featuring Norah Jones, and I feel compelled to point out a newly unearthed Harry Nilsson track, who has rested in peace since 1994. Harry and John Lennon were notorious drinking buddies, and the track is a 1984 cover of Yoko Ono's "Listen, The Snow Is Falling."
In addition, Pearl Jam is releasing tracks from their long list of annual fan club singles as 12 Days of Pearl Jam. This includes several Christmas songs: "Don't Believe in Christmas" (2002), "Someday at Christmas" (2004), and "Santa God" / "Jingle Bells" (2007). It does not include "Let Me Sleep (It's Christmas Time)" (1991), which had previously been released to the general public.
- Alice Bag Band / No Gifts For Nazis
- Bathwater Babies / Hey Hey, Buy Buy (It's Christmas Time)
- Kathleen Edwards / It's Christmastime (Let's Just Survive)
- Faux Canada / Fuck It, It's Christmas
- Peter Holsapple Combo / Felt Like Summer (But It Looked Like Christmas)
- Jeremy & The Harlequins / A Chinese Restaurant On Christmas
- Satan's Pilgrims / Feliz Navidad
- Ronnie Spector & Elle King / Under the Mistletoe!
- Sofia Talvik / Christmas Train
- The Weeklings / Gonna Be Christmas
Album Reissues
- Leroy Anderson / The Complete Christmas Collection (2019)
- Chet Atkins / Complete RCA Victor & Columbia Christmas Recordings (2019)
- Bad Religion / Christmas Songs (vinyl, 2013)
- Barnes & Barnes / Holidaze In Lumania (2018)
- Stephen Bishop / Rock Little Reindeer (EP, 2002)
- originally released as Merry Bishmas - Stanley Black / Christmas Holiday For Romance (1954)
- B3 Kings / Laughing All The Way (2016)
- Canned Heat / Christmas Album (vinyl, 2007)
- Mariah Carey / Merry Christmas: Deluxe Edition (1994)
- Paul Carrack / Christmas With Paul Carrack (2019)
- Natalie Cole / The Holly & The Ivy (1994)
- Ray Conniff / We Wish You A Merry Christmas (vinyl, 1962)
- Bing Crosby / Bing At Christmas (2019)
- classic recordings with new accompaniment by the London Symphony Orchestra - Charlie Daniels / Christmas Classics (2019)
- Danny Elfman / Scrooged (soundtrack) (vinyl, 1988)
- Enya / Christmas Secrets (2019)
- Crystal Gayle / A Crystal Christmas (1986)
- Vince Gill / The Christmas Collection (vinyl, 2018)
- Amy Grant / Christmas (vinyl, 2019)
- Amy Grant / Home For Christmas (vinyl, 1992)
- Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers / Christmas Swing (vinyl, 2018)
- Annie Haslam / It Snows In Heaven, Too (2000)
- Impressions / I'm Coming Home (For Christmas) (2009)
- Jewel / Joy: A Holiday Collection (vinyl, 1999)
- Brian Kennedy / Christmassy: Deluxe Edition (2017)
- Cyndi Lauper/ Merry Christmas...Have a Nice Life! (green vinyl, 1998)
- Brenda Lee / Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree: The Decca Christmas Recordings (vinyl, 1999)
- John Legend / A Legendary Christmas: Deluxe Edition (2018)
- Ramsey Lewis Trio / More Sounds of Christmas (1964)
- George Michael & Wham / Last Christmas (soundtrack, 2019)
- mostly non-Christmas hits - Aidan Moffat and RM Hubbert / A Ghost Story for Christmas (vinyl)
- Monkees / Christmas Party (vinyl, 2018)
- Eugene Ormandy / Complete Columbia Christmas Albums (2019)
- Pentatonix / The Best of Pentatonix Christmas (2019)
- Leon Redbone / Christmas Island (1988)
- Jim Reeves / 12 Songs Of Christmas (1963)
- Diana Ross / Wonderful Christmas Time (vinyl, 2018)
- Mitch Ryder / Christmas Take A Ride (vinyl, 2018)
- Seekers / We Wish You A Merry Christmas (2019)
- reissue of Morningtown Ride To Christmas (2001) - Brian Setzer Orchestra / Dig That Crazy Christmas (vinyl, 2005)
- She & Him / A Very She & Him Christmas (vinyl, 2011)
- Harry Simeone Chorale / The Wonderful Songs Of Christmas (1963)
- Stylistics / Christmas (vinyl, 1992)
- Temptations / Christmas Card (vinyl, 1970)
- The Vandals / Oi To The World! Live In Concert (2002)
- Village People / Magical Christmas (2018)
- same as A Village People Christmas plus two new tracks - Andy Williams / Christmas Album (vinyl, 1963)
- various artists / Blink Before Christmas (MP3 listed separately)
- various artists / A Child's Christmas (1968)
- various artists / Christmas Gift to You from Norton Records Vol. 1
- various artists / Christmas Gift to You from Norton Records Vol. 2
- various artists / Christmas: The Collection (2013)
- various artists / Great Songs Of Christmas (2019)
- drawn mostly from the Goodyear compilations of the same name 1961-1970 - various artists / Have Yourself A Swingin' Little Christmas (vinyl, 2018)
- various artists / Home Alone Christmas (green vinyl, 1993)
- various artists / Let's Make Every Day A Christmas Day: R&B Christmas Classics (2019)
- various artists / Love Actually (soundtrack, candy cane vinyl, 2003)
- various artists / Merry Christmas From King Records (Record Store Day, red vinyl, 1959)
- various artists / Merry Luxmas: It's Christmas In Crampsville - Season's Gratings From The Cramps' Basement
- various artists / Now That's What I Call Country Christmas (2019) (MP3 listed separately)
- various artists / Polar Express (vinyl, 2004)
- various artists / Putumayo Presents Blues Christmas
- various artists / Twelve Rockin' Days Of Christmas (MP3 listed separately)
- various artists / A Very Cool Christmas (vinyl, 2019)
- various artists / A Vintage Broadway Christmas
- various artists / Winter Wonderland (3-CD imported set)
- various artists / Yulesville! 33 Rockin' Rollin' Christmas Blasters For The Cool Season (2019)
New Albums
- Bryan Adams / Christmas EP
- Gerald Albright / Not So Silent Night
- Angry Snowmans / Snow Means Snow (EP)
- Angry Snowmans / The Yule Album
- Bikini Sleepover / The Sleepover Before Christmas
- Andrew Bird / Hark! (EP)
- Saw Black & The Toys / Christmas In The Background
- Blackhawk / The Spirit of Christmas
- Wade Bowen / Twelve Twenty-Five
- Molly Burch / Christmas Album
- Jonathan Butler / Christmas Together
- guests include Dave Koz, Gerald Albright, Rick Braun, and Kirk Whalum - Elizabeth Chan / If the Fates Allow (EP)
- Chicago / Chicago Christmas
- Christmas Jug Band / Live From The West Pole
- Judy Collins & Jonas Fjeld / Winter Stories
- Lucy Dacus / 2019 (EP) (MP3 listed separately)
- each song relates to a different holiday - Miranda Dodson / It's Merry Christmas Time
- begun as an EP in 2014, completed and remixed this year - Mary Fahl / Winter Songs and Carols
- former October Project singer - Cody Fry / Christmas Music: The Complete Collection
- Magne Furuholmen / White Xmas Lies
- keyboardist for a-ha - Future of Forestry / Light Has Come: Christmas (EP)
- Freedom Fry / Holiday Soundtrack Vol. 2 (EP)
- Ana Gasteyer / Sugar & Booze
- Grave Robber / Scary Christmas To You (EP)
- Rob Halford / Celestial (MP3 listed separately)
- Charlie Halloran / Presents for Everyone
- Hannah Barberas / Christmas Bandwagon Vol. 2 (EP)
- Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors / Let It Snow (EP)
- Jackopierce / Shine So Bright (EP)
- Jagger Holly / It's Christmas Somewhere (CD listed separately)
- Jars of Clay with SHEL / A Family Christmas (EP)
- Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis / Big Band Holidays II
- includes previously unreleased 2015 Aretha Franklin performance - Keb' Mo' / Moonlight, Mistletoe, And You
- Dave Koz / Gifts of the Season
- guests include Melissa Manchester - Krayolas / Christmas with My Dad (EP)
- Chantal Kreviazuk / Christmas Is a Way of Life, My Dear
- Gaelynn Lea / Deepest Darkness, Brightest Dawn
- Letters To Cleo / OK Christmas (vinyl EP) (MP3 listed separately)
- Hamilton Loomis / Christmas Album Project
- Jacquees / Christmas In Decatur
- Los Lobos / Llegó Navidad
- Michelle Malone & The Hot Toddies / Toddie Time 2 (EP)
- Edwin McCain / Merry Christmas Baby
- McCrary Sisters / A Very McCrary Christmas
- guests include Shirley Caesar, Jerry Douglas, Alison Krauss, Buddy Miller, and Keb' Mo' - Keenan McKenzie / A Bull City Holiday
- Idina Menzel / Christmas: A Season Of Love
- Lea Michele / Christmas in The City
- Kacey Musgraves / The Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show (soundtrack)
- Ne-Yo / Another Kind Of Christmas (MP3 listed separately)
- Oak Ridge Boys / Down Home Christmas
- Ben Paterson / I'll Be Thanking Santa
- Sam Phillips / Cold Dark Nights
- 2009 EP expanded and reimagined - Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters / Christmas on a Greyhound Bus (EP)
- Pocket Gods / A Rock n' Rollin' Fornicating Xmas!
- Pony Death Ride / The First Leon
- Puss 'n' Boots / Dear Santa (EP)
- Randy Rainbow / Hey Gurl, It's Christmas!
- guests include Alan Cumming and Kathy Griffin - Josh Rouse / The Holiday Sounds of Josh Rouse (MP3 listed separately)
- Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Christmas With The Stars
- Jack Rugan / Pine Needles 20: Instrumental Music for the Season
- Kate Rusby / Holly Head
- Dylan Scott / Merry Christmas
- 2017 EP fleshed out as full album - Brynn Stanley / Classic Christmas
- Dave Stryker / Eight Track Christmas
- Twang-O-Matics / Hark Now! (EP) (MP3 listed separately)
- Rick Wakeman / Christmas Portraits
- Dionne Warwick & The Voices of Christmas
- Nina West / The West Christmas Ever (EP)
- Robbie Williams / The Christmas Present (deluxe edition)
- guests include Jamie Cullum, Rod Stewart, and Bryan Adams - Darryl Worley / Country Christmas (EP)
- various artists / Alice Cooper's Taste of Christmas Pudding 2019
- various artists / Christmas at Birdland
- guests included Donny Osmond and Dave Koz - various artists / Christmas in Color: A Blackwatch Christmas Vol. IX
- various artists / A Dualtone Christmas (download listed separately)
- various artists / Fleas Naughty Dog Vol. 7
- various artists / Green Monkey Records: Hail The Jolly Christmas Monkey (GMR Xmas the Tenth)
- various artists / Green Monkey Records: Xmas Boogie Woogie (10 Years of Green Monkey Christmas)
- various artists / Hanukkah +
- various artists / I'm Dreaming of an Alcopop! Christmas
- various artists / Kool Kat Kristmas Volume 3 (download on Bandcamp)
- various artists / Noelle (soundtrack)
- various artists / A Prog Rock Christmas
- various artists / Punk Rock Christmas 2
- various artists / A Rock By The Sea Christmas Volume 10
- various artists / Seasonal Favorites Vol. 5
- various artists / This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday Vol. 3
- various artists / You Wish: A Merge Records Holiday Album
Singles & Tracks
- Ace Of Cups / 2000 Years
- Alice Bag Band / No Gifts For Nazis
- Aqualads / Angels We Have Heard On High (2011)
- Bathwater Babies / Hey Hey, Buy Buy (It's Christmas Time)
- Best Coast / Little Saint Nick (2017)
- Big Head Todd And The Monsters / Mountain Christmas
- Black Flamingos / Merry Christmas, Ya Filthy Animal
- Blackball Bandits / Yuletide Ride
- Jack Blackman & The Beautiful Wreck / I Wish It Was Summer (At Christmas Time)
- Blink-182 / Not Another Christmas Song
- Joe Bonamassa / Christmas Comes But Once A Year
- Phoebe Bridgers / 7 O'Clock News/Silent Night
- Alessia Cara / Make It To Christmas
- Eva Cassidy / O Come, All Ye Faithful
- Cheap Trick with Roy Wood / I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday
- Kristin Chenoweth featuring Steve Tyrell / White Christmas
- Josie Cotton / Every Day Like Christmas
- Cucumbers / Love and Joy
- Timi Dakolo / Merry Christmas, Darling
- Dollyrots / A Fairytale of New York
- Kathleen Edwards / It's Christmastime (Let's Just Survive)
- Faux Canada / Fuck It, It's Christmas
- Samantha Fish / Run Run Rudolph
- Flaming Lips / Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth
- Frankie & The Pool Boys / Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)
- Glass Tiger & Brigitte Boisjoli / Joyeux Noël/Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
- Andrew Gold & Alyssa Bonagura / Thank You For Being A Friend (Christmas)
- Jeff Goldblum & the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra / Winter Wonderland
- Ellie Goulding / River
- Lukas Graham / Here (For Christmas)
- The Grapes & Friends / Christmas in My Neighborhood
- Adam Hambrick / What Christmas Means to Me
- Tess Henley / Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday
- Peter Holsapple Combo / Christmas Must Be Tonight
- Julianne Hough & Jordan Fisher / All I Want For Christmas Is Love
- I Don't Know How But They Found Me / Christmas Drag
- Jeremy & The Harlequins / A Chinese Restaurant On Christmas
- Jonas Brothers / Like It's Christmas
- Aled Jones / Walking In The Air (1985)
- Alicia Keys / The Christmas Song
- King Crimson / Silent Night (1979)
- Rich Krueger / Kenny's (It's Always Christmas in This Bar) (Blue Xmas Edition)
- Limahl / London for Christmas (2012)
- Mabel / Loneliest Time Of Year
- Neneh Cherry's daughter - Carrington MacDuffie / Blue Christmas
- JD McCrary / Winter Wonderland
- Roger McGuinn / While Shepherds Watched
- JD McPherson / Red Bows (For A Blue Girl)
- Idina Menzel & Ariana Grande / A Hand For Mrs. Claus
- Ingrid Michaelson / Christmas Lights
- Ingrid Michaelson & Jason Mraz / Christmas Valentine
- Lisa Mychols / Ringing Bells On Christmas Day
- Leigh Nash / Pretty Paper
- Harry Nilsson / Listen, The Snow Is Falling (1984)
- Peter Noone & Natalie Noone / The Holly and the Ivy (2007)
- Peter Noone was the singer in Herman's Hermits; Natalie is his daughter - 12 Days of Pearl Jam
- annual fan club singles, though only a handful are actually Christmas songs; the 12th day brought an entire album, Vault 9: Live In Seattle - Steve Perry / Silver Bells
- Pike & Sutton with John Popper / New Year's Resolution
- Rave-Ups / The Night Before Christmas (Hey Baby) (1989)
- Regrettes featuring Dylan Minnette / Holiday-ish
- Ella Reid / I Love Christmas
- Johnny Reid / My Kind Of Christmas
- Augie Rios / Dónde Está Santa Claus? (1958)
- Robbie Robertson / Happy Holidays
- Kelly Rowland / Love You More At Christmas Time
- Satan's Pilgrims / Feliz Navidad
- Satan's Pilgrims / Greensleeves
- Shaggy featuring Gene Noble / Christmas With Friends
- Lu Ann Simms / I Just Can't Wait 'Til Christmas (1953)
- Lu Ann Simms / I Dreamt That I Was Santa Claus (1953)
- Ronnie Spector & Elle King / Under the Mistletoe!
- Spin / Carol Of The Merry Gentlemen (What Child???)
- Sting & Shaggy / Silent Night (Christmas Is Coming)
- Stone Temple Pilots / Christmastime Is Here (1994)
- Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken / O Holy Night
- Taylor Swift / Christmas Tree Farm
- Sofia Talvik / Christmas Train
- Temporary Hero / The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot
- Temporary Hero / When Christmas Comes to Town
- Keith Urban / I'll Be Your Santa Tonight
- Sharon Van Etten / Silent Night (2018)
- The Weeklings / Gonna Be Christmas
- Wild Child / Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- Jenny Owen Youngs / Maybe Next Year
- Renée Zellweger & Rufus Wainwright / Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Previous Years. We've been compiling this "what's new?" list for awhile, going back to 2003 (Gary Hoey, Jackson 5), 2004 (Chris Isaak, Dwight Twilley), 2005 (Diana Krall, Brian Setzer), 2006 (Aimee Mann, Bootsy Collins), 2007 (Smithereens, Darlene Love), 2008 (Weezer, Pretenders), 2009 (Bob Dylan, Los Straitjackets), 2010 (James Brown, Shelby Lynne), 2011 (Killers, Carole King), 2012 (Rod Stewart, Polyphonic Spree), 2013 (Salsoul Orchestra, Nick Lowe), 2014 (Blue Rodeo, Earth Wind & Fire), 2015 (Sharon Jones, Brian Setzer), 2016 (Loretta Lynn, Frankie Valli), 2017 (Gwen Stefani, Beatles), and 2018 (Eric Clapton, Old 97's).