Various Artists: B
This index presents a selected discography of the best and/or most important various artist Christmas albums and soundtracks, organized by album name. Whenever possible, the listings are accompanied by links to the album art; to a place to buy the album (usually Amazon); and to my review of the album. Admittedly, the list skews heavily towards my preference for all things that rock, roll, swing, and twang. But, nothing's perfect - especially me and my crazy list. Please send additions, submissions, corrections, criticisms, and suggestions via email.
| Title | Date | Image | Buy | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor Pad Christmas - part of the 'Mondo Lounge' series from Polygram including Bachelor Pad Pleasures and Lounge Music Goes Latin (both 1996) |
1996 | image | buy | |
| Badd Santa: A Stones Throw Records Christmas - Presented by DJ, producer, and label founder Chris Manak (aka Peanut Butter Wolf) |
2006 | image | buy | |
| Bah! Humbug: Christmas Songs For Grouch & Grinch - fun LaserLight compilation containing several rare songs |
1996 | image | buy | |
| Bands Under The Radar, Vol. 3: A Very Indie Christmas | 2010 | image | buy | |
| Bands Under The Radar, Vol. 13: A Very Indie Christmas 2 - above two part of a download series promoting independent labels and artists |
2014 | image | buy | |
| Beachwood Christmas - folk session featuring Peter Tork (Monkees) and Tom Paxton |
2003 | image | buy | |
| Best Christmas Album... Ever! - Virgin/EMI 2-CD compilation reissued regularly with different covers (see below) but similar track listings (and, starting with the next volume, an expanded title that corresponded with an extensive and popular series of compilations in Europe) |
1993 | image | buy | review |
| Best Christmas Album In The World... Ever! | 1996 | image | buy | review |
| Best Christmas Album In The World... Ever! | 2000 | image | buy | review |
| Best Christmas Album In The World... Ever! | 2004 | image | buy | review |
| Best Christmas Ever - diverse collection from Virgin Records |
1996 | image | buy | review |
| Best KIDS Christmas Album In the World Ever Ever Ever!!! - not a children's record, but a compliation from UK indie label KIDS Records; 2007 UK CD edition includes the Wombats' "Is This Christmas?" but original MP3 and 2011 CD-R editions do not |
2006 | image | buy | |
| Best Man Holiday (soundtrack) - contemporary R&B including Mary J. Blige, R. Kelly, and John Legend |
2013 | image | buy | |
| Best Of Christmas (Capitol) - 2-LP set reissued as CD in 1991 and MP3 download in 2011 |
1968 | image | buy | |
| Best Of Christmas (Nocturne) - selections from to Christmas Blues, Christmas Jazz, and Christmas Voices |
2007 | image | buy | |
| Best Of Cool Yule - compact disc compiled mainly (but not entirely) from two previously released LP's, Cool Yule (1986) and Cool Yule Vol. 2 (1988); one of the historic Rhino compilations |
1988 | image | buy | review |
| Best Of Ichiban Blues At Christmas - compiled by Rykodisc from four-album series released 1991-1997 by Atlanta-based modern blues label Ichiban Records |
2002 | image | buy | |
| Best Of Street: New Orleans Xmas - part of a project to discover, celebrate & empower street musicians around the world |
2014 | image | buy | |
| Best of Ultimate Soul Christmas - highlights from Virgin 2-CD set |
2006 | image | buy | |
| Big Band Christmas - vintage jazz from the vaults of Columbia Records |
1990 | image | buy | |
| Big City Christmas: 30 Groovin And Croonin' Christmas Tunes - pop and R&B rarities 1948-1966 from Germany's Bear Family Records |
2016 | image | buy | |
| Big Stir Holiday Maxi-Single (EP) - 8-song EP deleted after release of following |
2019 | image | buy | |
| Big Stir Singles: The Yuletide Wave - 25-track compilation including all of above; above two power pop from indie label based in Burbank, California |
2020 | image | buy | |
| Billboard Family Christmas Classics | 1995 | image | buy | review |
| Billboard Greatest Christmas Hits 1935-1954 | 1989 | image | buy | review |
| Billboard Greatest Christmas Hits 1955-Present | 1989 | image | buy | review |
| Billboard Greatest Country Christmas Hits | 1990 | image | buy | review |
| Billboard Greatest R&B Christmas Hits | 1990 | image | buy | review |
| Billboard Rock 'n' Roll Christmas | 1994 | image | buy | review |
| Billboard Top Christmas Hymns - above seven part of the historic Rhino Records compilations |
1995 | image | buy | review |
| Black Christmas (promotional) - compiled and illustrated by the Cramps' Lux Interior and Ivy Rorschach for Bust Magazine; by most accounts, the band only selected the tracks, leaving it up to readers to hunt them down... |
2004 | image | buy | |
| Black Nativity (soundtrack) - gospel and R&B by Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Nas, and others |
2013 | image | buy | |
| Black Snow: The Completely Different Xmas Compilation | 2009 | image | buy | |
| Black Snow 2: The Completely Different Xmas Compilation - above two industrial and alternative rock from Black Rain Records |
2010 | image | buy | |
| A Blackheart Christmas - hard rockin' music from Kenny Laguna/Joan Jett label; originally an iTunes exclusive |
2008 | image | buy | |
| Blame It On Christmas! Vol. 1 - parody album masquerading as collection of rare "weird Yuletide classics from around the world" |
1995 | image | buy | |
| Bling Bling Christmas - Studio One LP; very similar track listing to 2002 Heartbeat CD Christmas Greetings From Studio One |
2002 | image | buy | review |
| Bloodshot Records' 13 Days of Xmas (2017) - storied Chicago indie finally takes the plunge... |
2017 | image | buy | |
| Blue Blue Christmas (P-Vine) - 20-track Japanese compilation of blues and early R&B |
1988 | image | buy | |
| Blue Christmas (Blue Moon) - 26 tracks of vintage rhythm & blues from the 40's and 50's |
1994 | image | buy | |
| Blue Christmas (Blue Note) - contemporary jazz from venerated label |
2010 | image | buy | |
| Blue Christmas (dialtone) - modern blues issued by Austin-based label Dialtone Records |
2000 | image | buy | |
| Blue Élan Christmas | 2015 | image | buy | |
| Blue Élan Christmas Vol. 2 - above two benefit the Alliance for Children's Rights, from Los Angeles-based indie label |
2021 | image | buy | |
| Blue Xmas: Christmas Blues Instrumentals - new recordings by modern blues artists for Evidence Records |
2001 | image | buy | |
| Blue Yule: Christmas Blues And R&B Classics - one of the historic Rhino compilations |
1991 | image | buy | review |
| Bluebird Cafe Christmas - benefit for St. Patrick's Shelter in Nashville |
1993 | image | buy | |
| Blues and Soul Christmas - 10-track budget compilation with several rare cuts |
1997 | image | buy | |
| Blues, Blues Christmas - amazing 2-CD, 52-track compilation from Document Records subtitled "In The Blues, Jazz, Boogie Woogie, and Gospel Spirit" |
2005 | image | buy | |
| Blues, Blues Christmas Vol. 2 - originally scheduled for 2008 release, finally available the following year (and worth the wait) |
2009 | image | buy | |
| Blues, Blues Christmas Vol. 3 - Document Records continues fabulous series of blues, jazz, doo wop, rockabilly, and gospel holiday songs |
2013 | image | buy | |
| Blues, Blues Christmas Vol. 4 - blues, jazz, doo-wop, rockabilly, and gospel 1925-1962 |
2014 | image | buy | |
| Blues, Blues Christmas Vol. 5 - blues, jazz, doo-wop, old-timey, western swing, and country 1925-1962 |
2020 | image | buy | |
| Blues, Blues Christmas Vol. 6 - blues, jazz, doo-wop, old-timey, and gospel 1922-1962 |
2021 | image | buy | |
| Blues Christmas - vinyl-only collection from the Alligator catalog |
2015 | image | buy | |
| Blues Christmas - Cleopatra grab-bag of mostly modern blues; also issued with alternate cover, then reissued on CD in 2021 with that cover art, but reissued on LP in 2022 with the original cover art... |
2015 | image | buy | |
| Blues, Mistletoe, And Santa's Little Helper - recorded 1992-1995 by the artists of Black Top Records |
1995 | image | buy | |
| Bollocks To Christmas - CD on Dojo Records expanded from a 1981 EP on Secret Records |
1994 | image | buy | |
| Bonanza: Christmas On The Ponderosa - join the Ben, Hoss, Little Joe, and Adam Cartright for the holidays |
1963 | image | buy | |
| Bonanza: The Complete Christmas On The Ponderosa - expanded Real Gone/Second Disc CD edition of above; includes Lorne Greene's complete 1965 RCA album "Have A Happy Holiday"; reissued as a digital album by Sony in 2023 |
2018 | image | buy | |
| Boogie Woogie Santa Claus: An R&B Christmas - compiled by Richard Weize, founder of Bear Family Records; companion to A Rootin Tootin Santa: A Hillbilly Christmas |
2017 | image | buy | |
| Boston Rock Christmas - 5-song vinyl EP of punk & new wave; never issued on CD |
1983 | image | buy | review |
| Bountiful Christmas: 25 All-Time Holiday Favorites - eclectic, overstuffed sampler from EMI Special Products |
1995 | image | buy | |
| Broken Christmas - from Christian alternative rock label Broken Records |
1988 | image | buy | |
| Brutal Christmas: The Season In Chaos - extreme heavy metal from Sounds Of The Dead Records |
2003 | image | buy | |
| Bullseye Blues Christmas - from the catalog of Rounder-distributed label Bullseye Blues |
1995 | image | buy | |
| Bummed Out Christmas - 12 tales of holiday mayhem; one of the historic Rhino compilations |
1989 | image | buy | review |