NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� It's not until the house is full of festive music, from classics to covers and reimaginations across genres, for all to enjoy.
In honor of the most wonderful time of the year, here are some of the best new holiday releases for the 2024 season.
and 鈥淲hen I Think of Christmas鈥�
When it comes to country music Christmas classics, Vince Gill and Amy Grant immediately come to mind. The couple is no stranger to the world of holiday music, and their latest collection, 鈥淲hen I Think of Christmas,鈥� channels the spirit of their popular 鈥淐hristmas at the Ryman鈥� residency in Nashville, with two new recordings: a duet of 鈥�'Til the Season Comes Round Again鈥� and Grant's take on the title track.
鈥淐hristmas Once More鈥�
Don't fix what ain't broke is an expression for a reason: Sometimes the best holiday album listening experience is enjoying the classics, but newly remixed and remastered. Enter the 16-track 鈥淐hristmas Once More鈥� from the Carpenters. Fall in love with 鈥淪leigh Ride鈥� and 鈥�(There鈥檚 No Place Like) Home For The Holidays鈥� all over again.
鈥淭he Gift of Love鈥�
Jennifer Hudson has done a ton in her career 鈥� including winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony, making her the as the expression goes 鈥� but a holiday album? That's new territory. 鈥淭he Gift of Love鈥� is her first, full of big-hearted classics like 鈥淥 Holy Night,鈥� 鈥淲inter Wonderland,鈥� 鈥淎uld Lang Syne鈥� and 鈥淐arol of the Bells,鈥� which features the a cappella-meets-Zulu music South African group The Joy. The album also contains some inventive originals. In that category: 鈥淎lmost Christmas鈥� with Common. If there is only one album to grab this holiday season, you'd be wise to make it this one.
鈥淭he Christmas Record鈥�
Another big name in contemporary music has released their first holiday album. Little Big Town's 鈥淭he Christmas Record,鈥� produced by the legendary Dave Cobb, is a country music spectacular. Like Hudson's, this one is a collection of familiar tunes along with originals 鈥� like the opener 鈥淕low,鈥� and the cheery vocal harmony of its chorus: 鈥淭hat shine, that shimmer deep inside of you / Find that magic, let the light in you show / Let it go / Let it glow.鈥�
鈥淐hristmas to Christmas鈥�
In February, country superstar Toby Keith, a of pro-American anthems who riled up critics and was loved by millions of fans, . In the time since, he's been eulogized and celebrated, and that continues with a newly remastered reissue of his 1995 holiday classic, 鈥淐hristmas to Christmas.鈥�
鈥淐hristmas Bells Are Ringing鈥�
Clay Aiken 鈥� you read that name correctly, the onetime and 鈥� has returned with his first studio album in over a decade, 鈥淐hristmas Bells Are Ringing.鈥� His voice sounds as sweet and theatrical as ever 鈥� a natural partner to holiday classics.
鈥淗oliday Seasoning鈥�
At the intersection of Christmas and comedy albums comes Jimmy Fallon's 鈥淗oliday Seasoning.鈥� The 鈥淭onight Show鈥� host gets into the spirit of the season with jokes 鈥� and some A-list guests 鈥� included. Check out 鈥淎lmost Too Early for Christmas鈥� 鈥淗allmark Movie鈥� with Cara Delevingne, and 鈥淣ew Year's Eve Polka (5-4-3-2-1)鈥� featuring the Roots and Weird Al. It's exactly what it sounds like.
鈥淎 Philly Special Christmas Party鈥�
For a third year in a row, the Philly Specials 鈥� former Philadelphia Eagle Jason Kelce and current Eagles Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata 鈥� have released a holiday album for charity. 鈥淎 Philly Special Christmas Party鈥� benefits a few organizations, including the Children鈥檚 Crisis Treatment Center and Children鈥檚 Hospital of Philadelphia. If getting NFL stars to sing sounds funny, well, that's kind of the point. The fun and absurdity are this album's superpowers: On the Americana 鈥淢aybe This Christmas,鈥� Kelce and Stevie Nicks duet, singing, 鈥淎nd maybe forgiveness will ask us to call / Someone we love / Someone we鈥檝e lost for reasons we can鈥檛 quite recall / Maybe this Christmas.鈥� It's moving.
and 鈥淓lla & Louis Wish You a Swinging Holiday鈥�
Let's be honest here. Around Christmas, everyone wants to hear Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. Why not hear them together? 鈥淓lla & Louis Wish You a Swinging Holiday鈥� is a new boxset, two jazz classics meeting in perfect harmony: 鈥淓lla Wishes You a Swinging Christmas鈥� and 鈥淟ouis Wishes You A Cool Yule.鈥�
鈥沦濒别颈驳丑别谤鈥�
Ben Folds might not be an obvious pick for holiday music 鈥� 鈥沦濒别颈驳丑别谤鈥� is his first Christmas album, after all 鈥� but it's a match made in heaven. His indie piano pop has charmed horn-rimmed glasses wearers for many years; his delicate compositions hit like falling snow. There are seven originals here and three covers.
鈥淕ive Love at Christmas鈥�
The holidays, like every day, are a time for listening to Motown Records' vocal groups. This year, tuck into a new reissue of the Temptations' 1980 album, 鈥淕ive Love at Christmas.鈥� It's for fans of five-part harmonies and soulful renditions of classics.
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This story first published Nov. 19 was updated Nov. 21 to correct album art.
Maria Sherman, The Associated Press
