Right now it seems like there’s at least one definite upshot to our collective upcoming socially distanced holidays: You won’t have to dread that inevitable moment during the family get-together when someone decides it’d just be an absolute hoot to put on “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” for the seven millionth time, and you’re forced to confront the real reason you don’t visit your relatives more often. But the fact is, something needs to fill that void, because the holidays without music is like the Fourth Of July without terrible decision-making on the part of people with fireworks.
Possibly for pandemic-related reasons, there is an absolute glut of new Christmas and other seasonally appropriate music being released this year—some of it fantastic, some not so much. (Watch this trailer for the Goo Goo Dolls’ upcoming “augmented reality movie musical” and tell us everyone involved doesn’t need to take a long, hard look in the mirror.) So The A.V. Club is here to help: We’ve compiled a list of some of the most promising new holiday music put out in 2020, from the sparsely beautiful ballads of Andrew Bird to the campy retro-pop of Meghan Trainor. The only rule: It can’t just a be a collection of old standards or yet another take on “Do They Know It’s Christmas”; there has to be new, original music as part of the release. So here are more than a dozen offerings to brighten your season’s greetings—or to help wallow in the misery of the yuletide. There’s something for everyone!
[As always, desktop users are free to narrow their browser window if you’d prefer to see this as a scrolling feature instead of a slideshow.]
15 Comments
What about this instant classic by Nick Lutsko??
I wrote a whole thing about it being a slideshow then saw the like “narrow your browser” thing, so… you’ve addressed it admittedly. That’s still lame though.
You forgot Murder By Death’s new Christmas album.
Since it’s pretty much impossible to keep up with all the holiday music that comes out every year, my “go to” playlist includes older items (that don’t get the play they deserve). To wit:“A Christmas Song” – Elizabeth Chan
“O Little Town of Bethlehem” – Sister Rosetta Tharpe
“The Twelve Daze of Christmas” – Faye McKay
“A Christmas Twist” – Si Cranstoun
“Santa Send a Fella” – Rose Marie (as Sally Rogers, on The Dick van Dyke Show)
“Pancho Claus” – Lalo Guerrero
“Papa Noel” – Brenda Lee
“Space Christmas” – Shonen Knife
“Riu Chiu” – The Monkees
“Jingle Bells” – The Altai Band
“You’re All I Want for Christmas” – Brooke Benton
Christmas Eve Message – Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, Bill Anders
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsjr5KYtrL2TuDPWb10SUlNqbw7QkOgrz
Thanks for this list of the best new holiday music. I look forward to AVClub’s upcoming inventory of the best new ways to get kicked in the balls.
Number 3 will surprise you!
Sharing a list of Christmas music when Hannukah starts at sundown, great timing lol.
Oh, Xmas originals are fine and obviously *can* be great, but I really do prefer to hear the classics get revamped in interesting new ways…
I’m supposed to be Working (boooo) so the only immediate recommendation I have is the Reverend Horton Heat’s “We Three Kings” from back in ought-five… fun stuff!!!
P.S. Thanks for reminding me about the new Calexico Xmas!
Did you slip Meghan Trainor on a ‘best of’ list to distract from the shit listicle format? It didn’t work, buckos.
I know a dude in his 60s whose taste is typically squarely in the ‘folk artists who made their name in the 1970s’ range and yet he thinks Trainor is the greatest thing and it always surprises me. I personally do not have a strong opinion of her.
That’s bizarre. I get it when it’s artists like Taylor Swift, Carly Rae Jepsen, Cardi B, and others at the forefront of the pop music scene that are doing something interesting; Trainor is absolutely stale from the genesis of her career, and deserves to be forgotten, like Iggy Azalea.
The Bird and the Bee a slick awesome.But nothing can top Nick Cave & Shane MacGowan bring home a standard in my book:
Embarrassed to say I’m only just learning the name of “the bird” in The Bird And The Bee despite listening to them since the late 00s. I mean, I knew Greg Kurstin’s name but oh lord not Inara’s.
No love for Sabrina Claudio?Her Christmas album has duets with Alicia Keys and The Weeknd.Plus there’s the video for Moist Steamy Warm December: