Everyone’s Christmas playlist probably includes classics like Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and Eartha Kitt’s “Santa Baby” to more contemporary classics like Wham’s “Last Christmas” and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas,” but sometimes I feel the need to revitalize my playlist with some new-ish tunes. Here are some fresh newer Christmas songs to recharge your Christmas music playlist. For this list, we considered songs released in the last five years as “new.” MICAH EDWARDS"December 26" I discovered this “Texas Soul” musician a couple years ago and so glad I did! Edwards released his first Christmas single, “December 26” on Nov. 19, 2020. The crooner’s song feels nostalgic while maintaining a modern flair. Great vocals runs in this family. Micah’s sister, Madeline Edwards, is a country singer who is currently on tour with Chris Stapleton. Check out her single, “Wild Horses”. JOHN LEGEND"You Deserve It All"“Nutmeg” Legend’s legendary smooth voice makes “You Deserve It All” a keeper on your holiday playlist. “Nutmeg” is a fun duet Legend did with Stephen Colbert. CARRIE UNDERWOOD"Stretchy Pants" Carrie Underwood has released some great traditional holiday favorites like “Hallelujah (with John Legend),” “Little Drummer Boy,” and “Mary Did You Know” but “Stretchy Pants” is my new holiday anthem! The amusing ode to holiday overindulgence is as addictive as those buttery mashed potatoes on the Thanksgiving table. MATT DUSK"Snowed In With You" Dusk is one of my favorite crooners. Having seen him perform live mulitple times I can guarantee his pipes are truly Sinatra-esque and not the result of the many dials in a recording studio. He released Old School Yule several years back but songs like “Snowed In With You” Check out the Canadian crooner’s recorded live version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. MANDY MOORE"How Could This Be Christmas?" In early 2020, Mandy Moore released her first new album in over a decade, Silver Landings, and then dropped two new holiday songs—the classic “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and a new original song, “How Could This Be Christmas?” She has lots to celebrate this year with baby #2 on the way. JOSH TURNER “King Size Manger The popular country crooner’s Christmas album has plenty of Christmas standards like “Angels We Have Heard On High” and “Joy to the World” but it’s his original song, “King Size Manger” that stands out. Look for his concert special to air on UPtv during the holidays Get Ready for an UPlifting Holiday Season With UPtv’s 2022 Christmas Lineup of All-New Movies NORAH JONES “Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones)” The multi-Grammy winner Jones has finally released a Christmas album and I’m here for it! While there are some classic tunes like “White Christmas” and “Winter Wonderland”, it’s the new original tunes like “Christmas Glow”, “A Holiday With You”, and “It’s Only Christmas Once a Year”. Check out the original single, “Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones)” below. NEON TREES “Holiday Rock” Neon Trees’ “Wish List” is one of favorite holiday songs so I was happy to see the released another festive tune with “Holiday Rock.” SCOTT WEILAND"Happy Xmas (War is Over)” Stone Temple Pilots frontman, Scott Weiland recorded this John Lennon classic for his third solo and final album over a decade ago. This previously unreleased track will be on the Deluxe Edition of The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, available on Nov. 4, 2022. KELLY CLARKSON “Christmas Isn’t Canceled (Just You)” Clarkson’s first Christmas album, Wrapped Up in Red is one of my favorite holiday albums. One of my favorite tracks on the album is “Winter’s Dream (Brandon’s Song)”. Unfortunately, since the release of the album, Clarkson’s relationship with then-husband Brandon Blackstock has ended in a contentious split. This year, Clarkson has released a new album, When Christmas Comes Around. The first single off the album is “Christmas Isn’t Canceled (Just You)” which is clearly a song to counter “Winter Dreams” and shows while some relationships don’t end in happily-ever-after that’s not necessarily a bad thing. PISTOL ANNIES"Snow Globe" The country music trio returns with their first holiday album, Hell of a Holiday. The trio - Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe, Angaleena Presley—penned 10 all new original holiday tracks for the album. CRYSTAL DRAKE “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” If you’re looking for a jazzy rendition of this old classic, check out soul-pop singer Crystal Drake’s version. Drake’s album, Snowburst, contains four holiday classics. BLONDIE “Yuletide Throwdown” If you’re looking to take an aural trip back to the 80s, look no further than Blondie’s “Yuletide Throwdown” featuring Fab 5 Freddie. This original track which will be released for the first time digitally and on limited edition vinyl, was the precursor for what would become one of the band’s biggest hits, “Rapture”. Shelved for decades, it was only recently rediscovered when the band was researching through their archives for an upcoming box set to be released in 2022. ZACH WILLIAMS “Go Tell It On the Mountain” “I Don’t Want Christmas to End” Grammy-award winning Christian rock musician, Zach Williams released his first holiday album last year. I Don’t Want Christmas to End includes the original title track as well as Christmas classics like “Run, Run Rudolph” and “Go Tell It On the Mountain.” JAMIE CULLUM"Hang Your Lights" Jamie Cullum is a favorite musician of Clint Eastwood. Cullum wrote the theme song for Gran Torino. The jazz musician released a Christmas album a few years back. “Hang Your Lights” is a jazzy holiday ditty. VICTORY BRINKER “Ave Maria” Brinker wowed audiences on America’s Got Talent with her huge voice. The opera sensation released a Christmas EP, The Wonder of Christmas will contain four tracks - “Silent Night”, “Pie Jesu”, “O Holy Night” and “Ave Maria”. MAGGIE SZABO (with Dylan Chambers)“Christmas Without You” Not to be mistaken for the song of the same name sung by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, this original holiday single from Maggie Szabo featuring Dylan Chambers is a heart-warming slow jam to warm up those cold winter nights. DOLLY PARTON “Mary, Did You Know?” In an Instagram post about this song, Parton said she “got very emotional recording ‘Mary, Did You Know?.” “It’s the sweetest song about beautiful things being born out of unexpected situations and that’s a message we all need to hear now more than ever,” she said. Check out this behind-the-song short about “Mary, Did You Know?” IDINA MENZEL “Christmas Just Ain’t Christmas” “We Wish You the Merriest” “A Hand for Mrs. Claus” “Sleigh Ride” Idina Menzel released a second Christmas album, Christmas: A Season of Love and wrote “At This Table,” a holiday song about inclusion. The album includes duets with Billy Porter, Josh Gad and Ariana Grande. Menzel’s duet with Grande, “A Hand for Mrs. Claus” was written by the composers of the Frozen soundtrack, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Three cute animated videos were released in conjunction with the album’s release, including “We Wish You the Merriest,” a duet with her Frozen co-star, Josh Gad. You should also check out her version of “Sleigh Ride.” CHICAGO “I’d Do It All Again (Christmas Moon)” Chicago released Chicago Christmas, their fourth holiday album (and their 37th album overall) back on Oct. 11, 2019. To get in the holiday spirit the band even sold limited edition candy cane LPs of the album on their official website, chicagotheband.com. With their trademark sound, the album boasts eight new original holiday songs along with some classic songs like “Sleigh Ride” and “What the World Needs Now Is Love.” LEANN RIMESIt’s Christmas, Eve soundtrack “You, Me, and Christmas” “I Still Believe in Santa Claus” Leann Rimes has released over a half dozen Christmas albums. In 2018, she branched out and starred in Hallmark Channel’s It’s Christmas, Eve and also put out an original soundtrack for the film. Two of the original songs on the album, “You, Me and Christmas” and “I Still Believe in Santa Claus” are both great additions to your holiday playlist. ALOE BLACCChristmas Funk “Tell Your Mama” “The Mrs. Saved Christmas” The aptly titled album by Aloe Blacc (released Nov 9, 2018) is full of funky, fresh tunes including “Tell Your Mama” and “The Mrs Saved Christmas.” SIAEveryday is Christmas (Deluxe version) “Candy Cane Lane” “Puppies Are Forever” “Round and Round” Every song on Sia’s holiday album is a keeper, but my personal favorites are “Candy Cane Lane” and “Puppies Are Forever.” Even the video for “Candy Cane Lane” evokes memories of Rankin/Bass’ stop motion animated holiday tales of yore. CASSIE DASILVA"Season’s Greetings" I discovered this song after watching Christmas Wedding Planner starring Jocelyn Hudon and Stephen Huszar with Joey Fatone in a supporting role. KATY PERRY “Cozy Little Christmas” TOBY LIGHTMANHoliday Lights “Snow Day” “At Christmas” “Holiday Lights” I’m new to Lightman’s music, but I’m really enjoying the title track as well as “Snow Day” and “At Christmas”. TYLER HILTON"Don’t Feel Like Christmas" The One Tree Hill alum released “Don’t Feel Like Christmas” last year. He starred in Lifetime’s A Christmas Wish with his One Tree Hill co-star Hilarie Burton. SETH MACFARLANEHoliday for Swing! “Little Jack Frost” Yes, the creator of Family Guy and The Orville sings! He’s loves to croon in the style of Tony Bennett and Dean Martin and he has released an album of traditional jazz standards and a Christmas album. In this duet with Norah Jones, MacFarlane shows he has something to fall back on if the animation thing doesn’t work out for him. ARIANA GRANDEChristmas Kisses"Winter Things"Christmas & Chill"Snow In California" Grande has a couple of Christmas EPs under her belt—2013’s Christmas Kisses and 2015’s Christmas & Chill. “Snow in California” and “Winter Things” have a permanent place on my playlist. GWEN STEFANI"Here This Christmas" “You Make It Feel Like Christmas” Real-life couple Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton collaborate on “You Make It Feel Like Christmas,” a feel-good holiday tune that’s sure to become a Christmas classic. LIAM PAYNE “Naughty List” (with Dixie D’Amelio)“All I Want For Christmas” Payne released “All I Want For Christmas”, a soulful ballad that is an original song and not a remake of the Mariah Carey classic. Last year, Payne released “Naughty List”, a duet with Dixie D’Amelio. It has a little bit of a reggae feel to it and even those on the Nice List will enjoy it too. LINDSEY STIRLING
“Christmas C’mon” The rock violinist and Dancing With the Stars finalist found fame on YouTube with her choreographed performances of covers as well as original songs all while playing the violin. This fun feel-good holiday song will bring some pep to your Christmas playlist. KELLY CLARKSON"Christmas Eve" I loved every track on Clarkson’s 2013 Christmas album, Wrapped In Red. This song was written for the album but didn’t make the cut. Luckily for fans, “Christmas Eve” was released as a single in 2017. MEGHAN TRAINOR “Christmas Coupon"“My Kind of Present"“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” Trainor releases a deluxe edition of her Christmas album which has three new tracks including the original “Christmas Coupon”. One of the new tracks is Trainor’s version of Darlene Love’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”. Meghan Trainor also dropped video for the track, “My Kind of Present”. LOUIS ARMSTRONG “A Visit from St. Nicholas” “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” Satchmo has released plenty of holiday tunes, but for the first time ever, and official Christmas album will be released on Oct. 28, 2022. On it, you’ll find Louis Armstrong holiday classics like “Cool Yule” and “Zat You, Santa Claus?” along with a previously unreleased recording of the classic holiday poem, “A Visit From St. Nicholas”. GOO-GOO DOLLS “This is Christmas” “You Ain’t Getting Nothin’” “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” The American rock band led by frontman Johnny Reznik released their first-ever holiday album It’s Christmas All Over on October 30, 2020. The album includes “This is Christmas” and “You Ain’t Getting Nothin’,” two original songs penned by Reznik and longtime collaborators Brad Fernquist and Jimmy McGorman. Classic holiday songs like “Let It Snow” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” comprise the 10-track record. Their version of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” is featured in the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries movie, Cranberry Christmas. Look for a reimagining of their hit “Better Days” and a cover of Tom Petty’s “Christmas All Over Again”. LITTLE MIX"The One I’ve Been Missing” This British girl band won the eighth season of UK’s The X Factor and is one of the most successful alumni of the show to date. TAYLOR SWIFT"Christmas Tree Farm” Swifty’s Christmas pop tune has a bit of a jazzy flair to it in the beginning. The catchy song, released in 2019, should easily find a place on your holiday playlist. JONAS BROTHERS"Like It’s Christmas" This song totally gets me in a festive mood. How can you not decorate the tree while listening to this tune? KACEY MUSGRAVES"Glittery" (ft. Troye Sivan)“Christmas Makes Me Cry"“A Willie Nice Christmas” ANA GASTEYER"Secret Santa” (ft. Maya Rudolph) “Sugar and Booze” “He’s Stuck in the Chimney Again” Did you know Ana Gasteyer released a Christmas album? There’s traditional fare like “Let It Snow!” and “The Man with the Bag” but it’s the songs off her album, Sugar and Booze, like the title track and “He’s Stuck in the Chimney Again” that are funny and fresh including “Secret Santa” featuring Maya Rudolph. This song will make you smile as it makes you laugh. What else would you expect from Gasteyer? LOREENA MCKENNITT"Holly and the Ivy" The ethereal songstress releases a double Christmas album this year. Under a Winter’s Moon will be available on Nov. 18. Next, Check Out the 60 Best Christmas Movies to Watch This Year
