Most of us tend to stick to tried and true Christmas music for our Christmas Day playlist. I know I like Chris Cornell singing Ave Maria dammit and I am sticking to that, but sometimes it’s nice to let something new slip into the music list. Since there’s a plethora of new Christmas albums released every year, yours truly has listened to them all for you and narrowed down the best new Christmas songs to add to your Christmas Day playlist this year.
She & Him – The Coldest Night Of The Year
Album: She & Him – Christmas Party
Zooey Deschanel is basically Christmas. She just is. She’s bright and loud and quirky and cute and her singing voice was made for Christmas carols. Keeping that in mind, it’s no surprise that She & Him have released a second Christmas album. It’s a little folky and sometimes jazzy – perfect background music for Christmas Day lunch. The Coldest Night Of The Year reminds me a lot of Baby Its Cold Outside but without that awkward date rape-y vibe that always seemed a little off for Christmas.
Keli Rutledge – All I Want For Christmas Is You
Album – Alice Cooper’s Taste Of Christmas Pudding 2016
So everyone is aware that Alice Cooper is so much more than his shock rocker persona right? I mean we all saw Wayne’s World. What I didn’t know is that every year he puts on a Christmas concert in support of underprivileged youth featuring some of the best new rock talent around. Pretty awesome right? They also release a Christmas CD each year which has filled the whole A Very Special Christmas left in my heart.
It’s a fantastic album but it’s hard to go past All I Want For Christmas Is You, sung by Keli Rutledge, who sadly passed away earlier this year. Wistfully sung on an acoustic guitar, it gives the perfect longing tone to a song about unrequited love at Christmas. She makes Mariah’s version sound like it should have been the cover.
John Farnham & Olivia Newton-John – The Christmas Song
Album: Friends For Christmas – John Farnham & Olivia Newton-John
Yeah yeah I know. Friends for Christmas is the CD your mum or nanna will be playing the whole day, but damn Farnham still has some pipes on him! Does anyone else find it strange hearing Australian accents singing about snow at Christmas though? It’s deeply weird. Do we even have Aussie Christmas carols besides Six White Boomers? And if they are only Friends for Christmas do they hate each other the rest of the year? These questions need answers.
Pentatonix – Coventry Carol
Album: A Penatonix Christmas
Not gonna lie – I wanted to hate this album. I wanted to write Pentatonix off as a Glee cash in but dammit these peeps are talented. They even had my cynical soul bopping along towards the end. That said I think acappella works best on the slower tunes so this one was definitely my favourite. I also loved their version of Hallelujah but I’m rejecting it on the grounds of that not being a Christmas song. For god sakes stop trying to make Christmas Hallelujah happen. It’s not a Christmas song. The end.
Jane Lynch – Up On The Rooftop
Album: Jane Lynch – A Swingin Little Christmas
And from one Glee reference to another – seriously why did she almost never sing on Glee? I loved this song, and while I liked the album, I’m not sure I’d listen to the whole thing in one sitting again. It reminded me of Judy Garland and those awesome peppy early 60s swing albums – completely fun, but a tiny bit repetitive. Still, a couple songs from this one would definitely pop on an otherwise slow playlist.
Neil Diamond – #1 Record For Christmas
Album: Neil Diamond – Acoustic Christmas
So secret time. I actually really like Neil Diamond. His music is inoffensive to the point of forgettable but I love listening to it when I just want to chill. It’s like musical white noise . This song made me laugh a bit but it’s still pretty tongue in cheek and clever. It has a real Sweet Caroline vibe to it, so if that’s your karaoke song like me, definitely hit it up. Between this and John Farnham, the nanna number 1 album market is seriously split this year. Good choice not releasing in 2016 Michael Buble.
The Killers (feat Toni Halliday) – A Great Big Sled
Album: The Killers – Don’t Waste Your Wishes
The Killers release a Christmas tune every year, and 2016 we are doubly blessed because they’ve also released all their previous Christmas songs together on an album. It’s a great track and fantastic if you are a Killers fan suffering from Christmas carol fatigue. If you’re a bit of a Killers hater though, this won’t be the song to convert you – it definitely has echoes of All These Things That I Have Done.
Louis Armstrong – Christmas Night In Harlem
Album: Ella & Louis Christmas
Okay you got me. This one ain’t new, but the collection is. I don’t need to sell Ella and Louis – just buy the whole album and play it quietly in the background while everyone’s eating dinner. Or pour yourself a glass of wine after the kids have gone to bed, take a break and just enjoy it. You deserve it.
Simple Plan – Christmas Every Day
Album: None! Just a single 🙁
Simple Plan bring their own brand of pop punk to christmas with this one. It’s a fun song at the best of times and the band really has fun with it. The punky aspect makes it really different to most Christmas music out there. You might get some raised eyes from the relos if you play it, but the kids will thank you.
Kylie Minogue – At Christmas
Album: A Kylie Christmas (Snow Queen Edition)
Welp Kylie’s re-released last years Christmas albums with another couple songs on there as a bit of a shameless cash grab. Look I’m not gonna lie to you – it’s Kylie, it’s a Christmas song. It does what it says on the box. It’s poppy and cute and will get stuck in your head for about 6 million years.
And because I love you all, I wrapped these tunes up in a cute little Apple Music package for you to enjoy.
Will any of these songs make it onto your Christmas Day playlist? What’s your favourite Christmas tune?