LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� What is a without festive music? The classics are great, but the classics performed by some of the best performers across pop, R&B, rock, opera, soul and beyond? That's a real reason to celebrate.
In honor of the most wonderful time of the year, The Associated Press' has compiled some of the best new holiday releases for your listening pleasure. Because sometimes the best thing that can happen to an old classic is revitalizing it with a new performance.
Ella Fitzgerald, 鈥淓lla Wishes You A Swinging Christmas鈥�
Don't bore us, get to the chorus 鈥� or in the case of this collectible vinyl release of 鈥淓lla Wishes You A Swinging Christmas,鈥� give us the hits! 's 1960 holiday record is largely considered by critics to be one of the greatest of all time 鈥� so why not celebrate the best of the best on a new piece of wax? It's not a bad gift idea, either.
Cher, 鈥淐hristmas鈥�
Somehow, 鈥淐hristmas" is Cher's first holiday album 鈥� not that she hasn't been asked to do one in the past. 鈥淚 just didn鈥檛 want to do one,鈥� she . 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know how I was going to make it a 鈥楥her Christmas album.鈥欌�� The secret, it turns out, was to get a bunch of A-list collaborators on her album, something she's never done before. There鈥檚 on 鈥淧ut A Little Holiday In Your Heart,鈥� on 鈥淲hat Christmas Means to Me,鈥� Darlene Love on 鈥淐hristmas (Baby, Please Come Home),鈥� Michael Bubl茅 on 鈥淗ome,鈥� and even the rapper Tyga on 鈥淒rop Top Sleigh Ride." There's something for everyone, and then some.
Brandy, 鈥淐hristmas with Brandy鈥�
For those looking for a seductive holiday album: the search is over. R&B great Brandy has released 鈥淐hristmas with Brandy,鈥� a collection of sultry 鈥� and in other moments, soulful 鈥� imaginations of Christmas classics and originals. Like on 鈥淐hristmas Gift,鈥� which features her daughter Sy鈥橰ai, and 鈥淔eels Different.鈥�
Elsewhere, Brandy offers a PG-13 holiday special. 鈥淗elp me undress, oh, yes / I鈥檒l be your present / Just give me your presence / That鈥檚 all that I鈥檓 askin鈥� of you,鈥� she sings on chorus of the lead single, 鈥淐hristmas Party for Two." 鈥淭ake my body / Boy, you know you got it / Just look what you started / It鈥檚 a Christmas party for two.鈥�
Chicago, 鈥淐hicago Greatest Christmas Hits鈥�
Lifelong fans of the rock band with horns are familiar with Chicago's extensive holiday discography: starting with 1998's 鈥淐hicago XXV: The Christmas Album,鈥� (reissued in 2003 as 鈥淐hicago Christmas: What鈥檚 It Gonna Be Santa" with six additional tracks), 2011's 鈥淐hicago XXXIII: O Christmas Three,鈥� and 2019's 鈥淐hicago XXXVII: Chicago Christmas.鈥� But the only way to complete the collection 鈥� or begin your own, and with just the singles 鈥� is to check out 鈥淐hicago Greatest Christmas Hits,鈥� which pulls from all those releases and is sold in festive red and green vinyl.
Andrea, Matteo and Virginia Bocelli, 鈥淎 Family Christmas鈥�
Italian opera singer got the whole family together for a new, deluxe edition of their first album together, 鈥淎 Family Christmas.鈥� Andrea, his 26-year-old son Matteo and his 11-year-old daughter Virginia teamed up for the release, adding four new recordings to the collection: 鈥淟et It Snow,鈥� 鈥淪ilver Bells,鈥� 鈥淓鈥� Natale!鈥� and 鈥淲inter Wonderland.鈥� If you can listen to the famed tenor harmonize with his children and not shed a tear, you're a stronger person than most.
Wheatus, 鈥淛ust A Dirtbag Christmas鈥�
Far too often, holiday albums carry an air of seriousness. But the most wonderful time of the year requires moments of levity 鈥� as well as deep existential thought about the nature of love and family and what really matters on this Earth. Enter Wheatus, the 鈥�90s radio rock band best known for their ubiquitous hit, 鈥淭eenage Dirtbag.鈥� 鈥淛ust a Dirtbag Christmas鈥� plays into the single鈥檚 popularity, featuring a string quartet version of 鈥淭eenage Dirtbag," as well as a rewritten, holiday-appropriate version of the song. Humor abounds, like in the pop-rocking comedic additions of 鈥淵ou Made Me Believe in Christmas,鈥� 鈥淔eels Like Christmas,鈥� 鈥淢ean Christmas." Break out the bucket hat and the Yule log for this one.
David Foster and Katharine McPhee, 鈥淐hristmas Songs鈥�
No strangers to holiday albums, the dynamic duo of David Foster and Katharine McPhee released their completed 鈥淐hristmas Songs鈥� collection earlier this year. This is one for the traditionalists among us: jazz-y, theatrical interpretations of Christmas classics that deliver a nostalgic satisfaction, amplified by their combined, immense talent. Well, theirs, and the skills of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, whose reimagined 鈥淎mazing Grace,鈥� arranged by Foster, is a song to behold.
Luther Vandross, 鈥淟uther Vandross Classic Christmas鈥�
Released nearly two decades after the R&B and soul giant's death, 鈥淟uther Vandross Classic Christmas,鈥� is a short but memorable modern day Christmas classic: a three-track EP built off the never before released 鈥淎t Christmas Time,鈥� 鈥淢ay Christmas Bring You Happiness,鈥� and a special bonus a cappella mix of 鈥淎t Christmas Time.鈥� There's no better time of the year to hear the velvet voice do what he does best.
Ally Brooke, 鈥淯nder the Tree鈥�
All is fair in love and war and girl groups. Emmy Award winner Ally Brooke, formerly of Fifth Harmony, is back with a brand-spanking-new Christmas EP titled 鈥淯nder the Tree.鈥� Anchored by the shimmery retro-pop title track, 鈥淯nder the Tree鈥� is a Brooke original that has her repeating 鈥淵ou can find me under the tree (Under the tree) / I鈥檒l be waitin鈥� on Christmas Eve (Christmas Eve) / Baby, unwrap me,鈥� in its cheeky chorus. It is light-hearted, amorous fun. And it quickly does a 180, rounding out the tracklist with 鈥淲hite Christmas,鈥� 鈥淚'll Be Home for Christmas,鈥� and of course, the classic, 鈥淗ave Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.鈥�
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More suggestions for holiday gifts are available in AP鈥檚 2023 Holiday Gift Guides, with selections for , , , and , a grab-bag.
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Looking for other new music. Check out AP's music reviews at
Maria Sherman, The Associated Press
