Jennifer Hudson has done a ton in her career — including winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony, making her the rare performer to EGOT, as the expression goes — but a holiday album? That’s new territory. The Gift of Love is her first, full of big-hearted classics like “O Holy Night,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Auld Lang Syne” and “Carol of the Bells,” which features the South African a cappella-meets-Zulu music group The Joy. The album also contains some inventive originals. In that category: “Almost Christmas” with Common. If there is only one album to grab this holiday season, you’d be wise to make it this one.
Little Big Town, ‘The Christmas Record’
Another big name in contemporary music has released their first holiday album. Little Big Town’s The Christmas Record, 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 — like the opener “Glow,” and the cheery vocal harmony of its chorus: “That shine, that shimmer deep inside of you / Find that magic, let the light in you show / Let it go / Let it glow.”
Toby Keith, ‘Christmas to Christmas’
In February, country superstar Toby Keith, a hit crafter of pro-American anthems who riled up critics and was loved by millions of fans, died at 62. In the time since, he’s been eulogized and celebrated, and that continues with a newly remastered reissue of his 1995 holiday classic, Christmas to Christmas.
Clay Aiken, ‘Christmas Bells Are Ringing’
Clay Aiken — you read that name correctly, the onetime American Idol runner-up and politician — has returned with his first studio album in over a decade, Christmas Bells Are Ringing. His voice sounds as sweet and theatrical as ever — a natural partner to holiday classics.
Jimmy Fallon, ‘Holiday Seasoning’
At the intersection of Christmas and comedy albums comes Jimmy Fallon’s Holiday Seasoning. The Tonight Show host gets into the spirit of the season with jokes — and some A-list guests — included. Check out “Almost Too Early for Christmas” with Dolly Parton, “Hallmark Movie” with Cara Delevingne, and “New Year’s Eve Polka (5-4-3-2-1)” featuring the Roots and Weird Al. It’s exactly what it sounds like.
The Philly Specials, ‘A Philly Special Christmas Party’
For a third year in a row, the Philly Specials — former Philadelphia Eagle Jason Kelce and current Eagles Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata — have released a holiday album for charity. A Philly Special Christmas Party benefits a few organizations, including the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and Children’s 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 “Maybe This Christmas,” Kelce (brother to Travis) and Stevie Nicks duet, singing, “And maybe forgiveness will ask us to call / Someone we love / Someone we’ve lost for reasons we can’t quite recall / Maybe this Christmas.” It’s moving.
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, ‘Ella & Louis Wish You a Swinging Holiday’
Let’s be honest here. Around Christmas, everyone wants to hear Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. Why not hear them together? Ella & Louis Wish You a Swinging Holiday is a new boxset, two jazz classics meeting in perfect harmony: Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas and Louis Wishes You A Cool Yule.
The Temptations, ‘Give Love at Christmas’
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, Give Love at Christmas. It’s for fans of five-part harmonies and soulful renditions of classics.
Ben Folds, ‘Sleigher’
Ben Folds might not be an obvious pick for holiday music — Sleigher is his first Christmas album, after all — 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.
