You might think that after all these centuries we’ve had enough of new Christmas music.

Not quite.

New music, especially at Christmas, is as much a part of the holiday season as ugly sweaters and fruitcake, cards and eggnog. The new albums will be released before radio stations switch to 24-hour holiday playlists after Halloween, and will be released through the week of the big days.

Each year also brings tunes for every taste, from cheerful to metal, from jazz to jingles, cheeky to nice. The offering can also be overwhelming, so we offer you the 12 (best) Christmas CDs this year in alphabetical order for your listening pleasure…

Bing Crosby, “Ultimate Christmas” (Primary Wave Music): His rendition of Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” for the 1942 film Holiday Inn arguably made this crooner the king of Christmas music, and this new compilation offers further supporting evidence – in 14-, 28- and 58-track editions, no fewer. It landed Crosby back on the Billboard 200 chart for the first time in 64 years, but note that it doesn’t include K-pop sensation BTS’ newly created “White Christmas” duet with V, which is available separately.

Dan + Shay, “It’s Officially Christmas: The Double Album” (Warner Music Nashville): The award-winning duo waited a decade to release their first holiday collection and are making up for lost time with 21 songs, which, as the title suggests, are spread across two CDs – one of standards, the other of 11 originals from Messrs. Smyers and Mooney . And even though they’re presented separately, we suggest a random shuffle makes things even more interesting.

Ben Folds, “Sleigher” (New West): Nearly 30 years after his first Ben Folds Five album, Folds kicks off the season with a witty 10-song set that’s occasionally poignant in its irreverence, as he sings about “The Bell That Couldn’t Jingle” and assures us: “You Don’t.”Must be Santa Claus” and plays the piano, which is sure to please fans of “Peanuts” composer Vince Guaraldi.

Robert Glasper, “In December” (Loma Vista/Concord): The genre-bending keyboardist penned three originals for this eight-song set, with Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo, Tarriona “Tank” Ball, PJ Morton, Sevryn Streeter, Andra Day and others providing vocals, as well as the Baylor Project brought lots of rum pum pum pum to “Little Drummer Boy”.

Amy Grant and Vince Gill, “When I Think of Christmas” (MCA Nashville): Grant and Gill have been married since 2000 and have been married since Christmas usedon the street and on CD. Their latest holiday offering is a harmonious collection that includes seasonal chestnuts and original material, including “Tennessee Christmas” and a new rendition of “Breath of Heaven,” the latter originally released on Grant’s 1992 set Home For Christmas.

Jimmy Fallon, “Holiday Seasoning” (Republic): The king of all media, The Tonight Show, delivers a CD variety show featuring songs and sketches, as well as guest appearances from Dolly Parton, Justin Timerblake, Megan Thee Stallion, Ariana Grande, Chelsea Handler, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Will Ferrell and Meghan Trainor, Cara Delevingne and of course his TV house band The Roots. “Holiday,” featuring the Jonas Brothers, recently gave Fallon his first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

Jennifer Hudson, “The Gift of Love” (Interscope): The EGOT singer and talk show host’s first full-length album in 10 years is also her first-ever holiday set, where she adds her diva voice to four originals and 10 covers – including Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” – as well as collaborations with Common and The South Africans A cappella quintet The Joy.

Megan Moroney, “Blue Christmas…Duh” (Sony Music Nashville/Columbia): This is short and sweet – a three-song EP, two originals (“All I Want For Christmas is a Cowboy” and “Christmas Morning”) and a spirited rendition of “Blue Christmas.” However, good things can come in small packages, and all three tracks from the award-winning country singer are worthy additions to a holiday playlist.

Jim Sonefeld, “Light of Joy” (Vere Music): The Hootie & the Blowfish drummer ventures into the spiritual world with his own work, and his latest EP mixes the solemn and the celebratory with tracks like “Adore,” “In Jesus Name – God of Possible,” and the sentimental “Mama in the Kitchen.” “. ” and the title track.

Tower of Power, “It’s Christmas” (self-released): Brassy, ​​soulful and at times funky, it’s everything you’d expect from Tower of Power – and for an album that adopts another director’s seasonal sound. It’s definitely Christmas fare, and the group’s signature dish, East Bay Grease, makes everything even tastier.

We are messengers: “Rejoice! A Celtic Christmas” (Curb): There should always be some Celtic music in your Christmas season and this Irish outfit deliver a great five-song celebration, including a team-up with Keith and Kristyn Getty on Thorn and Thistle.

CeCe Winans, “Joyful Joyful: A Christmas Album” (PureSprings Gospel): This year’s top gospel artist is definitely in the holiday lane, according to Billboard; “Joyful…” follows her last album, another Christmas set, from 2018. She sings, “This World Will Never Be the Same,” and after listening to these 10 tracks, your holidays won’t be the same either ​be.

More notable new Christmas albums for 2024…

Clay Aiken, “Christmas Bells are Ringing” (Alvis)

Gabby Barrett, “Carols and Candlelight” (Warner Music Nashville)

Alex Bird and the Jazz Mavericks, “Jazz For Christmas” (self-released)

Mariah Carey, “Merry Christmas (30th Anniversary Edition)” (Legacy Recordings)

Sabrina Carpenter, “Fruitcake” (Island/UMe)

Tischler, “Christmas Once More” (A&M/UMe)

Chapel Hart, “Hartfelt Family Christmas” (Origins)

Stella Cole, “Snow!” (La Reserve)

Christopher Cross, “A Christopher Cross Christmas” (Omnivore/Seeker Music)

Dean & Britta and Sonic Book, “A Peace of Us” (parking lot)

Brett Eldredge, “Merry Christmas (Welcome to the Family)” (Warm and Cozy)

Ever More Nest, “Merry Little Thing” (self-released)

Albert Hammond, “Christmas” (earMUSIC)

Hauser, “Christmas (Deluxe)” (Sony Music Masterworks)

Bobby Helms, “A Bobby Helms Christmas” (Geffen/UMe)

Home Free, “Any Kind of Christmas” (self-released)

Jethro Tull, “The Jethro Tull Christmas Album – Fresh Snow At Christmas (Deluxe)” (InsideOutMusic)

Walker Hayes, “Christmas Vacation” (Monument/RCA)

Coco Jones, “Coco By the Fireplace” (High Standardz/Def Jam)

Toby Keith, “Christmas to Christmas” (Show Dog Nashville)

Lyn Lapid, “Winter Wishes” (Mercury)

Storm Large, “A Joyful Noise” (self-released)

Little Big Town, “The Christmas Record” (Capitol Records Nashville)

Jonathan McReynolds, “Red & Green” (Capitol Christian Music Group)

Austin Meade, “Homesick for the Holidays” (Snakefarm)

Mormon Tabernacle Choir, “Sings Christmas Carols” (Real Gone Music)

David Nail, “A Campfire Christmas” (self-published)

Olivia Newton-John, “Angel in the Snow” (Green Hill Productions)

Luciano Pavarotti, “O Holy Night!” (Decca)

Steve Perry, “The Third Season” (Dark Horse/BMG)

The Philly Specials, “A Special Christmas Party in Philly” (Vera Y)

The Pinkerton Raid, “Jagged Vacance Winter Songs By Other People” (self-released)

Laura Pursell, “Need a Little Christmas” (Netcom)

Mason Ramsey, “Merry Christmas Baby” (Atlantic)

Lea Salonga, “Sounding Joy – The Holiday Album” (Center Stage Records)

Christian Sands, “Christmas Stories (Deluxe Edition)” (Mack Avenue)

Saweetie, “Dear Big Santa” (Warner)

Deborah Silver with the Count Basie Orchestra, “Swingin’ Through the Holidays” (Green Hill/Sun Label Group)

Ruben Studdard, “My Favorite Holiday” (Origins/Hitmaker Music Group)

Tedashi, “Tis the Season” (Reach)

Mickey Thomas, “A Classic Christmas” (self-published)

Various Artists, “The 1st Metal Christmas” (FireRock Music Group)

Various Artists, “Glad Tidings From Sun Records” (Sun/Org Music)

Various artists, “Let’s Have a Rockin’ Christmas, Vol. 9″ (Bongo Boy)

Reggie Watts, “Reggi Sings: Your Favorite Christmas Classics, Vol. 1″ (Brainfeeder)

We are messengers: “Rejoice! A Celtic Christmas” (Curb)

The Weeklings, “Christmas” (JEM)

Koe Wetzel, “Wetzel’s Wonderland Chapter 2” (self-published)

Wham!, “Last Christmas (40th Anniversary)” (Epos/Legacy)

Phil Wickham, “Hallelujah! It’s Christmas!” (Fair Trade Services/Columbia)

The Wildwoods, “Christmas Through the Years” (self-published)

Matt Wilson’s Christmas Tree-O, “Tree Jazz: The Shape of Christmas to Come” (Palmetto)

Alicia Witt, “I Think I’m Spending Christmas With You” (self-published)

Yachtley Crew, “Seas and Greetings” (Earache/Universal)

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