It’s that time of year … already? Yes, indeed. Fire up that turntable, CD player or your Spotify / Apple Music and gather ’round the yule log for some holiday albums and other audio gifts.
This is what’s coming up in the weeks + months ahead:
Sept. 1
FAITH HILL
“Joy to the World” (Amazon-Exclusive Milky White Vinyl; 2008 album; Warner)
THE SMITHEREENS
“Christmas With The Smithereens” (Vinyl; 2007 album; Amazon UK; Tollie Records / Sunset Blvd. Records)
Sept. 8
MICHAEL BUBLÉ
“Christmas” (Vinyl Deluxe Special Edition; 2011 album, one of the biggest-selling Christmas holiday LPs of all time; Reprise)
Sept. 29
TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA
“The Christmas Attic” (Double Vinyl; 1998 album; remastered; Walmart-Exclusive Clear Vinyl; Amazon UK; Rhino / Atlantic)
VARIOUS ARTISTS
“Stax Christmas” (12 holiday classics, from Otis Redding, Staple Singers, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & The M.G.’s, et al; Hear here; Vinyl; Amazon UK; Download; Apple Music)
Oct. 6
BOB DYLAN
“Christmas in the Heart” (Amazon-Exclusive Red Vinyl; 2009 album; Amazon UK; Columbia / Legacy)
ADAM HAWLEY
“What Christmas Means to Me” (Vinyl; A-Train / Esco)
ALAN JACKSON
“Honky Tonk Christmas” (Amazon-Exclusive Green Vinyl; 1993 album; RCA / Legacy)
CAROLE KING
“A Holiday Carole” (Vinyl; 2011 album, produced by daughter Louise Goffin; Columbia / Legacy)
JOHN LEGEND
“A Legendary Christmas” (Amazon-Exclusive Double Red Vinyl; 2018 album; On Tour; Columbia / Legacy)
WILLIE NELSON
“Pretty Paper” (Vinyl; 1979 album, his first Christmas LP and his last LP of the 1970s; producer: Booker T. Jones; On Tour; Columbia / Legacy)
*NSYNC
“Home For Christmas” (Vinyl; 1998 album, featuring “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays”; Jive / Legacy)
ELVIS PRESLEY
“Elvis’ Christmas Album” (Vinyl; 1957 album; his third album and first Christmas LP; Amazon UK)
“Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas” (Vinyl; 1971 album; Amazon UK; Merch; RCA / Legacy)
VARIOUS ARTISTS
“The Alligator Records Christmas Collection” (Red Opaque Vinyl; 1992 album, making its debut on vinyl; remastered under the supervision of the original producer and label founder, Bruce Iglauer; Alligator)
VARIOUS ARTISTS
“A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector” (Vinyl; 1963 album; Legacy Recordings)
VARIOUS ARTISTS
“Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” (Vinyl; 2018 film; animated film starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Rashida Jones, Kenan Thompson, Angela Lansbury, Pharrell Williams; Legacy Recordings)
VARIOUS ARTISTS
“Home Alone Christmas” (soundtrack of the 1990 film; Amazon UK; Columbia / Legacy)
VARIOUS ARTISTS
“NOW That’s What I Call a Most Wonderful Christmas” (16 songs; Legacy Recordings)
VARIOUS ARTISTS
“Santa Swings … The Windup: 27 Christmas Stockings Full of Shellac Dust” (featuring tracks from Glenn Miller, Paul Whiteman, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Barnet, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Putney Dandridge, Jimmy Ray, et al; Bear Family)
Oct. 13
JUDY GARLAND
“Judy Garland Christmas Album” (seven songs from “The Judy Garland Show,” Episode #15, also known as “The Christmas Show”; taped on Dec. 6, 1963, and aired on Dec. 22, 1963; Amazon UK; BFD)
JOHNNY MATHIS
“Christmas Time Is Here” (new 10-song holiday album includes a duet with Kristin Chenoweth; producers: Jay Landers, Fred Mollin; Christmas Tree Green Vinyl; Download; Columbia / Legacy)
SIA
“Everyday Is Christmas (Snowman Deluxe Edition)” (expanded version of her 2017 album was released in 2021, with three new songs; now on CD for the first time; Rhino / Atlantic)
Oct. 20
CHER
“Christmas” (her first Christmas album, a mixture of traditional carols and original songs; guests: Stevie Wonder, Cyndi Lauper, Darlene Love, Michael Bublé, Tyga; new single: “DJ Play a Christmas Song”; Amazon-Exclusive CD, with alternate cover; Red Vinyl; Warner)
PENTATONIX
“The Greatest Christmas Hits” (two-CD set; Download; RCA)
VARIOUS ARTISTS
“16 Holiday Classics” (Snow White Vinyl; Christmas hits circa 1942-1961; Acrobat)
Oct. 27
DAVE BRUBECK
“A Dave Brubeck Christmas” (Double Vinyl; 1996 album; featuring lacquers cut at 45 RPM by Ryan Smith; Craft Recordings / Concord)
SAMARA JOY
“A Joyful Holiday” (six-song EP; producer: Matt Pierson; new single: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”; See here; Apple Music; On Tour; Verve)
MICHELLE MALONE AND THE HOT TODDIES
“Christmas with Michelle Malone and The Hot Toddies” (Hear here; Amazon UK; BFD)
DON McLEAN
“Christmas Memories: Remixed and Remastered” (Vinyl; BFD)
THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA
“Christmas Jollies I & II: The Extra Jolly Edition” (Triple CD; 1976 and 1992 albums; Read here; The Second Disc / SoulMusic Records / Cherry Red)
Nov. 3
JORMA KAUKONEN
“Christmas” (1996 album; remastered; Fur Peace Ranch Records)
Nov. 10
BUCK OWENS AND HIS BUCKAROOS
“Christmas with Buck Owens and His Buckaroos” (Red Vinyl; 1965 album; Sundazed Music)