Festive Guide: New Christmas Albums From John Legend, Jessie J & More
It looks like the music industry had a secret meeting and decided that all Christmas albums should be released on October 26. (There are a couple of outliers arriving on November 2). It took me a while to get through all of the new releases, but now I can confidently say there’s something for everyone. Let’s start with John Legend’s amazingly-titled A Legendary Christmas. The R&B singer puts a soulful spin on the classics and contributes a couple of new ones including the excellent “Bring Me Love.”
If you prefer your festive fare with a jazzy touch, Jessie J’s This Christmas Day is the album for you. The big-lunged Brit shows off her full range on holiday standards like “Let It Snow” and “White Christmas,” and joins forces with Babyface and Boyz II Men for a couple of exceedingly smooth duets. Speaking of collaborations, Ingrid Michaelson has several on her lovely Songs For The Season including duets with Grace VanderWaal, Christina Perri and Will Chase. The singer/songwriter’s approach is subtle, stripped-back and very, very comforting.
Apart from perhaps the Queen of Xmas, Mariah Carey, no act has a stronger grip on December than Pentatonix. The vocal group’s run of mega-selling seasonal fare should continue with the cheerful Christmas Is Here!. They stay true to their tried and tested a cappella formula, but there is an orchestral moment as well as cute features from Kelly Clarkson and Maren Morris. It should also be noted that Gwen Stefani rereleased the adorable You Make It Feel Like Christmas with five new tracks. Find your new holiday soundtrack below.
Which Christmas album are you buying? Let us know below, or by hitting us up on Facebook and Twitter!
