New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Universal Music Enterprises) The holidays are coming and you know what that means: 'tis the season for gift guides. Time for those carefully curated lists of creative gift ideas for everyone in your life, from the woman who has everything, to the man who wants nothing. Forget those. We have a list guaranteed to keep the music lovers on your list singing and dancing into 2016.
Kindhearted people that we are, we've created a "pitch perfect" list of seasonal songs from Universal
Music Enterprises (UMe) to help you find the right tunes for a range of personalities: from
Rat Pack Revelers to Bad Santas, and even something for the Kids at Heart.
And for those who want a holiday music fix right away, we've assembled the ultimate holiday playlist, "Christmas Classics: Old & New." With 200 songs, it spans decades and genres with seasonal gems by amazing artists like Michael Bublé, Mariah Carey, Bing Crosby, Marvin Gaye,
Ariana Grande, Josh Groban, Michael Jackson, Lady Antebellum, Willie Nelson, Katy Perry, Frank Sinatra, Sam Smith, Bruce Springsteen,
George Strait and Stevie Wonder. Now streaming here.
RAT PACK REVELERS
Frank Sinatra - A Jolly Christmas
If you only have one holiday album, it should be this one. And if you already have it, you need to double down because this 1957 holiday classic has been digitally remastered and expanded with two bonus tracks. Even 50-plus years later, this Christmas album from Ol' Blue Eyes absolutely sleighs.
Dean Martin - A Winter Romance (LP)
Forgot your hip flask? No problem. Let Dino keep you warm and mellow this season with his only holiday-themed album for Capitol Records. Originally recorded in 1959, it features the unforgettable duet "
Baby, It's Cold Outside" along with a heavenly host of familiar yuletide classics. The album is available now in its original vinyl form.
YULETIDE TRADITIONALISTS
James Taylor -
James Taylor At Christmas
The singer's warm and dulcet baritone tempers winter's chill on this collection of 14 holiday favorites, including "Mon Beau Sapin," a French rendition of "O Christmas Tree." His version of "Here Comes the Sun" with cellist Yo-Yo Ma offers the perfect remedy to those long winter nights.
Neil Diamond - Classic Christmas Album
This legendary artist loves holiday music so much that he's recorded three incredibly popular holiday albums: The Christmas Album (1992), The Christmas Album 2 (1994), and A Cherry Cherry Christmas (2009). This (2013) compilation brings together a dozen of his favorite tracks from those releases.
WINTER ROMANTICS
Rod Stewart - Merry Christmas, Baby
One of the best song interpreters around offers his unique take on holiday standards from "
White Christmas" to "Blue Christmas." Stewart is joined by a number of special guests, including a "virtual" duet with Ella Fitzgerald. The only thing that could possibly make this album better would be if Rod re-recorded "
Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" as a Christmas carol. "If you think I'm festive, and you want my presents, meet me at the mistletoe."
Andrea Bocelli - My Christmas (2LP)
Popular Italian tenor
Andrea Bocelli? Check. Legendary producer
David Foster? Check. Muppet duet? Check. The superstar vocalist's first Christmas album has all that and more, including outstanding appearances by special guests Reba McEntire,
Mary J. Blige and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. This year, the heart-warming collection will be released as a double-LP (180-gram vinyl) that comes in a gatefold package with printed inner sleeves.
WAX FANATICS
Boris Karloff - Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Original Motion Picture
Soundtrack (Limited Edition Green Vinyl LP)
The three words that best describe the Grinch are, and I quote, "stink, stank, stunk." But the original audio recording from this beloved holiday TV special based on a children's book by Dr. Seuss is far from smelly. Narrated by
Boris Karloff, the LP includes "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" and "Welcome Christmas." As a special treat, a limited-edition version of the album is now available on green vinyl.
Stevie Wonder - Someday At Christmas (LP)
Stevie Wonder fills the season with joy and cheer on his triumphant holiday album from 1967. Although it's been said many times, many ways, the singer still finds a way to make familiar melodies like "
The Christmas Song" his very own. Fans will celebrate this year when the album is reissued on vinyl complete with the original cover art.
BAD SANTAS
Eazy-E - Merry Mutha****** Xmas (7-inch red vinyl)
What would
Santa blast on his stereo if he went cruisin' down the street in his "six-fo"?
Eazy-E answers with the rapper's irreverent holiday classic "Merry Mutha****** Xmas." The raucous track, which includes a cameo by Dolemite, will be released for the first time as a 45-rpm single with the b-side "N***** My Height Don't Fight." This limited edition release will be available on November 27 as a Record Store Day "
Black Friday" exclusive.
Various Artists - Scrooged, Original Motion Picture
Soundtrack (LP)
If you're looking for an antidote to holiday schmaltz, this hilarious, modern retelling of the Charles Dickens classic delivers sarcasm with a heart. After several decades out of print, the film's soundtrack will be reissued on vinyl this year. Among the standouts are
Natalie Cole's "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" and Paul Shaffer's "We Three
Kings of Orient Are," as well as the Top Ten single, "Put A
Little Love In Your Heart" by
Al Green and
Annie Lennox.
KIDS AT HEART
Alvin and the
Chipmunks -
Chipmunks Christmas
Three things must happen every year to appease the yuletide gods: A Christmas Story marathon, a sharp rise in eggnog consumption, and the return of "The
Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)." More than 50 years after its release, this high-pitched hit by a trio of furry rock stars is still going strong. Tap into the pre-school holiday season zeitgeist today with this stone classic by Alvin,
Simon and Theodore.
