5 New Holiday Albums To Get You in the Spirit

• by Melissa Bobbitt
• Nov 29, 2016

Now that turkey time is over, it’s officially the holiday season. That means an avalanche of overly melismatic “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmases” are coming our way. If you’re tired of the yuletide tropes, give these five new albums a spin.

The Killers
Don’t Waste Your Wishes

This indie-dance/spaghetti Western compilation puts all the Killers’ Christmas singles into one convenient place— for a good cause. Don’t Waste Your Wishes is exclusively out on Apple Music, with all U.S. iTunes proceeds going to the (RED) foundation. (A CD version out Dec. 9 benefits the Global Fund.) The tracks range from the Elton John cameo, “Joseph, Better You Than Me,” to the morbid “Don’t Shoot Me Santa.” Maybe they should have called the record Santa’s Town?

R. Kelly
12 Nights of Christmas

The holidays can be pretty ridiculous. Flying reindeer? Fruitcake? Black Friday feuds? So R. Kelly’s jolly offering seemed logical enough. He amps up the cheese (his present to his lady? “Me”), yet he makes songs like “Home for Christmas” sound like a welcoming seat by the fireplace. He claims he can make your winter wishes come true, but we’d advise taking caution when sitting on this rascal’s lap.

David Bazan
Dark Sacred Night

“It’s not going to be for everybody, or hardly anybody,” the former Pedro the Lion front man muses in a press release for Dark Sacred Night. Like the Killers album, this is a repackaging of past seasonal singles— most of which were hard to find in stores. Given Bazan’s conflicted relationship with Christianity, this album is uneasy but relatable. Enjoy with a cup of spiked eggnog.

Andra Day
Merry Christmas from Andra Day

The jazz enchantress who won the praise of Stevie Wonder is now putting her spin on the holidays. Her timeless alto transforms classics like “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” into blazing hot tracks that would make legends like Ella Fitzgerald and Amy Winehouse proud. This EP includes her duet with Wonder, “Someday at Christmas,” a hopeful fusion of soul and pop.

Various Artists
Happy Holidays, I Miss You

This is a charitable album that evokes youthful memories of snowball fights and kisses under mistletoe. It’s 11 tales of self-reflection in a hectic span, from underground emo artists like Chase Huglin and Mirror Eyes. Pay-what-you-want proceeds go to a scholarship fund for cancer patients. Get merry and feel good about where your money is going. (Thanks to Alternative Press for the recommendation!)

What new holiday albums are you rocking this season? Let us know!